The 65-year-old Warrnambool man set off from the Port Fairy wharf to go fishing about 1.30pm yesterday. The man failed to return home as expected at 10pm.
Victoria Police Search and Rescue are coordinating the sea search involving Coastguard and Volunteer Marine Rescue vessels and two Water Police boats.
Two volunteer vessels are manned by Coastguard members from Port Fairy and Warnambool with the third vessel from the Port Fairy Volunteer Marine Rescue.
AMSA is coordinating the air search and has tasked 14 aircraft to search an area covering about 3500 square kilometres.
Air search assets include AMSA’s Essendon based dedicated search and rescue Dornier aircraft and four other fixed wing aircraft, as well as nine helicopters. The helicopters involved in the search include two Victoria Police Air Wing helicopters and one Ambulance Victoria helicopter.