VICTORIA'S $2.3 billion recreational fishing industry could be devastated if 20 new marine parks go-ahead.

Fishing groups and businesses that rely on tourism have criticised a push for the parks by the Victorian National Parks Association that would lead to a ban on recreational fishing.

The VNPA is among a growing number of green groups demanding the Victorian Government ban anglers and the commercial fishing industry from 20-30 per cent of the state's beaches and coastal waters.

VNPA executive director Matt Ruchel said little more than 5 per cent of the state's marine environment was protected by Victoria's 24 existing marine parks and sanctuaries, yet Australia had agreed to protect 20-30 per cent.

But most of the 20 proposed marine park sites cover Victoria's most popular fishing spots.

The VNPA wants the Victorian Government to investigate establishing marine parks at Mallacoota Inlet, the Gippsland Lakes, Phillip Island, Anderson Inlet, Cape Otway and several sites in Port Phillip Bay and the far west.

Mallacoota and District Angling Club president Noel Bruce said a ban on fishing in and around the inlet would devastate the town.

"If you can't go fishing here then people won't come the distance and small businesses, including mine, will go broke," Mr Bruce said.

"Fisheries can't even look after the (marine) parks we've already got and NSW poachers love them."

East Gippsland independent MP Craig Ingram said recreational and commercial fisherman should demand the Government and Opposition commit to a moratorium on establishing new marine parks, similar to that being debated in NSW's Parliament this month.

The NSW Government has already backed a private members' Bill from Upper House Shooters Party member Robert Brown that bans the creation of any new marine parks in NSW until 2015 and prohibits the extension of existing parks.

But so far, both sides of Victorian politics have refused to rule out more marine parks in the future.

Last week, Environment Minister Gavin Jennings said the Government had no plans to change the current arrangements and increase the number of marine parks along Victoria's coastline.

However, he also said the VNPA proposal had only just been made public and would take some time to be analysed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment and Parks Victoria before any further comment could be made.

Opposition leader Ted Baillieu said the Coalition was "a long way off contemplating any additions" to the marine parks, but did not rule them out.

Mr Ingram accused the Government and Coalition of using "weasel words" in their responses.

"We can't let them get away with this," Mr Ingram said. "We know the VNPA will come back again and again on this, just like they did on alpine grazing and red gum parks."

The Victorian Greens, who hope to gain the balance of power after the November 27 state election, have already backed the VNPA's proposal.

The support by the Greens raises the prospect of a minority Labor or Coalition government being forced to cut a deal with the Greens on marine parks and other environmental issues to gain power.

Executive director of recreational fishing group VRFish, Christopher Collins, said he was disappointed Mr Jennings had failed to rule out any more marine parks.

A VRFish-commissioned report found 721,000 Victorians went fishing in 2008-09 in an industry worth $2.3 billion to the state.

"That's bigger than AFL," Mr Collins said.

Seafood Industry Victoria executive director Ross McGowan said there was a risk to the $200 million industry, but he was heartened by the Government's statements that no new parks were on its current agenda.

"We're still bearing the financial cost of (creating) the first marine protected areas," Mr McGowan said.

"They (the Government) just created the parks without buying out licences, which put more pressure on the remaining fisheries. In the end, we had to reduce quotas to rebuild stocks."

However, Mr Ruchel said marine parks were good for the fishing industry, with numerous scientific studies showing they helped replenish fish populations that then spilled out into unprotected areas.