For Steven Threlfall, owner of Trelly’s Outdoor in Shepparton, yabby fishing is an important part of many children’s upbringing.
He hopes a new two-year permit trial from the Victorian Fisheries Authority will encourage more children to re-engage with the activity.
Under the trial, permit holders, including those under 18, will be allowed to collect and supply freshwater yabbies to bait and tackle stores and recreational fishers throughout Victoria. This is provided they are clearly labelled as bait and not for human consumption.
Bait and tackle stores have been allowed to sell yabbies. However, in recent years these had to come from a licensed bait seller.
Permits will be issued for a 12-month period. While adults will have to pay an annual fee of $171.46, those under 18 will receive a permit free of charge.
“Kids will be able to collect yabbies from local waterways like channels and they’ll be able to on-sell those to the public via a roadside stall or even to supply some of the tackle shops with limited amounts of yabbies,” Mr Threlfall, who was involved in consultations for the trial, said.
He welcomed the move, saying yabby fishing has been an activity enjoyed by many generations of children.
“It’s bringing it back to grassroots things that kids do in the country, historically have done for years and years and years,” Mr Threlfall said.
In recent years, this has been hampered by increased government regulation.
He added that participating in activities such as yabby fishing could help kids reconnect with and learn more about local waterways. He said this could have significant benefits for their health and wellbeing.
The permit system, which begins on September 1, has been introduced in response to a shortfall in supply of bait yabbies for recreational fishers.
Mr Threlfall said the permit system would mainly improve the supply of smaller yabbies, which could sometimes be hard to source.
Live freshwater yabbies are prime bait for targeting native freshwater species such as Murray cod and golden perch.
Mr Threlfall expects a significant number of people in the Goulburn Valley will take up the permit due to the region’s large number of irrigation channels.
Under the trial, the daily catch limit will be 250 freshwater yabbies per day and the total possession limit at any time will be 500 freshwater yabbies.
For more information or to apply for a permit, visit vfa.vic.gov.au/baityabbies.
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