Victorian Government’s plan fails

The peak industry body for commercial fishers in Victoria is Seafood Industry Victoria (SIV).  SIV is funded by a small compulsory fee on all Victorian fishing licences.

The Victorian Government recently wrote to Victorian fishers asking if they wanted to continue paying this fee.  Victoria has shut down net fishing in Port Phillip Bay, has reduced the days that remaining operators can work (so that they are not visible to recreational anglers) and has scheduled the closure of the Gippsland Lakes Fishery (to promote recreational angling).  Therefore, many in the industry believed that the Victorian Government’s goal was to remove any remaining barrier to shutting down more fisheries.

However, the Victorian industry has sent a clear message to Government and come out in support of SIV with 77% of Victorian licence holders that responded being strongly in favour of retaining SIV as their representative peak body. 

In an emailed statement to SETFIA, SIV’s EO Johnathon Davey says that SIV with the support of industry has the mandate as the representative of the Victorian industry, will develop labelling standards for Victorian Seafood and will try to grow the desire of the Victorian consumers to understand the story behind their seafood.’