PARK WATCH Article September 2025 |

When arine neglect is being sold as a budget solution we should all be concerned, says Shannon Hurley, Nature Conservation Campaigner

The Victorian Government has pressed ahead with deep cuts to frontline marine staff – slashing half of the state’s Fisheries Officers.

The scale of the cuts is staggering. Two stations in the busiest fishing grounds on the Melbourne’s doorstep – Altona and Braeside – are already closed. Marine sanctuaries such as Ricketts Point are struggling with illegal fishing, and existing enforcement stretched thin. The decision to slash frontline ocean guardians confirms widespread concerns that marine protection is slipping down the priority list.

Fisheries officers not only help protect marine habitats, they also look after the public’s safety. They enforce boating safety; an issuing growing more urgent as jet ski ownership surges and accident rates climb. With fewer officers on the water, who will step in to prevent tragedies?

More than 20,000 Victorians called for a parliamentary inquiry into the cuts, a clear signal of public alarm. We hope the inquiry gains support from the Legislative Council and gives the issue the transparency it deserves.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Victoria’s marine protected areas shelter abalone, rock lobsters and countless threatened marine wildlife. They support a vibrant coastal culture and sustain livelihoods. By treating them as expendable budget lines, our elected representatives are gambling with the future of nature and community wellbeing.

Marine national parks and sustainable fishing aren’t luxuries: they’re necessities. The question is whether the government is causing more harm than good.