Along with many frustrated abiding Citizen and Tax payers of Victoria, we have tried for over a year to 'do the right thing' by firstly making contact with local Council members, then local member of parliament (MP), then Fisheries Victoria - all to no avail to date...

Our Grievance:

We want to draw the attention of the Victorian Fisheries Authority and Victorian Government that koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) are currently classified as a noxious aquatic species in Victoria under the Fisheries Act 1995. This classification blanket-bans the private ownership, trade, and keeping of ornamental koi in closed backyard ponds and aquariums.
We note that ornamental koi are kept legally, responsibly, and safely by thousands of hobbyists in New South Wales and Western Australia under regulated conditions. The current Victorian ban unfairly penalizes responsible hobbyists and restricts a thriving aquaculture economy, despite the fact that captive ornamental koi in secure, self-contained, closed-loop filtration systems pose no biosecurity or ecological threat to natural waterways.

Action Needed:
With your signatories, residents of Victoria can request the Legislative Assembly of Victoria to call on the Victorian Government to amend the Fisheries Act 1995 and relevant regulations to legalise the keeping of ornamental koi fish for private hobbyists in Victoria. This should be achieved by introducing a regulated licensing framework—similar to models used for other restricted wildlife—that mandates biosecurity standards, structural escape-proof pond guidelines, and responsible ownership.