Conservation group the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA) has warned proposed cuts to the Victorian Fisheries Authority will leave the state's marine parks and wildlife virtually unprotected and vulnerable to widespread illegal fishing.
The restructure would see 73 fisheries officers replaced with just 36 engagement officers across the state, severely compromising Victoria's ability to protect its marine life and enforce fishing regulations.
"These devastating cuts will leave Victoria's marine national parks and sanctuaries wide open to illegal fishing, spelling disaster for our precious marine ecosystems," said VNPA Nature Conservation Campaigner Shannon Hurley.
"With marine parks already showing a 56% non-compliance rate, it's incomprehensible that the government would slash the number of officers responsible for protecting these areas. Victoria already has the lowest marine protection of any Australian state, with only 5.3% of state waters protected in no-take marine national parks and sanctuaries."
Ms Hurley said the cuts would severely impact the protection of iconic Victorian marine species.
"These officers are our eyes and ears on the water, protecting vulnerable species like Giant Spider Crabs during their shallow water migrations, abalone in our intertidal zones, and snapper in our bays. Without adequate enforcement, these species face devastating risks from illegal and unregulated fishing."
The cuts to fisheries officers follow significant reductions across other environmental protection agencies, with Parks Victoria facing $95 million in budget cuts and an estimated 100 job losses, while the Office of the Conservation Regulator has already lost 33 staff.
"This is not just a conservation issue – it's a safety concern. With minimal personnel out there managing and enforcing protections, both our marine environment and those who use it are at risk," Ms Hurley said.
"Once again, we're seeing our wildlife, parks, and environment suffer from damaging and short-sighted budget decisions. We need more enforcement not less. The government must at least reverse these cuts if it's serious about protecting Victoria's precious wildlife and marine areas."
Contact details:
Shannon Hurley 0433 481 346 / Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480
