A NEW report confirms recreational fishing is one of Victoria's most popular pastimes, worth more than $2.3 billion to the state's economy.
According to the report, within 20 years more than one million anglers will spend in excess of $1 billion a year on their pursuit.
The findings are the results of economic research by Ernst & Young that quantifies the net benefit and economic contribution of recreational fishing to Victoria.
Victoria's peak fishing body, VRFish, commissioned the $110,000 report that was paid for through the Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence fund.
VRFish chairman, Geoff Cramer, said: "With an estimated 721,000 Victorians participating in recreational fishing in 2008-9, this puts recreational fishing as one of Victoria's most popular pastimes.
"The report also highlighted that in the same year, the recreational fishing industry directly produced an estimated GSP (gross state product) of $825 million and employed 5200 Victorians.
"But the most significant figure is that Victoria's recreational fishers' activity generated direct expenditure of $2.3 billion for that year, which was in a time of unprecedented economic pressures."
In 1997, Victoria's Natural Resources and Environment Department commissioned the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research to undertake a study to establish the economic value of angling.
The report put the value to the state's economy at $1.256 billion a year.
The study also revealed that more than 85 per cent of people included fishing as a reason for going on holiday.
At the time, the then Agriculture and Resources Minister Pat McNamara said it was the first time an economic study of angling had been undertaken with such scope.
"It (the report) reinforces the importance of our bays and shows the huge spin-offs from recreational fishing such as support services," he said.
The new report focused on three key questions:
- What are the characteristics and level of recreational fishing in Victoria?
- What is the net benefit of recreational fishing on the Victorian economy?
- What does recreational fishing and its associated activities contribute to Victoria's economy?
The report also brought focus on the significant regional component to the economic contribution of recreational fishing to Victoria:
- Melbourne-Port Phillip region $228.8m.
- Gippsland region $172.9m.
- North East region $177.9m.
- North West region $56.8m.
- South West region $188.4m.
VRFish executive director Christopher Collins said the report was commissioned to champion a better deal for Victorian anglers.
"Recreational fishing is growing in line with the population; it is maintaining its popularity and is a growth industry," he said, adding that the government did not recognise recreational fishing as recreation.
"There is minimal funding compared with the money given to more obscure sports. Frisbee throwing has more chance of government funding than recreational fishing, which is essentially self-funded."
Mr Collins said the State Government put up $13.5m at the last election but this was nowhere near the amount of taxable funding handed to other sports like soccer and golf.
He said the report was barely scratching the surface and more work was needed, but at least the study clearly showed Victoria's economic planners the significance of recreational fishers' contribution to the state's economy.
'"What would happen, say, in the northwest of the state, if we bought water for recreational fishing instead of using it for some marginal agriculture practices? Wouldn't that be better for the Victorian economy?"
