Over the last decade, successive Victorian State Governments have embraced recreational fishing like no other State or Territory in Australia. Over the last 4 years, this has culminated in a record $46 million-dollar investment through the Target One Million program that, aims to get more people fishing, more often. As the Inland Fisheries Manager within the Victorian Fisheries Authority, I provide an insiders-view of our key achievements, how we empowered recreational fishers and, re-built our authorising environment.

I highlight some of our key fishery management outcomes; Introduced slot limits for Murray cod; recovered trout cod fishery in the Ovens river; established new stocked estuary perch fisheries; Angler Riparian Partnerships Program, Wild trout Fishery Management Program; Lake Eildon Murray cod development; Native Fish Report card program; and the development of a new GoFishVic App.

The common success factors to achieve these outcomes include:  

• A management driven approach to commissioning applied science,
• Simplifying science results into real world language,
• Building knowledge and capacity of key stakeholder groups,
• Humanising the bureaucracy,
• Nourishing our sponsors and,
• Finding partnerships through common ground.

These fishery management experiences and lessons are equally valid for fishery researchers who can become more relevant by; lifting their horizon, working more closely with stakeholders, securing their funding base, having their research findings more adopted and understood, by a community thirsty for knowledge.