Fast facts:
- Second fishing licence fee increase in 12 months;
- Recfishwest was not consulted; and
- Recfishwest will be pushing hard to ensure every cent of the additional money delivers maximum benefit to the fishing community.
Despite promising no surprises in this year’s budget, recreational fishers will be in for an unpleasant surprise when they come to renew their fishing licences after another $5 increase in the cost of each of the fishing licences was announced.
This is the second $5 rise in fishing licence fees in the past 12 months.
Recfishwest do not support these increases, we were not consulted about them, we don’t believe they are necessary and we have not been advised how the additional money will be used.
Recfishwest Acting Chief Executive Officer Leyland Campbell said the State Government have made the wrong decision.
“If revenue is a genuine concern to Government, we believe there are far better options to assist with the cost of managing recreational fishing, such as addressing known inefficiencies in the current recreational fishing budget, reviewing the entire licence framework, or investing in projects to increase participation rates in licenced fisheries,” he said.
“Increasing recreational fishing licence fees should not be the first option considered. Not many businesses would survive if they simply looked to raise prices every time they wanted more money.”
Recfishwest understand there are significant costs involved in managing recreational fishing. However, Leyland said fishers already contribute more than their fair share towards the cost of managing recreational fishing through $8 million in licence fees they currently provide the government every year.
“I don’t know of any other group that contributes so much towards managing their recreational activity and unfortunately as costs have gone up, the service that is being provided has gone down,” he said.
In the past 12 months recreational fishing priority projects have been delayed, reviews of important recreational fisheries have stalled, management changes to improve fishing are not being progressed and now when someone buys a fishing licence they are not provided with a rule book to help them understand what they are and are not allowed to do.
“Any increase in fees should be accompanied by an equivalent increase in service,” Leyland said.
“This did not happen last time the government raised fees and there is no reason to believe service will improve with the new fee increases.”
Recfishwest fears participation rates could even fall as many people are now likely to think twice about whether they can afford to go fishing or worse, they may choose to fish without a licence placing them in danger of prosecution.
Recfishwest will be pushing hard to ensure every cent of the additional $1 million the Government will receive from this increase, plus the additional $1 million they are already receiving from last year’s fee increase is accounted for and delivers maximum benefit to the fishing community.
Although the Minister has promised there will be no more increases in licence fees during this term of Government this promise will be of no comfort to fishers who were already paying the highest recreational fishing fees in the country.
New Pricing for recreational fishing licences below:
Fishing from boat (State-wide) $35 + $5 = $40
Rock Lobster $45 + $5 = $50
Sout West freshwater angling $45 + $5 = $50
Net fishing (haul, set, throw) $45 + $5 = $50
Abalone $45 + $5 = $50
Marron $45 + $5 = $50