A MAJORITY LIBERAL GOVERNMENT WILL:
- Make recreational sea fishing more accessible to Tasmanians with a new $2 million grant fund for new and upgraded facilities and amenities
- Guarantee no new taxes for recreational fishing in Tasmania
- Provide $1 million for new and upgraded facilities and amenities for inland fishing, and improved access
- Make licences free for junior inland anglers for the next four years
- Double the amount of funding for the Tagged Trout Promotion
Going fishing is part of the Tasmanian way of life.
Over 100,000 Tasmanians enjoy fishing.We have some of the highest rates of recreational sea fishing in the world.
Of these, over 20,000 anglers test their skills in our world class wild trout fisheries.
Every year, around 30,000 interstate and overseas visitors also go fishing in Tasmania, with our trout fishery the focus of international attention in 2019 with the World Fly Fishing Championships hosted in the State.
Fishing also makes a significant contribution to Tasmania’s economy, with more than $160 million spent on accommodation, fuel, bait, tackle, and other equipment, helping our regional communities and small business sector.
However, probably the greatest benefit of going fishing is that it is good for mental health and wellbeing, allows many Tasmanians to catch fish for food, and spend time in the outdoors with their friends and family.
MAKE RECREATIONAL SEA FISHING MORE ACCESSIBLE TO TASMANIANS WITH A NEW $2 MILLION GRANT FUND FOR NEW AND UPGRADED FACILITIES AND AMENITIES
A Majority Liberal Government will provide $2 million in a new grant fund to deliver benefits for recreational sea fishers, their families and local communities, including–
- new or upgraded jetties, boat ramps, pontoons and fishing platforms;
- new or upgraded toilets, change facilities, rubbish bins, picnic tables and fish cleaning facilities; and
- upgrading of sea fishing club premises and surrounds.
The Fund will be open to local councils and local community organisations, including sea fishing clubs, with the aim of improving local community amenities, and making recreational sea fishing more accessible to fishers, families, and those who are mobility-impaired or living with disability.
The new Fund is in addition to the Government’s ongoing expenditure for major jetties, boat ramps and infrastructure of over $5 million.
This policy complements the Australian Government’s commitment of $800,000 in 2022-23 to local councils to build or improve recreational fishing, camping and boating facilities.
GUARANTEE NO NEW TAXES FOR RECREATIONAL FISHING IN TASMANIA
A re-elected Majority Liberal Government has categorically ruled out new taxes and levies for recreational fishing in Tasmania.
PROVIDE $1 MILLION FOR NEW AND UPGRADED FACILITIES AND AMENITIES FOR INLAND FISHING, AND IMPROVED ACCESS
Tasmania has some of the world’s best wild brown trout fisheries, and our lakes and waterways are enjoyed by thousands of Tasmanians and their families.
As part of our plan to encourage more people to go trout fishing, we have built and upgraded amenities at popular inland fishing locations, expanded our Anglers Access program across high priority waterways and supported angling events and clubs.
To drive continued growth in trout fishing, a re-elected Majority Liberal Government will maintain a strong and independent Inland Fisheries Service and provide them with $1 million over four years for new and upgraded facilities and improved access.
FREE INLAND ANGLING LICENCES FOR JUNIOR INLAND ANGLERS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS
Trout fishing is a way of life for many Tasmanian families, with around 1000 junior angling licences sold annually.
To help more young people enjoy our world class trout fishery and increase angling participation, we will waive junior angling fees for the next four years.
This will mean that children up to and including 17 years of age will be able to fish in Tasmania’s inland lakes and waterways for free.
DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR THE TAGGED TROUT PROMOTION
The Tasmanian Liberals’ Tagged Trout Promotion has helped encourage regional tourism with anglers chasing one of five $10 000 tagged fish released in lakes across the state.
More importantly, the Promotion has also helped boost inland angling licence numbers following the impact of the devastating 2018-19 Central Highlands bushfires.
Building on this season’s success, a re-elected Majority Liberal Government will expand the Tagged Trout Promotion, providing an additional $100 000 over the next two years to double this program.
Current work underway right now
- Progressing Tasmania’s first ever 10 year Recreational Sea Fishing Strategy, after consultation with thousands of Tasmanians and over 40 forums State-wide.
- Funding of $620,000 from 2018-2022 to the Tasmanian Association of Recreational Fishing (TARfish) to support recreational marine fishers right around Tasmania.
- Providing $500,000 towards a 30-50 metre extension to the rock breakwater at Coles Bay to provide protection to boat owners in southerly weather.
- $175,000 to develop a web portal and social media platform for recreational fishers to provide information about boat registration, boat operator licences, specialist fishing licences.
- Delivering our $1 million commitment to improve offshore catch opportunities by constructing two artificial reef structures in Tasmanian coastal waters, located in Bass Strait off the north-west coast, and Storm Bay in the south.
- Froze inland trout fishing licences at 2017-18 prices for four years.
- Funding of $215,000 over four years to Anglers Alliance Tasmania, the peak group representing 26,000 trout anglers.
- Providing $200,000 to expand the Inland Fisheries Service’s (IFS) Anglers Access Program across priority lakes and rivers in the North West, North East, and Derwent Catchments in partnership with Anglers Alliance Tasmania and local angling clubs.
- Running a $50 000 tagged trout promotion in the 2020/21 season, encouraging anglers to visit regional areas and support our economy.
Our record in Government
- $250,000 for the provision of floating pontoons and boating facilities on the Scamander River
- $130 000 over two years to expand the St Helens Volunteer Marine Rescue base
- $250,000 Master Plan for the Bridport foreshore to support the growing number of recreational fishers, with associated upgrades including a new Bridport pier, pontoon access for boaters, boat ramps, parking and launching facilities, improve access to the working port.
- $440,000 in additional funding to Tasmania’s Volunteer Marine Rescue Unit to ensure ongoing volunteer response coverage, and a further $350,000 for vessel replacement.
- $700,000 grant fund to improve access to jetties for families, older Tasmanians and those with disability
- $100,000 new breakwater at Binalong Bay for safer launch and retrieval conditions for all vessels.
- $200,000 for an extension to the Nubeena Jetty, for improved access for recreational users.
- Replacement of the Cunningham Street and Talbot Street jetties through the $685,000 commitment to replace derelict jetties around Georges Bay.
- $450,000 to purchase and install four new Fishing Aggregation Devices – with three deployed for trial in February 2021; two in Great Oyster Bay and one off St Helens.
- $300 000 to build and upgrade amenities at high visitation inland fishing locations
- $100 000 to support the 2019 World Fly Fishing Championships, held in Tasmania
- Continued supporting the Carp Management Program, which has led to the re-opening of Lake Sorell for angling for the first time in more than 25 years.
Costings:
$2 million grant fund for recreational sea fishing
$1 million for facilities and improved access to support inland fishing
$75,000 to waive junior inland angling fees for four years
$100,000 to double the Tagged Trout Promotion for two years
https://tas.liberal.org.au/securing-tasmanias-future-investing-improved-facilities-recreational-fishers-and-local-communities