Native Fish Releases 2001-02
Note number: FN 0156
Published: 08 April 2010
Reviewed: September 2002
1. Departmental Stocking Program
The department's native fish stocking program is designed to enhance native fish populations or establish new populations. Fish releases have two objectives: conservation and the provision of recreational fishing opportunities. In the case of trout cod the immediate aim is to ensure survival of this endangered species.
Stocking Plans are developed annually as part of the man-agement consultation process between Fisheries Victoria and DNRE Regional staff. The meetings consider in detail the performance of existing stocking programs, the results of stock assessment surveys, creel survey data, and anything else that has or might impact on the fishery e.g. environmental conditions, water levels. Requests by client groups for changes to current stocking programs and the implementation of new stocking pro-grams are considered annually. VRFish, the Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body, represents recreational anglers at these meetings.
The list of waters identified as suitable or having potential for recreational fisheries based on native fish is lengthy and the demand for fish currently exceeds supply. Stocking Plans are subject to 'last minute' variation due to natural factors e.g. flood, drought, or man-made im-pacts such as excessive algal blooms, major works on storages, etc. Explanatory notes are provided where a planned release has been amended. DNRE Regional staff and VRFish agree to amendments before implementation.
| Water Stocked | Month/Year | (z) Fish Size | Aust. bass | Estuary Perch | Golden Perch | Murray Cod | Silver Perch | Trout Cod |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Park Lake | (a) | |||||||
| Avoca River | ||||||||
| Charlton | 2/02 | 1.3 | - | - | - | 5,000 | - | - |
| Charlton - Gower East | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 10,000 | - | - | - |
| Batyo Catyo Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Bringalbert Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Broken Creek | ||||||||
| Dip Bridge-Nathalia | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 10,000 | - | - | - |
| Broken River | ||||||||
| Gowangardie Weir | 5/02 | 1.3 | - | - | 8000 | |||
| Gowangardie Weir | 7/02 | 220 | - | - | - | 25(f) | - | - |
| Buffalo Lake | 4/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 10,000 | - | - | - |
| Bullen Merri Lake | 11/01 | 1.0 | 10,000 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cairn Curran Reserevoir | 2/02 | 0.6 | - | - | (b) 30,000 | - | - | - |
| Campaspe River | ||||||||
| Elmore - Rochester | 1/02 | 1.2 | - | - | - | 19,000 | - | - |
| Axedale - Elmore | 2/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 45,000 | - | - | - |
| Rochester | 7/02 | 220 | - | - | - | 25(f) | - | - |
| Carpolac Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Crusoe Reserevoir | 4/02 | 1.0 | - | - | 5,000 | - | - | - |
| Cudgewa Creek | 2/02 | 1.2 | - | - | - | 7,500 | - | - |
| Cullelleraine Lake | 2/02 | 0.9 | - | - | - | 13,000 | - | - |
| 4/02 | 1.0 | - | - | 5,000 | - | - | - | |
| 4/02 | 1.0 | - | - | - | - | 10,000 | - | |
| Eildon Lake | 1-3/02 | 1.0 | - | - | - | 45,800 | - | - |
| Peppin Pt / Jerus Cr. | 3-4/02 | 1.0 | - | - | 193,000 | - | - | - |
| Eppalock Lake | 1/02 | 1.0 | - | - | - | 20,000 | - | - |
| 4-5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 70,000 | - | - | - | |
| Expedition Pass Reserevoir | 3/02 | 0.6 | - | - | - | 250 | - | - |
| 4/01 | 0.4 | - | - | 1,000 | - | - | - | |
| Glenmaggie Reserevoir | 3/02 | 0.5 | 12,450 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Goldfields Reserevoir | 4/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 2,000 | - | - | - |
| Goulburn River | 1-4/02 | 1.0 | - | - | - | 60,000 | - | - |
| Toolamba - Loch Garry | 4/02 | 236 | - | - | - | 2,500(e) | - | - |
| Gunbower Creek | 2/02 | 0.6 | - | - | - | 15,000 | - | - |
| Hamilton Lake | (d) | |||||||
| Harrietville Dredge Hol. | 3/02 | 8.0 | - | - | - | 200 | - | - |
| 4/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 500 | - | - | - | |
| Hume Reserevoir | 2-4/02 | 1.6 | - | - | - | 47,750 | - | - |
| Kerford Lake | 05/02 | 1.2 | 1 | 1 | 200 | - | - | - |
| Kiewa River (Kergunyah) | 1/02 | 1.2 | - | - | - | 15,000 | - | - |
| King lake (Rutherglen) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 500 | - | - | - |
| Laanecoorie Reserevoir | 4/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 5,000 | - | - | - |
| Landsborough Reserevoir | U/S | |||||||
| Little Boort Lake | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 2,000 | - | - | - |
| Little Murray River | 2/02 | 0.6 | - | - | - | 10,000 | - | - |
| 7/02 | 220 | - | - | - | 25(f) | - | - | |
| Loddon River | ||||||||
| Newbridge - Kerang | 2/02 | 0.5 | - | - | - | 12,500 | - | - |
| Newbridge - Kerang | 2/02 | 0.5 | - | - | 52,500 | - | - | - |
| Abvove Bridgewater | 3/02 | 198 | - | - | - | 1,000(e) | - | - |
| Abvove Bridgewater | 3/02 | 1.0 | - | - | - | 7,825 | - | - |
| Kerang Weir | 7/02 | 220 | - | - | - | 25(f) | - | - |
| Miga Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Mokoan Lake | 12/01 | 1.0 | - | - | - | 20,000 | - | - |
| 4/02 | 1.0 | - | - | 20,000 | - | - | - | |
| Nilahcootie Lake | 4/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 15,000 | - | - | - |
| Ovens River (Below Wangaratta) | 1/02 | 0.9 | - | - | - | - | 30,000 | |
| Pine Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Ratzcastle Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Rebank Reserevoir | U/S | |||||||
| Richardson River | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 5,000 | - | - | - |
| Sambell Lake | 5/02 | 1.1 | - | - | 2,500 | - | - | - |
| Serpentine Creek | 5/02 | 1.1 | - | - | 2,500 | - | - | - |
| Seven Creeks (Euroa) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 3,000 | - | - | - |
| Sumsion Gardens L. (Wodonga) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 500 | - | - | - |
| Taylors Lake | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 13,000 | - | - | - |
| 2/02 | 1.3 | - | - | - | 10,000 | - | - | |
| Tchum lake | U/S | |||||||
| Tullaroop Creek (Below Tullaroop Res.) | 4/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 5,000 | - | - | - |
| Victoria Lake (Shepparton) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 1,000 | - | - | - |
| Walkers Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Waranga Reserevoir | 3/02 | 0.5 | - | - | - | 20,000 | - | - |
| Wimmera River | ||||||||
| Elmhurst-Jeparit | 4-5/02 | 0.6 | - | - | 37,000 | - | - | - |
| Horsham | 5/02 | 0.6 | - | - | - | - | 10,000 | - |
| Wooroonook Lake | U/S | |||||||
| Yarriambiack Creek | U/S | |||||||
| Species Totals | 22,450 | 0 | 566,000 | 332,425 | 20,000 | 30,000 |
2. Authorised client group fish releases
The Department authorises fish releases by client groups. The stockings may complement the Department's program, or may be waters for which the Department is unable to provide fish. Requests by client groups are considered in the consultation process described in Part 1. above. Approved proposals must conform to the requirements of the Department's Policy Statement on Stocking Native Fish. Releases authorised by the Department for which fish stocking details have been confirmed are listed below. Authorised releases for which no stocking report has been received will be listed at some future date when the required information is available.
NOTE: Under Section 530 of the Fisheries Regulations 1998, it is an offence to stock fish into any Victorian water, both pub-lic and private, without the written per-mission of the Director, Fisheries Victoria. Penalty: up to $2 000.
Client Group Releases
| Water Stocked | Client Group | Month/Year | (z) Fish Size | Aust. bass | Golden Perch | Murray Cod |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allans Flat Dredge H. | Yackandandah Angling Club (t) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | 1,000 | - |
| Avoca River | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 2/02 | 1.3 | - | - | 5,000 |
| Boosey Creek | Tungamah Angling Club (t) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | 2,000 | - |
| Bullen Merri Lake | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 11/01 | 1.0 | 15,000 | - | - |
| Cudgewa Creek | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 2/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 2,500 |
| Corryong Creek | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 2/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 2,500 |
| Craigmuir Lake | Goulburn Valley Sportfis. Ass. (t) | 5/02 | 1.2 | - | 1,000 | - |
| Eildon Lake | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 1/02 | 1.0 | - | - | 20,000 |
| Eppalock Lake | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 1/02 | 1.0 | - | - | 20,000 |
| Hanging Rock Lake | Woodend Angling Club (t) | 5/02 | n/a | - | 300 | - |
| Hume Reserevoir | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 3/02 | 1.1 | - | - | 32,500 |
| Kialla Lakes | Goulburn Valley Sportfis. Ass. (t) | 5/02 | 1.1 | - | 1,500 | - |
| Kiewa River | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 1/02 | 1.2 | - | - | 5,000 |
| Mokoan Lake | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 12/01 | 1.0 | - | - | 10,000 |
| Mulwala L. | FutureFish Foundation | 4/02 | n/a | - | 110,000 | - |
| Wimmera River | FutureFish Foundation (t) | 2/02 | 1.3 | - | - | 4,300 |
| Total Client Group Releases | 15,000 | 115,800 | 101,800 |
3. Total Releases
| Water Stocked | Aust. Bass | Estuary Perch | Golden Perch | Murray Cod | Silver Perch | Trout Cod | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department | 22,450 | 0 | 566,000 | 332,425 | 20,000 | 30,000 | 970,875 |
| Client groups | 15,000 | 0 | 115,800 | 101,800 | 0 | 0 | 232,600 |
| Totals | 37,450 | 0 | 681,800 | 434,225 | 20,000 | 30,000 | 1,203,475 |
4. Notes
| (a) | Scheduled release of golden perch cancelled due to very restricted recreational fishing access to the lake. |
| (b) | Target figure of 50 000 golden perch not met due to shortage of fish. |
| (c) | Scheduled allocation not stocked due to shortage of golden perch. |
| (d) | No estuary perch available for stocking in 2002. |
| (e) | Dart tagged yearling Murray cod. |
| (f) | Fish purchased by client groups as part as part of the Department's "piggy back" program enabling advantage to be taken of bulk purchase rates ie. more fish for the dollar.Yearling Murray cod stocked as part of NAIDOC Week. |
| (p) | Fish transport provided by Fisheries Victoria. |
| (t) | Average weight of released fish, measured in grams. |
| (z) | Water conditions were unsuitable for fish stocking. |
| U/S | The month and year of fish release is expressed as 00/00. The first two digits are the month ie. 3 = March, 12 = December, the second two digits show the year 01 = 2001, 02 = 2002. |
Acknowledgements
This Information Note was developed by Robert Gibb, Melbourne.