The Dismantling of Victorian Seafood
At the Seafood Consumers Association, we are in a state of dismay!
The Victorian Government has officially announced it will merge the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and the Game Management Authority (GMA) to form a new agency: Outdoor Recreation Victoria (ORV).
This is not just a bureaucratic shuffle. It is a fundamental demotion of the professionals who put food on your table for well over a hundred years. Under the recommendations of the "Silver Review," the commercial wild-harvest and aquaculture sectors—the very engines of our regional food security and nutrition—are being folded into the Outdoor Recreation portfolio.
The Reality: More Than Just "Outdoor Fun"
The UTS/FRDC factsheet on Victorian Seafood (2020) paints a clear picture of what is at stake. The professional seafood industry in Victoria is a highly diverse, 170-year-old pillar of our economy.
- Economic Backbone: In regions like East Gippsland, professional fisheries alone generated $76 million in added value and support over 800 full-time jobs.
- Consumer Preference: 85% of Victorians surveyed prefer Australian seafood, and 96% of hospitality businesses report their customers want to know the origin of their fish.
- The "Black Spot": While the government celebrates a "one-stop-shop" for camping and 4WDing, they are ignoring the post-harvest sector—the processors, wholesalers, and retailers in Melbourne who manage our local catch.
The Insult: Fish Markets and Fancy Signage
While the government guts the VFA’s frontline compliance budget by 40%, they remain silent on the critical infrastructure needed for commercial growth. There is no $869 million for a world-class fish market in Melbourne to showcase our $50 million+ aquaculture sector. Instead, the focus is on "digital hubs" for bush users and "land access panels".
SCA View: Managing aquaculture and commercial wild-harvest under "Outdoor Recreation" is like managing the dairy industry under the "Ministry of Picnics." It is an insult to the professional fishers and farmers who ensure Victorian families have access to safe, fresh, and affordable protein. It is an abuse of power over the Victorian community at a time when the health and dietary programs are highlighting the importance of seafood in the Mediterranean diet – the need to arrest chronic disease, dementia and mental illness was highlighted by Professor Henry Bodaty AO when he was awarded the Senior Australian of the Year Award.
Placing such important folios of aquaculture and commercial fishing into Outdoor Recreation is such a gross error. The thought that tourists are visiting Victoria to eat imported seafood is incredulous – are we going to give them a rod and a map and suggest they catch their own!
Call to Action: Disrupt the Demotion
We cannot allow our food system to be treated as a secondary byproduct of outdoor recreation. We need to disrupt this "hobbyist" narrative before it becomes law in July 2026.
Our Plan:
- Demand a "Food Security" Seat: We are calling on the Premier to move the commercial fishing and aquaculture portfolios back to Agriculture or Regional Development, where they belong or even be brave and create a “Blue Economy Department” to build an industry for the future built around aqua food and all the activities and opportunities that may bring.
- Communicate with the Post-Harvest Sector: Melbourne's wholesalers and retailers need to highlight that their $1 billion+ industry will be under the control of a “Recreation” minister. Managing a complex supply chain will be an issue that will create angst.
- The "Consumer Letter" Campaign: We will provide templates for every Victorian seafood lover to write to the Minister for Outdoor Recreation, asking: "Since when is my family's nutrition a weekend hobby?"
- Consumer Minister, The Hon. Nick Staikos MP, will also be contacted and advised of our position.
We refuse to see our important Victorian seafood meals and the professional industry "merged" into invisibility.
Comments
No comments yet.