St Kilda Boat Sales - Spring into Port Phillip Bay Snapper
27 November 2009
Spring into Port Phillip Bay Snapper
Recreational fishers once again have the opportunity to catch a large snapper, known as ‘big reds’, which have arrived in Port Phillip Bay in spring on their annual spawning run.
Fisheries Victoria have indicated that the snapper season is showing great promise with good quantities of fish between 3-5kg, and a good run of smaller fish in the 1-2 kg range. Many anglers are catching their daily bag limit in a short time.
Fisheries Victoria monitoring programs indicate show that most of the large snapper caught recently result come from the highly successful spawnings in the spring/summer of 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1997/98. The smaller fish are from good spawnings in spring/summer of 2000/01 and 2003/04.
Fisheries Victoria scientists also suggestanticipate that strong spawnings in 2003/04 and 2004/05 should see the good snapper fishing continue for the next few years.
Anglers are urged to ‘know their limits’ so that our snapper stocks are sustained and everyone gets a fair share of the fantastic fishing, now and into the future. Fisheries Victoria remind anglers that the current minimum legal size limit for snapper is 28cm and the daily bag limit is 10 fish, of which only three may equal or exceed 40cm.
Fisheries Officers regularly patrol popular boat ramps and are well aware of the most productive areas of the Bay. Recreational anglers are also reminded that it is illegal to sell or trade their catch. Anglers found exceeding catch limits or selling their catch face significant fines.
Anyone observing anglers exceeding catch limits or multi-tripping can report vehicle and vessel details to Fisheries Victoria’s 24 hour reporting line 13FISH (phone 13 34 74). All information will be treated in strict confidence and will assist in planning patrols and enforcement operations when no immediate field response is possible.
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DPI/
by Dept Primary Industries VIC 10:46 AM Tue 24 Nov 2009 GMT