The Nagambie Angling Club was one of the big winners out of a recent funding announcement aimed at boosting recreational fishing in Victoria.
Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford announced the club would share in more than $100,000 to restore fish habitat at three sites in the Goulburn River.
The money is available as part of the State Government’s Recreational Fishing Grants Program, which is funded by the proceeds from recreational fishing licence fees.
The program has funded more than $21 million worth of projects since its launch in 2001.
The funding for the Nagambie project will be used to place approximately 100 large snags into the Goulburn River, upstream of the town.
In making the announcement Minister Pulford said the licence-funded projects complimented the Target One Million Plan which aimed to get more people fishing more often.
“The Target One Million Plan wants to see more than one million anglers in Victoria by 2020,” Ms Pulford said.
Nagambie Angling Club president Wally Cubbin said he was delighted to receive the funding, adding the extra snags would improve fishing conditions in the Goulburn.
“It’s essential that we put the snags in the river because it helps increase fish stocks by restoring their habitat,” Mr Cubbin said.
“We’ve worked really hard since 2008 to restock the river and the snagging program is really beneficial because it helps prevent erosion and provides habitat for the fish."
Goulburn Broken CMA’s Jim Castles said it was rewarding to have all three projects proposed by the CMA funded.
“The extra 100 snags in the river upstream of Nagambie adds to the 232 already placed there as part of another Recreational Fishing Licence Grant in 2012,” Mr Castles said.
“We look forward to continuing our work with the relevant fishing clubs to make these projects happen and improve the health of our waterways.”
This project is funded by the Victorian Government using Recreational Licence fees.