Proposed amendments to fisheries regulations would allow the government to compulsorily cancel the commercial access licences of fishermen.

Portland Professional Fishermen's Association president Steve Nathan has described a Fisheries Victoria document outlining the new laws as sinister and ill-conceived.

He said the new legislation could lead to the downfall of wild fisheries locally and throughout the state.

If the proposed regulations become law, the government could cancel licences to facilitate ministerial decisions regarding fisheries management, according to the Regulatory Impact Statement for the Fisheries (Compensations and Procedures) Regulations 2003.

Acquisitions could be enforced to adjust fish resource allocations between various user groups, such as commercial and recreational fishermen, according to the document.

However, Mr Nathan said, this would not conserve fish populations by altering the quantity of fish taken from fisheries, only discriminate against some by deciding who could take the fish.

"It is unnecessary to take the livelihood of one group of people away to service the recreational activity of another," he said.

"The government's incompetence at managing fisheries is clear when they have to buy out licences rather than look after all stakeholders."

He said commercial and recreational fishermen coexisted happily in Portland.

Goodwill between the two parties led to the establishment of a net free zone for the benefit of recreational anglers, he said.

The government claims aquaculture will grow considerably in future, but Mr Nathan said authorities should work to ensure harvesting of fish from both farms and the wild operates harmoniously.

"The government is promoting one while destroying the other," he said.

"Commercial fishermen should have rights, like anyone else, to conduct their businesses. There is no need to put us out of business."

He said fishermen had worked extensively to secure the sustainability of fisheries and now had no security due to the threat of acquisition.

Commercial operators could no longer comfortably invest in their ventures to build lasting family businesses, he said.

Mr Nathan said the government had also failed to document the impact the removal of commercial fishing licences would have on coastal communities.

The government claims Seafood Industry Victoria, the peak body representing commercial fishermen, was consulted regarding the regulations.

But SIV executive director Ross McGowan claims the organisation was not consulted.

Mr Nathan said full consultation should have been conducted by this stage of the development of regulations.

"The government is not following proper process," he said.

Mr Nathan said he would take the matter further and that he would approach Member for South West Coast Dennis Napthine with other local fishermen.

According to the Fisheries Victoria document, an independent negotiator would be required to act as an intermediary between the department and the applicant during the compensation process for acquisitions.

A formula for compensating commercial fishermen for all classes of transferable and non transferable access licences, including quota entitlements, is included in the document.

The government claims the proposed regulations have been developed to ensure that when licences are cancelled, the holders are compensated under a consistent and fair process.

Submissions to the Regulatory Impact Statement can be made until March 28.