June 3, 2022
Photo of Lake Hume from the Victorian Fisheries Authority
From 1 July 2022, New South Wales recfishers will no longer need to hold two recreational fishing licences to fish at Lake Hume following a successful trial in 2021 and public consultation in 2022 by the Victorian Fisheries Authority.
This announcement is great news for NSW recreational fishing licence holders who will no longer need to purchase a Victorian recreational fishing licence to fish Lake Hume. But it poses the question: Should Victorian recfishers only need their Victorian recreational fishing licences to fish the Murray River along the Victorian border?
Fishers along the Victorian/NSW border have long called for reciprocal recreational fishing licences between the states to remove the need to purchase two fishing licences when waterways are managed by the different states in border communities.
As many will know, Lake Hume is a waterway along the border near Albury/Wodonga that is managed by Victoria and includes all of the lake areas to the south of Bethanga Bridge. Other Victorian/NSW border waterways including Lake Mulwala and the Murray River are managed by NSW.
It is hoped that this will be a first step towards a reciprocal recreational fishing licence between the states.
We know there is overwhelming support from Victorian recfishers towards reciprocal fishing licences with NSW. VRFish support the introduction of a reciprocal licence arrangement with NSW. It would allow Victorian recfishers who fish along the border to only purchase one licence instead of two.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority have advised that by accepting NSW recreational fishing licences at Lake Hume they hope that in the future NSW will accept a Victorian fishing licence for Lake Mulwala and the entire Murray River.
The arrangements will be formalised by the Victorian Fisheries Authority through a Fisheries Notice coming into effect on 1 July 2022.
