Changes to the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme

Queensland’s successful Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS) is expanding to ensure enhanced freshwater fishing for future generations.
Fisheries Queensland Manager, Implementation Tony Ham said changes to the Scheme would commence on 1 July 2016.
“Up to an additional 31 dams and weirs are being added to the Scheme, taking the total number of prescribed stocked impoundments for recreational freshwater fishing across the state to 63,” Mr Ham said.
“All fishers aged over 18 years wanting to fish in a prescribed stocked impoundment are required to buy a permit.
“Around $1 million per year is currently generated from the sale of SIPS permits with at least 75 per cent of the revenue generated used to stock the waterways with native fish fingerlings.”
Fish stocking groups will also be able to apply for permission to use a portion of their allocated funds for projects such as monitoring, research or improved facilities that enhance recreational fishing at a SIPS impoundment.
Mr Ham said recreational fishers, local fish stocking groups and regional communities will all benefit from the changes.
“The expansion of the SIPS will provide increased recreational fishing opportunities to regional communities through the provision of world class freshwater fishing,” he said.
Mr Ham said from 1 July, the SIPS permits become digital making it fast, easy and convenient for anglers.
“Digital permits for freshwater fishing will arrive by email or text message and are less likely to be damaged or lost compared to the old paper permits.
“When fishers are asked to produce their permit, they will simply be able to display it on their phone.”
Australia Post will manage the sale of permits which can be purchased online, at any Australia Post outlet or sub-agent in Queensland and from limited locations in northern New South Wales or over the phone.
An annual permit will cost $50, $36 for an annual concession permit and a weekly permit is $10.
Permit fees have been fixed for the next five years.
Fishers who hold an existing paper-based permit can continue to use it for freshwater fishing until the expiry date.

A married couple will now pay $100.00 per year for their permits. Up almost 200% from $41.00. A pensioner couple is up 100% from $36.00 to $72.00.

It has taken a long time to get there.
Big plus is going to be additional funding to the stocking groups that previously had to rely on Sausage sizzles/pub raffles to raise funds.
Minus possibly reduced funds to established groups with the additional groups now sharing the funding.
Be interesting to see how much the additional cost of a permit plus the additional number of permits sold will generate.
I would assume that there has been modelling done.
Be good to see the detail of the enactment but at the moment I think that it is long overdue and a plus for the angling public.
Cheers
Ray

I have no objection to paying $50 per year (less than $1 per week) if it means better and more frequent stocking of SIP impoundments. The old SIP was always pretty cheap, unlike the boating fee for Wivenhoe and Somerset which costs $15 for the pleasure of launching for a day's fishing...

Especially when not one cent of that $15 goes to stocking fish into Somerset or Wivenhoe. In fact that $15 is shared around to support everyone having a picnic or a fish or a ski at any SEQWater site. Whether it's Hinze, Moogerah, Maroon, or any other place under their jurisdiction. It doesn't really seem fair, and I'm sure the ACCC would stop it if they'd bother to look into the practice. But, this is about the SIP, and of every $1 raised, 75 cents should go into buying fingerlings. I'm opposed to the funds being used for anything else, but apparently a lot of the people who participated in the survey wanted that option.

''Fish stocking groups will also be able to apply for permission to use a portion of their allocated funds for projects such as monitoring, research or improved facilities that enhance recreational fishing at a SIPS impoundment.'
this seems a bit contentious .
in my opinion the monitoring of a fishery is a government obligation.
same as providing facilities.
research ???
currently all the above are now done by various government sections to me it seems just another means of getting their sticky fingers into our pockets.
Unless they want to pay for all this out of their 25% management fee ???
Cheers
Ray

I agree totally Ray. There is a chance of funds being bled off. I hope groups have to apply to use the funds for another reason and the applications are reviewed by a committee.

anyone wishing to save money there seems nothing stopping you just getting a new permit before implementation date and you and partner covered for a year.
Cheers Scrooge ray