Welcome to The Victorian Scallop Fishermen’s Association Inc.
We are a collective of the Scallop Fishing Families and associated support work force based in Lakes Entrance, Victoria.
Commercial fishing for scallops has been part of the Victorian fishing industry since the early 1970’s. In 1986, management of the Bass Strait Scallop Fishery was split between the Commonwealth, Tasmania and Victoria under an Offshore Constitutional Settlement (OCS). Through the OCS, three zones were formed: the Commonwealth central zone, a Victorian zone and a Tasmanian zone.
The waters of the Victorian Scallop fishing zone extend out 20 nautical miles, offshore from the high tide water mark, excluding the bays and inlets along the coast line where commercial fishing for scallops is prohibited.
The Victorian Scallop fishery has been characterised by highly variable catches due to severe fluctuations in the scallop resource.
These fluctuations are from the findings of annual abundance surveys. In some years, these government managed surveys find there are so few scallops that fishing cannot take place, on the basis it would put undue pressure on stocks and threaten the long-term survival of the stock and fishery.
The Victorian Scallop Fishermen’s Association Inc represents the interests of scallop fishermen operating within Australia’s south east waters. Our members hold entitlement to operate within the Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery, the Victorian Scallop Fishery and the Tasmanian Scallop Fishery.
Our members operators hold statutory fishing rights that allow them to catch Commercial scallop species that are under a quota. The Commonwealth Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery operates in the Bass Strait above Tasmania and extends from the Victoria/New South Wales border, around southern Australia to the Victoria/South Australia border. The fishery is between the Victorian and Tasmanian scallop fisheries that lie within 20 nautical miles of their respective coasts.
We welcome comment from consumers of scallops and those interested in the continuation of a sustainable, well managed Scallop Fishery in Victoria.