New trout season opens

Jeremy Rockliff, acting Minister for Primary Industries and Water

Tasmania’s world class brown trout fishery opens today for the 2020-21 season.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is a passionate supporter of our inland fisheries which attracts more than 20,000 recreational licensed anglers each year.

The opening of the new trout season is keenly anticipated by thousands of anglers and good lake heights and strong river flows are expected to create excellent fishing conditions right from the start.

Wild brown trout were first introduced to Tasmania in 1864 and the fishery is now regarded as one of the best in the world and attracts more than 5000 interstate and overseas anglers every year.

While a major tourism drawcard, we are also ensuring that trout fishing remains a valued tradition for many Tasmanian families and regional communities underpinning many local businesses and jobs.

To encourage more people to go fishing we have made it cheaper by freezing licence fees at the 2017-18 level and there is also a $50,000 tagged trout promotion with begins today.

The Tasmanian Tagged Trout Promotion will see Arthurs Lake, Lake Burbury, yingina/Great Lake, Lake Pedder and Lake Rowallan each receive a $10,000 tagged fish and to claim the prize, the fish with the tag intact, must be returned to the IFS.

The coming trout season is shaping up as even better than last year and I encourage as many people as possible to buy a licence through their local tackle shop, Service Tasmania, or online from the IFS and enjoy the great trout fishing that Tasmania has to offer.

We can also announce that four appointments have been made to the Inland Fisheries Advisory Council (IFAC) following an expression of interest process.

The IFAC appointments are:

  • Julianne Stevens, representing the Northern area (new appointment). Ms Stevens is a partner in tackle store business and fellow Director of publishing business.
  • Ranald Moore, representing the Southern area (new appointment). Mr Moore is the secretary to the World Fly Fishing Championship committee and has expertise in logistics and project management at a senior level.
  • Dr Liza Fallon, conservation of freshwater ecosystems (re-appointment). Dr Fallon is a current member of IFAC who has expertise in planning and policy. She holds qualifications in environmental science and planning.
  • Simone Hackett, representing tourism relating to inland fisheries, (re-appointment). Ms Hackett is a current member of IFAC. She is part-owner of a trout guiding business.

They will join existing IFAC members:

  • Michele Moseley, Chairperson
  • Shaun Finlayson, Commercial freshwater fishing
  • Gary France, Freshwater angling associations
  • Sheryl Thompson, representing the North-West area
  • Dr Christine Mucha, ministerial appointment
  • John Diggle, Director of Inland Fisheries

/Public Release. View in full here.