October 5, 2018
We are constantly working to improve fishing access for you with the resources we have, but at the same time standing up for you and your fishing by protecting any loss of access.
Many plans and proposals come past our desk (and some that don’t) and the latest one is the Yellingbo Conservation Reserve Draft 10 year plan. At a distance the plan intends to improve water quality, restore streamside vegetation and appropriately manage riparian grazing to reduce erosion within the Yarra catchment.
Look closer, and you will find it is littered with intended lock out areas to recreational fishing without any justification.
Why are anglers being locked out of the following waterways? No one can tell us at the moment. There is also no acknowledgement of the countless volunteer hours recreational fishers are contributing to improve fish habitat and stream side vegetation across the State.
Its increasingly frustrating that these planning process continue to erode our access rights by incorrectly perceiving recreational fishing as a ‘threatening process’ rather than a partner to improve our waterways, our fisheries and enhance community stewardship.
Our submission outlines the areas where access is affected and we have already been in contact with DELWP to talk through our concerns. You still have until October 7 to make a submission yourself via the Engage Victoria website.
Rather than suffering a ‘death by a thousand cuts’ this demonstrates the value of having the a strong and independent peak body representing recreational fishers. We will continue to engage with DELWP and we are confident the final plan will be vastly different than what has been presented here in the draft.
Areas in the draft plan that recreational fishers will be locked out from:
Precinct 1
- Woori Yallock creek (Warramate nature reserve creek frontage)
Precinct 2
- Haining Farm (Don River flows through from confluence with Yarra River) (Clarification required as its marked as both Conservation and Restoration zone)
Precinct 3
- Wetlead Creek (very small section)
- Hoddles Creek (section downstream from the south of Hoddles creek education area to just east of the adjoining Beenak bushland reserve)
Precinct 4
- Woori Yallock Creek (Extremely large section from just North of the Parslow Bridge to South of Macclesfield.)
- Cockatoo Creek (Full section enclosed in the current YCR)
- Shepherd Creek (From confluence with Macclesfield creek to east of the YCR reserve boundary, then east of Woori Yallock Road to where it adjoins with Kirth Kiln regional park)
- Mccrae creek (section NE of old Beenak rd)
Precinct 5
- Cockatoo Creek (Small area east of Woori Yallock road and adjoining the Wright Forest bushland reserve)
Precinct 6
- Perrins Creek (from confluence with Sassafras Creek to just south of Olinda)
- Sassafras Creek (Full length)
- Ti-tree Creek (from confluence with Sassafras creek to northern side of Kallista-Emerald Road)
