More Tasmanians are hooked on trout fishing

Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water

The Tasmanian Liberal Government supports the Tasmanian way of life and we are delighted that the number of inland angling licences purchased by Tasmanians rose by 3099 to 21,430 last financial year—an increase of almost 17 per cent.

The Inland Fisheries Services annual report tabled today shows that while participation by international and mainland anglers was disrupted by COVID-19 travel restrictions, the involvement by Tasmanian anglers was the highest in five years.

This increase shows the success of initiatives such as the Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion where five tagged brown trout were released into lakes around Tasmania and the Government has allocated additional funding to support the extension of this promotion in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

It also means more Tasmanian families out and about in the great outdoors, enjoying trout fishing and supporting our regional communities.

The IFS reported a net operating surplus of just over $240,000, mainly because of an increase in licence sales combined with management of operating expenditure.

The Tasmanian Government continues to support participation and growth in the Tasmania’s inland fishery, including investing $1 million over four years in new and upgraded facilities and amenities for inland fishing, and improved access, and offering free inland angling licences for junior inland anglers.

The annual report also highlights the success of the carp eradication program with only three carp being caught this past season compared to five the season before.

This brings the total number of carp removed from Lake Sorell to 41,499 since their discovery in 1995. The IFS estimate that few if any carp remain in Lake Sorell. Eradication and monitoring will continue over the next few years to confirm the status of the carp population.

Other highlights for the IFS over the past financial year include:

  • The IFS compliance team checked 3,383 angling licences and 130 whitebait licences;
  • The IFS inspected 583 vessels in support of MAST legislation;
  • Infringement notices and conditional and formal cautions were issued for 136 offences; and
  • Two defendants were convicted of 35 offences in the Magistrate’s Court.

The 2021 adult brown trout transfers program commenced with the start of the spawning run on 29 March and remained ongoing at 30 June with 18,186 adult brown trout transferred to waters across the State and a further 12,730 were released upstream of the traps to spawn.

The IFS annual report can be viewed here: https://www.ifs.tas.gov.au/

/Public Release. View in full here.