7 Recreational use of waterways Enjoying the Glenelg River. Photographer: Johanna Slijkerman 78 Victorian Waterway Management Strategy Part 3: Management issues Recreational use of waterways Guide to the chapter 7.1 Context What are the issues with 7.2 Recreational fishing existing arrangements? • Improving waterway condition The social and economic values that to support fish populations waterways provide should be more • Responsibilities for managing comprehensively considered in waterway freshwater and estuarine fish management planning and management in Victoria activities. In some cases, managing for • Recreational fish species social values (such as recreational fishing) 7.3 Recreational duck hunting can conflict with managing for environmental • Ensuring recreational duck hunting values (such as threatened native fish is sustainable populations). Recreational use of lakes, • Habitat conservation and game reservoirs and storages can be affected management by periods of drought so clear roles and responsibilities need to be defined for 7.4 Recreational use of lakes and management during these times. reservoirs • Managing storage levels What improvements does • Agency roles and responsibilities the Strategy make? for drying lakes For recreational use of waterways 7.5 Recreational boating the Strategy will: • encourage and support community 7.6 Managing the impacts of involvement in waterway planning for, recreational activities and management of, recreational use of waterways • acknowledge the importance of waterways for recreation and promote sustainable recreational use • manage risks associated with recreational use of waterways through guidelines, protocols and education. Victorian Waterway Management Strategy 79 Part 3 7.1 Context Victoria’s scenic and diverse waterways It is important that the condition of Victoria’s waterways is maintained or improved to ensure that valuable recreational provide vital opportunities for communities opportunities persist into the future. Fish populations, to engage with the natural environment and particularly native species, often cannot survive without enjoy water-based recreational activities such appropriate habitat or water quality. Tourists and locals cannot swim or enjoy waterways when there are persistent as fishing, waterfowl hunting, swimming, algal blooms. canoeing, rowing, sailing and motor-boating. The My Victorian Waterway survey (see Chapter 2, Box There are also many recreational activities that occur beside 2.1) found that recreational users of waterways have very waterways such as walking, hiking, cycling, picnics and high aspirations for waterways. It is clear from this that viewing native plants and animals. Coastal waterways, like recreational users understand that healthy waterways are the Gippsland Lakes system, are a magnet for thousands vital to support the recreational opportunities they enjoy. of local and interstate visitors during the summer months. Recreational users are important stakeholders in waterway These iconic waterways, and the recreational and tourism management. The Victorian Government will encourage opportunities they provide, deliver significant benefits to and support their involvement in waterway planning and the well-being of individuals and to regional economies. management as part of the broader commitment to work In more remote parts of Victoria, waterways in near natural together with relevant stakeholder groups on waterway areas provide opportunities for recreational fishers and management issues. bushwalkers to enjoy fishing, hiking and camping along small mountain streams. Recreational activities (or access to waterways for recreational purposes) are also common on riparian land along waterways (see Section 9.3.7). Fishing is enjoyed by many Victorians. Courtesy Parks Victoria 80 Victorian Waterway Management Strategy Chapter 7 Recreational use of waterways 7.2 Recreational fishing 7.2.1 Improving waterway condition to 7.2.2 Responsibilities for managing support fish populations freshwater and estuarine fish in Victoria Recreational fishing is an activity enjoyed by many people The Department of Environment and Primary Industries in Victoria and it makes an important contribution to the (DEPI) is responsible for managing the environment in which Victorian economy. A study in 2008/09, found that 721,000 fish live. The DEPI has legislative obligations under the Victorians participated in recreational fishing and contributed Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (FFG Act) to protect, $825 million per year to the total Victorian Gross State conserve and manage threatened fauna, including native fish. Product1. Inland fishing, including estuarine recreational Further obligations exist under the Environment Protection fishing, was found to account for around 60 per cent of all and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act). recreational fishing activity. The DEPI is involved in developing and implementing Recovery Plans and Action Statements for fish listed under Inland Victoria sustains a range of freshwater recreational these Acts and also for monitoring these fish populations. fisheries in rivers and lakes. The most popular are introduced The DEPIs Arthur Rylah Institute also undertakes extensive species such as trout and redfin, although anglers are research on threatened native fish species. increasingly targeting native species such as Golden Perch, Murray Cod and Australian Bass. All of these fish species, In 2013, nine native freshwater fish species in Victoria were other than redfin, are stocked regularly by Fisheries Victoria listed as being nationally threatened under the EPBC Act and to enhance recreational fishing opportunities for anglers. 19 species (and one native fish community) were listed as Native fish are also stocked for conservation purposes; to being threatened under the FFG Act. The conservation status re-establish locally extinct populations or to boost numbers of many of our native fish, and hence the DEPIs legislative within their natural range. Yabbies and Spiny Freshwater responsibilities, requires action to support native fish and Crayfish are also targeted by recreational fishers, but are not implement recovery actions. Victorian communities also place stocked by Fisheries Victoria. Fishing for estuarine species, high value on our native freshwater fish and have strong such as bream and Estuary Perch, is a popular activity for expectations that fish populations will be well managed. those enjoying coastal holidays. Within the DEPI, Fisheries Victoria is responsible for Fishing has always been an integral part of the cultural regulating the commercial and recreational take of fish and economic life of Victorian Traditional Owners. Fishing and for the ecologically sustainable development, use provided, and continues to provide, not only sustenance and management of fisheries in Victoria in accordance and trade but also a strong connection to Country (see with the Fisheries Act 1995 and the FFG Act. They also Chapter 6). The Victorian Government recognises Aboriginal work with recreational fishers to improve their recreational customary fishing as unique and separate to recreational fishing experiences. Fisheries Victoria manage the stocking fishing and is committed to working together with the of waterways with recreational fishing species, fishing Aboriginal community to sustainably manage fish resources licences, the movement of fish species and protection in freshwater and saltwater Country. The Victorian Aboriginal of fish of recreational and economic importance from Fishing Strategy2 focuses on achieving protection and invasive competitors. Regulations to ensure sustainable fish recognition of Aboriginal customary rights, sustainable populations include setting limits on the size and amount of fisheries management in collaboration with Aboriginal fish people can take, fishing gear restrictions and seasonal communities and better economic opportunities for or area closures. Fisheries Management Plans have Aboriginal people in fishing and related industries. previously been developed for most catchments that sustain inland fisheries, within the broader context of the integrated Victoria’s inland waters have been impacted by human waterway management framework. use and the degraded environmental condition of many waterways has adversely affected recreational fishing. Over the last decade, this impact has been exacerbated by the long period of drought and may be further affected Policy 7.1 given the potential impacts of climate change. Recreational fishing is highly dependent on the environmental condition The Victorian Government is committed to maintaining of waterways. This means that there are mutual interests in or improving the environmental condition of waterways to recreational fishers working with waterway managers and enhance native fish populations and recreational fishing other resource management agencies to support works opportunities. Priorities include protecting existing fish that improve connectivity, water quality, water regimes and populations, restoring fish passage, environmental water instream habitat. Recreational fishers spend considerable management, improving instream habitat and providing time on Victorian waterways and their interest and advocacy strategic research into waterway condition, threatened for river restoration is growing. Programs that bring together species and impacts of invasive species. governments, recreational fishing groups and regional Waterway