By NOEL MURPHY
OPPONENTS to commercial netting in Corio Bay have called for a statewide ban.
Friends of Corio Bay Action Group ramped up its campaign with a 400-strong meeting seeking a ban on netting in all bays, estuaries and inlets across Victoria.
The group has also joined forces with Futurefish Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation supporting recreational fishing.
Group president Ivan Bereza said Corio Bay was a “once-great place to fish” for many anglers who grew up in Geelong.
“We’ve seen a lot of commercial netting going on using the haul-seinne beach netting method, with eight-metre aluminium trailer boats over the last 20 years. This involves hauling 460-metre nets from up to 1.5km from shore.
“It’s done at night time in secluded areas of Corio Bay. Our members go to beaches like Curlewis and are totally shocked to see dead juvenile fish washing up on shore.
“Netting has been banned in a lot of developed countries in the world, people have learned their lesson, yet here commercial bay netters have no quotas and can take as much as they like all year round.”
Mr Bereza said netting affected the local tourism industry, hurting caravan parks and retailers.
“We’re not against commercial fishing in open water or sustainable methods in the bay but with 42 commercial netters all-year round and multiple netters every night in Corio Bay it’s too much.”
