Holders of commercial rock lobster pot licences and recreational rock lobster registrations are able to retrieve pots within the Abalone Viral Ganglioneuritis (AVG) Control Area from today (Feb 29) under specific conditions.
A ban on all fishing activities, from shore or boat, now extends from the Victorian border along the South Australian coast to Nene Valley, and 10km (5 nautical miles) out to sea, to prevent further spread of the recently detected AVG virus by human activity.
However, steps are now in place to allow the retrieval of empty rock lobster pots, with any catch or other organic material such as seaweed or other marine creatures to be left at sea where the pot is retrieved.
Collections are restricted to daylight hours between sunrise and sunset; the long term window for retrieval will be decided in due course, as different factors are considered, including weather.
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