THE cost involved in anglers putting a meal on the table has risen a little, with new prices announced for fishing licences. 

Compared with other living cost rises, the fishing licence increase is minnow-sized and brings whale-sized benefits.
Anglers purchasing a recreational fishing licence will pay about 10 per cent more.

The new fee schedule, introduced on August 1, is the first since January 2004, when petrol prices were $1.05 a litre.

The increase will result in the following licence fee changes: a three-year licence rises from $6 to $66; a one-year licence is up $2.50 to $24.50; a 28-day licence is up $1 to $12; and a 48-hour licence is $6, a rise of 50 cents.

This new fee structure is in line with accumulated increases in the Consumer Price Index during the past four years.

Many anglers bemoan having to pay for a fishing licence. Yet, many of these same people willingly pay to play golf, bowls, or have a night on the pokies.

To put the value in perspective, grumpy anglers should consider that the cost of taking a boat on Port Phillip Bay for one day's fishing far exceeds the cost of a recreational licence that covers 365 days.

The Victorian recreational licence was called a general angling licence when launched in June 1999 by then Agriculture and Resources Minister Pat McNamara.

The licence became effective on July 15 that year and anglers caught fishing in either marine or freshwater in Victoria without one faced a $100 fine.

The new licence in 1999 cost $20 a year and Mr McNamara said its revenue would be managed as a trust fund, with a joint angler and departmental group advising the Minister on how funds should be spent.

"The licence will provide a fair means by which Victoria's adult recreational anglers can make a direct contribution to the costs of the fisheries management and other services provided directly for their benefit,'' he said.

"Now that the new licence is in place and additional funds are available, Victoria's anglers can look forward to initiatives such as expanded compliance programs, an expanded fish stocking program, junior angling training programs and improved facilities at fishing jetties.''

Licence revenue money was also earmarked to buy back commercial fishing licences from bays and inlets from Port Phillip Bay to Mallacoota, justified on the basis that salt-water anglers would directly benefit.

The Fisheries Co-management Council recommended the buy-back of 100 of the 195 commercial fishing licences from these areas.

The Minister also announced 10 new fisheries officers would be employed, with five in Port Phillip region, two in the southwest and three in Gippsland.

Exemptions for fishing licences were granted to Seniors cardholders, age and invalid pensioners and anglers under 18 years. This is an oddity given other states, including Tasmania and Western Australia, apply concessions.

In Tasmania, everyone fishing in inland waters must hold a current Inland Fisheries Service angling licence. Children under 14 years do not require a licence but eligible pensioners and juveniles between 14-17 years must pay a concession rate.

A Tasmanian inland fishing licence costs $49.54 a year, but an eligible pensioner is charged $27.54.
In Western Australia, concessions apply to people on pensions and anglers under 16 years old. The concessional cost of a licence is half the normal cost.

In Victoria, there is plenty of proof recreational fishing licence funds have been put to good use.
Since the start of the Fisheries Grants program in 2001, more than 200 projects worth $7 million have been undertaken.

Projects include the construction of fishing platforms and jetties, fish stocking of popular species and research to better understand our fisheries and manage them in a sustainable manner.

In 2006-07, $763,971 was allocated for 17 projects. This expenditure was separate from funds that paid for 10 Fisheries officers, administration of the recreational fishing licence and associated grants program and the budget for Victoria's peak fishing lobby group, VRFish.

Fisheries Victoria executive director Dr Peter Appleford said: "Fishing licence fees do not increase on an annual basis because small increases in the CPI each year translate into only very minor fee increases that are difficult to administer''.

"It therefore makes more sense to increase fees every few years,'' Dr Appleford said.

Recreational fishing licences are available at more than 950 outlets across Victoria and at www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fishing