Silver perch for Albert Park Lake

23 October 2018

Metropolitan anglers can look forward to even better fishing in Albert Park Lake thanks to the release of 15,000 on-grown silver perch fingerlings.

Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO Travis Dowling joined local anglers at the lake today to stock the small fish, which are the first natives to be released as part of the 2018/19 native fish stocking season.

Increasing fish stocking has been a pillar of the State Government’s Target One Million Plan for recreational fishing, which is investing a record $46 million to get more people fishing, more often.

Last season, a record 6 million-plus trout, salmon and native fish were released across the state to improve freshwater fishing opportunities and encourage more people to give the popular pastime a try.

The silver perch fingerlings stocked into Albert Park Lake will take around three years to reach legal size, however the lake already contains a strong population of catchable fish courtesy of previous stockings, so there is no need to wait.

Albert Park Lake is stocked regularly to improve urban fishing opportunities including catchable size rainbow trout for school holidays in the winter months, and native fish like silver perch, golden perch and estuary perch in the warmer months.

Since 2015, the lake has been stocked with nearly 100,000 fish reflecting Target One Million’s commitment to making fishing better for everyone.

Target One Million has also reduced the number of commercial net fishers in Port Phillip Bay, ended net fishing altogether in Corio Bay, improved angler access and facilities at dozens of locations, and introduced thousands of kids to the pastime via free clinics.

Learn more at www.vfa.vic.gov.au/targetonemillion