MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have raised the alarm over recent changes proposed by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, warning fewer officers would lead to a “much higher risk” of illegal fishing and habitat destruction.
Cr Max Patton successfully moved a motion at the council’s March 11 meeting expressing concerns over the VFA’s restructure which would see a significant reduction in fisheries officer positions and enforcement capacity across Victoria, including Port Phillip Bay.
In February the VFA proposed to close its Mornington station and replace it with a “community office” in Carrum (Fisheries office closure sparks concern of weak compliance, The News 3/3/25). Offices also proposed to be closed include Cowes, Braeside, Altona North and Queenscliff, resulting in a staffing reduction from 192 to 157. Only nine engagement officers would serve the whole Port Phillip and Western Port Bay areas while it’s also understood the changes would see 73 fisheries officers replaced by 36 engagement officers.
The Community and Public Sector Union (CSPU) has confirmed the proposed staff reduction, however the VFA has not made a formal announcement yet. Instead, a spokesperson said in a statement its future was “focused on education and engaging the community with fishing, and some workforce changes have been proposed to reflect this”.
“Our workforce will focus on keeping compliance levels high, and on major fishing crime, while working closely with the community to provide them the education and resources they need to fish responsibly,” the spokesperson said. “We’re confident our new operating model means fishing in Victoria will be as good into the future as it is today.”
But Patton voiced his opposition to the plan, noting the peninsula’s bays, which covered 192km of the coastline, were a critical asset for the region, and home to a variety of marine life including the Burrunan dolphin, Weedy Seadragon, and Giant Spider Crabs. “All these changes are massive and with fewer officers, I believe there’s a much higher risk of illegal fishing, habitat destruction and non-compliance with catch limits throughout both of our bays in Western Port and Port Phillip Bay,” he said, adding it “would undermine years of progress in protecting marine ecosystems”.
“Our bays play a critical role in marine biodiversity protection, ensuring sustainable fishing practices from all recreational fishes and maintaining compliance with marine safety regulations and that includes the jet ski operator. “A cut in enforcement personnel could weaken the ability to monitor high-risk areas, leaving local beaches and waterways even more vulnerable to unsafe behaviour.”
He said any changes needed to be carefully considered to protect marine biodiversity and prevent environmental damage. “Given the potential risks to marine life, recreational fishing, tourism and public safety, I think major changes to the VFA should not be made without consulting coastal communities, environment, environmental groups and other stakeholders,” he said.
Cr Kate Roper agreed, saying it was “just staggering” that the VFA were looking to reduce its enforcement officers “when we really need more”. “This is really, really devastating news,” she said, which she believed was “another cost cutting exercise by the state government”. “Our environment is precious here. Our tourists come here to see our beautiful environment and with the jet ski problems we’ve had for years, we’ve tried to do a few things to try and mitigate some of those problems.”
Roper said she was highly supportive of the motion, which she hoped would “really push the importance of keeping these staff numbers up and even increasing”.
Councillors unanimously supported the motion which will see the shire write a letter to the Outdoor Recreation Minister and the VFA’s CEO outlining their concerns while calling for extensive community and stakeholder consultation before implementing any significant reforms.
First published in the Mornington News – 25 March 2025
