As a passionate fisherman in Victoria, I’ve seen first hand how dedicated fisheries officers protect our waters. Thanks to their hard work, fish stocks in Western Port Bay and Port Phillip Bay are the best they’ve been in my eight years of fishing. Their presence on the water gives me confidence that our marine ecosystem will remain healthy and thriving for generations to come.

But now, the Victorian Government wants to get rid of these officers and replace them with a small team of "educational officers"—a move that could devastate our fisheries. Without proper enforcement, nothing will stop people from taking more than their fair share, keeping undersized fish, and exploiting our fragile marine environment. This reckless decision threatens everything we’ve worked so hard to protect.

I’m not alone in my concern. Ex Fisheries officers—along with professional, commercial, and recreational fishers, are all sounding the alarm. We’ve seen what happens in other parts of the world when enforcement is stripped away—fish populations collapse, marine ecosystems are destroyed, and fishing communities suffer.

A report by the World Bank and the United Nations (The Sunken Billions Revisited, 2017) confirms that weak regulation leads to overfishing, ecosystem destruction, and economic loss. Australia has long been a global leader in sustainable fisheries management, but this proposal puts that reputation—and the future of our waters—at immediate risk.

We cannot let this happen. Our fisheries officers are the backbone of a healthy marine ecosystem. If we don’t act now, Victoria’s fishing industry—both recreational and commercial—could face irreversible damage.

👉 Sign this petition today to tell the Victorian Government that we stand with our fisheries officers. Let’s make our voices heard and protect the waters we love before it’s too late.