Quote:
Coalition protects blue groper from fishing
Sun 17 April 2011
Divers will have a better chance of spotting the friendly blue groper in Victorian waters thanks to new rules to protect the fish.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh said the Coalition Government had moved quickly to protect the species after the fish was noticed in Port Phillip Bay.
“Blue groper was reportedly common in east Gippsland in the 1960s and 1970s but numbers were drastically reduced by fishing,” Mr Walsh said.
“The species was recently spotted by divers in Port Phillip Bay, indicating that numbers are beginning to recover.
“The Coalition has acted quickly to protect the fish by introducing regulations to prevent the take of eastern and western blue groper in Victorian waters.”
Mr Walsh said the blue groper was a great attraction for recreational SCUBA divers and snorkellers and increased numbers would be a boost eco-tourism and the local dive industry.
“The large blue males are friendly and inquisitive fish, making them particularly vulnerable to spear-fishing,” Mr Walsh said.
“The no-catch limit we have put in place will provide immediate protection for blue groper for 12 months from April 2011, pending development of a longer term arrangement.
“Our initial enquiries indicate that most recreational and commercial fishers do not target blue groper, with the exception of some recreational spear-fishers who occasionally take the fish.
“Blue gropers are also afforded a high level of protection from fishing in New South Wales and South Australia.”
Mr Walsh said Fisheries Victoria would develop educational material to help Victorian fishers identify blue groper.
“We are delivering a wide range of other mitigations to boost opportunities for recreational fishers across Victoria, including the construction of new fishing reefs and fish cleaning tables,” Mr Walsh said.
“We are also stocking record numbers of fish in waterways refilling after the drought.”
http://premier.vic.gov.au/2011/04/coalition-protects-blue-groper-from-fishing/