Salmonid Fish Releases 2013

Victorian Fish Stocking Program

The Victorian Fisheries Authority's native and salmonid (trout and salmon) fish stocking program is designed to enhance recreational fishing opportunities for anglers. Annual stocking plans are developed using information provided at five regional consultation meetings (known as Vic Fish Stock) with anglers. Fisheries Victoria recognises the importance of stakeholder participation in this process. The meetings use input from recreational fishing representatives, resource managers such as the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning DELWP (former) Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Catchment Management Authorities, Water Authorities and The Victorian Fisheries Authority staff to develop the current year's stocking plan.

The development of the annual stocking program takes into account the performance of the various fisheries, the existing stocking program, results of stock assessment, fisher and creel surveys, prevailing environmental conditions, impacts of land and water management regimes and other issues that may impact on the fishery. Requests by stakeholders to vary current stocking programs are also considered. The 2013 salmonid stocking component of the program released 561,298 salmonids into Victorian waters, including 244,382 rainbow trout, 228,816 brown trout and 88,100 Chinook salmon.

All these fish were produced at the Snobs Creek facility and reflect improvements made with recreational fishing licence funds and the State Government's Recreational Fishing Initiative to upgrade facilities and improve fish health management. The hard work and expertise of staff is vital to reliable fish production and healthy fish releases into waterways.

Fishing licence fees have improved the reliability of fish production and stocking of Chinook salmon from DELWP Snobs Creek. The funding provided an assessment of the genetic diversity of salmon broodfish, a review of fish production methods and creation of a new 'best practice' Chinook salmon breeding Standard Operating Procedure. The outcome of  this work culminated in a successful breeding 2012 breeding season. The enhanced  salmon production in 2012 presented the opportunity to expand the salmon stocking with an additional 43,100 chinook salmon yearlings stocked in 2013 into seven new waters: Bellfield Reservoir, Lake Tooliorook, Lauriston Reservoir, Lake Elingamite, Bostock Reservoir, Deep Lake and Rocky Valley Reservoir.

Stocking Plans may be subject to 'last minute' variation due to natural factors i.e. flood, fire, low water level or quality, algal blooms or man-made impacts such as major works on water storages.

2013 Salmonid Stockings – total numbers


Brown Trout

Rainbow Trout

Chinook Salmon

Totals

Fry up to 5gs

1,000

4,000


5,000

Yearlings 20gs+

226,945

180,800

88,100

495,845

Advanced Yearling 150gs+


58,153


58,153

Ex Brood Stock 1kg+

871

1,429


2.300

Totals

228,816

244,382

88,100

561,298


Month 2013

Fish size (g)

Brown Trout

Rainbow Trout

Chinook Salmon

Aringa Reservoir (Port Fairy)

May

103

450




May

57


1,000


Banimboola Lake (Dartmouth)

May

43


5,000



Aug

42

2,700



Barkers Creek Reservoir (Harcourt)

July

37

4,500



Beaufort Lake (Beaufort)

Sept

41

600




Sept

116


1,000


Bellfield Reservoir

(Halls Gap)

Aug

63



5,700


Aug

47



4,300


Aug

50


2,400



Sept

108


3,000



Nov

46



19,500

Blue Rock Lake

(Willow Grove)

May

153

2,280




June

38

6,720




July

50


3,000



July

53


5,000


Bolac Lake (Lake Bolac)

July

44


5,000


Bostock Reservoir (Ballan)

July

42


2,500



July

64



2,000


Aug

45

2,250



Buffalo Lake

(Dandongadale)

June

41

900



Bullarto Reservoir (Bullarto)

Aug

44

450




Aug

41


500


Bullen Merri Lake

(Camperdown)

Apr

80



4,375


Apr

47


8,300



July

63



5,700


July

67.5



5,350


July

66



4,575

Burrumbeet Lake

(Burrumbeet)

May

77

4,500




July

44


8,000


Cairn Curran Reservoir

(Maldon)

May

77

4,675




June

41

8,780




June

42

8,570




June

143

2,520




July

133

2,455



Cartcarrong Lake (Winslow)

May

103

900



Cosgrave Reservoir

(Creswick)

Aug

44

900




Aug

41


1,000


Dean Reservoir

(Dean) 

Aug

44

450




Aug

41


500


Deep Lake

(Derrinallum)

Oct

46

500




Oct

186


1,000



Oct

53



1,000

Devilbend Reservoir

(Moorooduc)

May

50


5,000



May

43

4,500



Eildon Lake (Eildon)

July

49


8,500


Eildon Pondage Weir

(Eildon)

Family Fishing Water

Mar

821

100


 


Mar

885

100




Mar

845


100



Mar

971


100



July

1300


199



Aug

1500

50




Aug

1200


50



Sept

1500


200



Sept

1400

200




Sept

525


100



Oct

1500

200




Oct

1400


100



Nov

1600

150




Nov

1200


150



Dec

1,600

50




Dec

1,300


75



Dec

1,700

21




Dec

1,800


55


Elingamite Lake (Cobden)

Oct

45

1,000




Oct

183


1,000



Oct

110



2,000

Fyans Lake (Halls Gap)

May

159

600




May

132

2,000




Aug

43

2,800




Aug

80


3,000



Oct

128


2,500



Nov

81


500


Gillear Lake (Allansford)

May

103

900




May

57


1,000


Glenmaggie Lake (Glenmaggie)

July

44


2,000

 

Goldfields Reservoir (Maryborough)

Sept

43

450



Goulburn River (Eildon to Molesworth)

July

37

9,000



Green Hill Lake (Ararat)

Sept

41

800




Sept

116


2,000


Hamilton Lake  (Hamilton)

Aug

46

1,800




Aug

51


3,000


Harrietville Dredge Hole (Harrietville)

Nov

1,500

200



Hepburn Lagoon

(Newlyn)

Oct

118


3,050



Oct

42

2,800




Nov

116


418



Nov

81


1,532


Holland Creek (Tatong)

July

36

900



Hopkins River (Kent Ford Lane Bridge to the Junction with Mount Emu Creek)

May

150

2,400




Aug

149

1,200



Hume Lake (Tallangatta)

Apr

92

3,700




May

56


6,430



June

41

5,850




June

36

10,000




July

41


9,000



Aug

38


4,570



Aug

43

5,000




Aug

42

2,450



Jil Jil Lake (Donald)

Sept

50


500


Konong Wootong Reservoir (Coleraine)

Oct

45

1,000




Oct

183


1,000


Lauriston Reservoir (Lauriston)

May

76

4,210




July

38

2,540




July

36



3,000

Lilydale Lake (Lilydale)

June

39

900



Macalister River (Above Lake Glenmaggie to Junction with the
Wellington River)

Aug

77


3,000



Aug

51


6,000


Macalister River

(Downstream of
Lake Glenmaggie)

July

38

1,800



Malmsbury Reservoir

(Malmsbury)

June

38

3,600



Merri River (Grassmere to Wollaston)

Aug

46

1,800



Merri River (Below Weir to Dennington)

May

133

2,700




Aug

51

2,700



Moorabool Reservoir (Bolwarrah)

May

77

4,000




Aug

45

5,000



Mount Beauty Pondage (Mount Beauty)

Nov

171

800




Nov

81


1,500


Mount Emu Creek (Below Castle Carey Bridge to Panmure)

July

40

1,810



Mount Emu Creek

(Skipton to Darlington)

May

143

990



Moyne River

(Rosebrook to Toolong North)

Aug

46

900



Narracan Lake (Moe)

July

38

6,300




Oct

128


2,500


Newlyn Reservoir (Newlyn)

Oct

42

2,000



Nursery Reservoir (Macedon)

Sept

43

450




Sept

50


500


Purrumbete Lake (Camperdown)

Apr

84



3,810


Apr

86



1,100


Apr

47


8,300



July

63



5,700


July

67



5,370


July

71



5,070


July

67



3,950

Pykes Creek Reservoir (Ballan)

June

38

4,500



Rocklands Reservoir (Balmoral)

Aug

44

2,500




Aug

41


2,500


Rocky Valley Reservoir (Falls Creek)

Nov

74



600

Ryans Creek (Tatong)

July

36

450



St. Georges Lake (Creswick)

July

38

900




July

50


1,000


Talbot Reservoir (Evansford)

Sept

43

900




Sept

50


500


Teddington Bottom Reservoir

(Stuart Mill)

Sept

50


1,000


Teddington Top Reservoir (Stuart Mill)

Sept

43

1,800



Tooliorook Lake (Lismore)

Oct

53



1,000


Oct

40

1,800




Oct

117


2,000



Oct

44



2,000


Nov

46



2,000

Toolondo Reservoir (Toolondo)

Aug

44

2,730




Aug

77


5,360



Oct

48

1,200




Oct

114


2,640



Oct

44

6,500




Nov

169

1,770



Tronoh Dredge Hole (Harrietville)

Dec

1,000


100


Tullaroop Reservoir

(Carisbrook)

May

97

3,400




May

43


8,150



July

46


5,850



Aug

44

7,545



Upper Coliban Reservoir (Kyneton)

May

56


5,000



July

44

8,200



Upper Sandy Creek Dam

(Upper Sandy Creek)

June

41

900



Wallace Lake (Edenhope)

Sept

1.5

1,000




Sept

1.0


4,000


Wartook Lake (Halls Gap)

June

41

4,500


 


Aug

47


5,000

 

Wendouree Lake (Ballarat)

May

153

2,280




May

131

2,700




May

57


5,790



June

46


4,210



June

38

4,920



Wendouree Lake (Ballarat)

Aug

60

3,700




Aug

60

2,300



West Barwon Dam (Forrest)

Aug

42


3,000


Wombat Reservoir (Daylesford)

July

38

900




July

50


1,000


Wurdiboluc Reservoir (Winchelsea)

June

41

3,600


 


Aug

80


4,000

 

Totals:

 

 

228,816

186,229

88,100

Family Fishing Lakes

The Victorian Fisheries Authority undertakes an annual program of stocking on-grown or advanced yearling rainbow trout into small waters (normally less than 5 hectares surface area) in or adjacent to population centres, with the waters being accessible for juniors and fishers with limited mobility.

The majority of these stockings coincide with the second and third term school holidays when water temperatures are best suited to trout. Rainbow trout are stocked as they are normally bigger than the available brown trout at that time of year and are reputedly easier to catch by inexperienced anglers.

Some Family Fishing lakes are stocked outside of the school holiday period for special events.

Water Stocked

Month 2013

Fish size (g)

Rainbow Trout

Albert Park Lake (Albert Park)

July

Sept

159

191

1,000

1,000

Alexandra Lake (Ararat)

July

Sept

159

165

300

300

Allans Flat Dredge Hole (Allans Flat)

June

Sept

153

197

350

350

Anderson Lake (Chiltern)

Apr

Sept

220

167

300

300

Arboretum Dam (Euroa)

June

Sept

158

167

400

400

Bannockburn Lagoon (Bannockburn)

June

Sept

192

194

250

250

Berwick Springs Estate Lake Berwick)

June

Sept

147

165

500

500

Calembeen Lake (Creswick)

Apr

June

Sept

845

190

167

20

200

200

Casey Fields Lake (Cranbourne)

June

Sept

155

170

500

1,000

Cato Lake (Stawell)

July

Sept

159

165

300

300

Caulfield Racecourse Lake (Caulfield)

Mar

Sept

213

191

300

300

Cobden Lake (Cobden)

June

Sept

190

197

200

200

Coleraine Lagoon (Coleraine)

June

Sept

190

195

250

250

Darlingsford Lake (Melton)

June

Sept

192

200

500

500

Don Lake (Healesville)

June

Sept

153

165

400

400

Dunkeld Arboretum (Dunkeld)

June

Sept

190

195

200

200

Eildon Pondage Weir (Eildon)

June

Sept

Sept

158

195

165

2,000

300

1,700

Emerald Lake (Emerald)

June

Sept

153

165

500

500

Esmond Lake (Ballarat)

July

Sept

159

165

200

2

Ess Lagoon (Casterton)

June

Sept

190

195

500

500

Felltimber Creek Wetlands (Wodonga)

Apr

June

Sept

220

158

167

110

250

450

Foletti Caravan Park Lake (Donald)

June

Aug

166

136

400

300

Forest Lake (Kangaroo Flat)

June

Aug

166

136

200

200

Fosters Dam (Glenrowan)

June

158

200

Garfield Lake (Garfield)

June

Sept

166

167

250

250

Glenlyon Dam (Glenlyon)

June

Sept

190

167

200

200

Goldfields Reservoir (St. Arnaud)

Sept

200

200

Golf Course Dam (Longwood)

Sept

167

200

Great Western Racing Recreation Reserve Lake (Great Western)

Sept

165

200

Guthridge Lake (Sale)

June

Sept

166

167

750

750

Haddon Reservoir (Haddon)

July

Sept

159

165

200

200

Hanging Rock Lake (Woodend)

June

Sept

190

195

300

300

Heyfield Racecourse Lake (Heyfield)

June

Sept

166

167

200

200

Hyland Lake (Churchill)

June

Sept

Oct

166

167

170

750

259

991

Jack Emmett Lagoon (Rupanyup)

Sept

200

300

Jack Roper Reserve Lake (Campbellfield)

June

Sept

Oct

182

200

182

200

300

300

Jubilee Lake (Daylesford)

June

Sept

190

167

200

200

Jubilee Lake (Skipton)

Sept

195

250

Karkarook Lake (Moorabbin)

Mar

Apr

June

Sept

Nov

Nov

213

215

155

204

150

182

900

100

1,000

1,000

417

583

Kennington Reservoir (Strathdale)

June

Aug

166

136

500

500

Les Stone Park Lake (Wodonga)

June

Sept

158

167

100

100

Lethbridge Lake (Lethbridge)

June

Sept

192

194

250

250

Lilydale Lake (Lilydale)

June

Sept

190

165

800

800

Marma Lake (Murtoa)

Sept

200

300

Marysville Lake (Marysville)

June

Sept

Oct

153

165

1000

450

450

23

Minyip Wetlands (Minyip)

Sept

200

300

Mooroopna Recreation Reserve Lake (Mooroopna)

June

Nov

192

146

100

50

Morwell Lake (Morwell)

June

Sept

Oct

166

167

170

750

259

491

Navan Park Lake (Melton)

June

Sept

Oct

192

200

180

300

300

300

Nhill Lake (Nhill)

Sept

200

300

Old Hamilton Reservoir (Hamilton)

June

Sept

190

195

200

200

Pakenham Lake (Pakenham)

June

147

1,000

Pertobe Lake (Warrnambool)

June

Sept

190

197

300

300

Police Paddock Dams (Horsham)

Sept

200

300

Quarry Street Reserve Lake (Trentham)

June

190

200

Rowville Lakes (Rowville)

July

Sept

159

191

550

550

Roxburgh Park Lakes (Roxburgh Park)

June

Sept

192

200

250

250

Sambell Lake (Beechworth)

June

Sept

153

197

1,000

500

Seagull Lake (Geelong)

June

Sept

Oct

192

194

180

800

800

600

Simpson Recreation Reserve Lakes (Simpson)

June

Sept

190

197

200

200

Spavin Lake (Sunbury)

June

Sept

192

194

400

400

St. Augustines Waterhole (Geelong)

June

Sept

192

194

500

500

Stanley Ditch Dam (Stanley)

June

Sept

158

197

500

500

Tchum Lake (Birchip)

June

Aug

166

136

600

500

Tea Tree Lake (Mortlake)

June

Sept

190

197

200

200

Tom Thumb Lake (Eaglehawk)

June

166

200

Upper Sandy Creek Dam (Upper Sandy Creek)

June

Sept

153

197

500

500

Valley Lake (Keilor)

June

192

100

Victoria Lake (Shepparton)

June

Aug

192

136

500

500

Victoria Lakes (Ballarat)

July

Sept

159

165

400

400

Yalumba Drive Lake (Wodonga)

June

Sept

158

167

100

100

Yarrambat Lake (Yarrambat)

June

Sept

Oct

182

200

182

400

600

600

Totals:

 

 

58,153

Weight


Brown Trout (kg)

Rainbow Trout (kg)

Chinook salmon (kg)

Total kg

Fry up to 5gs

1.5

4.0


5.5

Yearlings 20gs+

13,485

10,950

3,686

28,121

Advanced Yearlings 150gs+


10,115


10,115

Ex Brood Stock 1Kg+

1,161

1,529


2,690

Total:

14,647.5

22,598

3,686

40,931.5

Transport

Kilometres travelled

Total man days

88,000

230

Key

1

Fry

1-5g

2

Fingerlings

20gs+

3

Yearlings

50-100g

4

Advanced yearlings

150g+

5

Broodstock

1.5kg+

6

Ballarat Fish Hatchery released Brown trout


Acknowledgements

This summary was developed by John Douglas and Ewan McLean, Fisheries Victoria – Fisheries Management. January 2014.