Fishing and offshore wind
As we plan for the project, we’re looking at how fishing, boating and offshore wind can share the waters off the south coast of Gippsland, and how offshore wind might make fishing in the area even better.
Sharing the waters safely
We believe that many types of fishing, including recreational fishing and boating, can continue alongside an operational wind farm.
We know from looking at other offshore wind projects around the world that it is possible, but every country has its own regulations.
Because this is Australia’s first offshore wind project, there are no existing regulations. The Australian Government is developing a regulatory framework to enable the construction, operation and decommissioning of offshore renewable projects.
We’re working to develop our own position and recommendations for what sharing the waters could look like off the Gippsland coast. To do this we are:
Researching what has and hasn’t worked on other offshore wind projects
Conducting local fishing studies
Seeking input from industry and local fishers and boaters.
Are you a Gippsland fisher? Click here to complete our survey and tell us about your fishing and ideas for how we can work together.
Fish surveys
We’ve completed investigations to understand the different fish species in and around the project area. Over both summer and winter periods we found more than 6,000 fish across over 120 species using three survey methods.
They involved taking underwater videos, Danish Seine and Gillnet surveys at more than 130 sites. Danish Seine is a commercial fishing technique that mainly catches flathead and whiting. Gillnet uses a net set at the bottom of the ocean to catch small shark species.
Perch captured from the underwater video camera
Taking underwater videos of fish