The Victorian Fisheries Protection Alliance Incorporated is a group of likeminded individuals passionate about the protection and conservation of Victoria’s precious and ecologically important marine environments. The group formed following the devastating and irresponsible decision by Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO, Travis Dowling, on 20th May 2025, to halve the number of Fisheries Officers across the State of Victoria and decimate the science and fisheries management capabilities of the department. The CEO preferring to fund events and “community engagement” quoting “most people do the right thing”, deliriously confident that education rather than enforcement will protect our fisheries resources for future generations.

The most significant of these cuts to Officers included the closure of the two busiest stations in the state being Altona and Braeside, and the Fisheries Officers stationed at these locations. These stations were solely responsible for all fisheries compliance and marine park protection across the northern end of Port Phillip Bay. Furthermore, Travis Dowling has left many regional stations as one and two person stations rendering them almost non-operational and significantly compromising safety. Victoria was previously a national leader in Fisheries Compliance and the envy of the other states and territories (and even internationally), boasting some of the most sustainable fisheries and diverse and healthy Marine Parks. Unfortunately, environmental vandals are already taking advantage of the lack of Fisheries Officer presence and exploiting our State’s precious aquatic resources.

The Victorian Fisheries Protection Alliance Incorporated is a source of true and accurate information on the Victorian Fisheries Authority 2025 restructure and the impacts on the ground, as well as the likely impacts and consequences for our current and future generations.