Salmonid Fish Releases 2016

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 recognises the importance of stakeholder participation in this process. The meetings use input from fishing representatives, resource managers such as the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Catchment Management Authorities, Water Authorities and Fisheries staff to develop the current year's stocking plan.

The development of the annual stocking program takes into account the performance of various fisheries, the existing stocking program, results of stock assessment(s), angler and creel surveys, prevailing environmental conditions, impacts of land and water management regimes and other issues that may impact the fishery. Requests by stakeholders to vary current stocking programs are also considered. The 2016 salmonid stocking component of the program released 844,066 salmonids into Victorian waters including 422,213 rainbow trout, 397,593 brown trout, 21,260 Chinook salmon and for the first time 3,000 brook trout into Lake Purrumbete.

Most of these fish were produced at the Snobs Creek facility and reflect improvements made with funding from recreational fishing licence fees and the State Government's Target One Million plan that have upgraded facilities and improved fish health management. The hard work and expertise of staff is vital to reliable fish production and healthy fish releases.

The 2016 salmonid stocking total includes fry stockings into some waters given much improved water levels following drought-breaking rains. The limited supply of yearling trout late in 2016 constrained our ability to stock yearling trout so smaller fish were released i.e. Moorabool 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.

2016 Salmonid Stockings – total numbers

	Brown Trout	Rainbow Trout	Brook trout	Chinook Salmon	Total
Fry up to 20gm	70,000	87,500		10,700	168,200
Yearlings	322,550	267,000	3,000	10,560	603,110
Advanced Yearling 150gm+	3,425	66,665			70,090
Ex Brood Stock 1kg+	1,618	1,048			2,666
Totals	397,593	422,213	3,000	21,260	844,066

Water Stocked	Month	Average Weight (g)	Brown Trout	Rainbow Trout	Brook Trout	Chinook Salmon
Aringa Reservoir (Port Fairy)	Jul	40	500
Aringa Reservoir (Port Fairy)	Jul	65		1000
Barkers Creek Reservoir (Harcourt)	May	32	5000
Beaufort Lake (Beaufort)	Oct	36	500
	Oct	60		1000
	Oct	60		2000
Bellfield Reservoir (Halls Gap)	Mar	8		20000
Blue Rock Lake (Willow Grove)	Mar	31		10000
	Jul	31	5000
	Apr	36	10000
Bolac Lake (Lake Bolac)	Oct	50		6000
Bolac Lake (Lake Bolac)	Oct	50		2000
Bostock Reservoir (Ballan)	Sep	60		2500
	Sep	52		2500
	Oct	60		4000
	Oct	1000	1000
Buffalo Lake (Dandongadale)	May	30	5000
Bullarto Reservoir (Bullarto)	Jul	43	500
Bullarto Reservoir (Bullarto)	Jul	48		500
Bullen Merri Lake (Camperdown)	May	32	5000
	Jun	62				5780
	Aug	70				4780
	Nov	14				10000
	Dec	72		5000
	Dec	72		4000
Burrumbeet Lake (Burrumbeet)	Oct	50		500
	Oct	50		5500
	Oct	60		6500
	Oct	60		3000
Cairn Curran Reservoir (Maldon)	Sep	37	7500
	Oct	38	2500
	Nov	40	4500
Cartcarrong Lake (Warrnambool)	Oct	38	1000
Cobden Lake (Cobden)	Oct	200		200
Cobden Lake (Cobden)	Oct	2000		4
Cosgrave Reservoir (Creswick)	Jul	43	1000
Cosgrave Reservoir (Creswick)	Jul	48		1000
Dean Reservoir (Dean)	Jul	43	500
Dean Reservoir (Dean)	Jul	48		500
Deep Lake (Derrinallum)	Oct	38	1000
Deep Lake (Derrinallum)	Oct	50		1000
Devilbend Reservoir (Moorooduc)	May	25	5000
	May	39		5000
	Nov	60		6000
Eildon Lake (Eildon)	Mar	11		10000
	Mar	21	17140
	Sep	61	6362
	Sep	61	6362
	Oct	58	5136
Eildon Pondage Weir (Eildon)	Feb	1100	30
	Feb	2800		30
	Mar	1205		88
	Mar	1500	88
	Jul	1500	100
	Jul	1700		100
	Aug	200	1000
	Aug	2700		100
	Sep	323		300
	Sep	2200	100
	Sep	2700		100
	Oct	2333	150
	Oct	2333		150
	Nov	2333	150
	Dec	1700		270
Elingamite Lake (Cobden)	Oct	38	3000
	Oct	60		1000
	Oct	60		3000
Eppalock Lake (Knowsley)	Oct	1	70000
Fyans Lake (Halls Gap)	Apr	27		6000
Fyans Lake (Halls Gap)	Apr	36	6000
Gillear Lake (Alansford)	Jul	40	1000
	Jul	65		1000
	Oct	38	1000
	Oct	50		3000
Glenmaggie Lake (Glenmaggie)	Jun	38		7000
Glenmaggie Lake (Glenmaggie)	Nov	2		27500
Goldfields Reservoir (Maryborough)	Aug	39	1000
Goulburn River (Thornton)	Jun	35	12000
Green Hill Lake (Ararat)	Oct	55	2000
	Oct	60		2000
	Oct	60		2000
Hamilton Lake (Hamilton)	May	20	2000
Hamilton Lake (Hamilton)	May	31		3000
Hepburn Lagoon (Newlyn)	Aug	38	3000
	Aug	44		5000
	Aug	44		2000
	Oct	38	2000
	Oct	60		5000
Holland Creek (Tatong)	Jun	35	1000
Hopkins River (Mortlake)	Jun	23	6000
Howqua River (Sheepyard Flat)	Jun	53	5000
Hume Lake (Tallangatta)	May	29	10120
	May	31		11600
	Jul	56		12920
	Jul	31	20130
	Aug	34		5480
Konong Wootong Reservoir (Coleraine)	May	20	2000
Konong Wootong Reservoir (Coleraine)	May	31		2000
Lauriston Reservoir (Lauriston)	Jun	35	10000
Lilydale Lake (Lilydale)	Sep	51	1500
Macalister River (Downstream of Lake Glenmaggie)	Jul	31	2000
Macalister River (Upstream of Lake Glenmaggie)	Jul	41		9000
Malmsbury Reservoir (Malmsbury)	Oct	38	2500
Merri River (Warrnambool)	May	20	6000
Merri River (Warrnambool)	May	23	2000
Moorabool Reservoir (Bolwarrah)	Aug	37	6000
	Sep	52		5000
	Sep	52		2000
	Oct	1		30000
Mount Beauty Pondage (Mt Beauty)	May	25	1200
Mount Beauty Pondage (Mt Beauty)	May	39		1500
Mount Emu Creek (Skipton)	Aug	37	1100
Mount Emu Creek (Skipton)	Aug	39	2000
Moyne River (Killarney)	May	23	2000
Narracan Lake (Moe)	May	28	7000
Narracan Lake (Moe)	May	31		3000
Newlyn Reservoir (Newlyn)	Aug	37	4000
Nursery Reservoir (Macedon)	Aug	34		500
Nursery Reservoir (Macedon)	Aug	39	500
Purrumbete Lake (Camperdown)	May	32	5000
	May	30	12000
	Aug	93			3000
	Sep	37	3000
	Dec	72		5000
	Dec	72		4000
Pykes Creek Reservoir (Ballan)	Mar	20	10000
	Jul	38		3000
	Jul	38		2000
Rocklands Reservoir (Balmoral)	May	28	3000
Rocklands Reservoir (Balmoral)	May	31		3000
Rocky Valley Dam (Falls Creek)	Nov	14				700
Ryans Creek (Swanpool)	Jun	35	500
St Georges Lake (Creswick)	Jul	43	1000
St Georges Lake (Creswick)	Jul	48		1000
Talbot Reservoir (Evansford)	Oct	38	500
	Oct	60		500
	Oct	60		500
Teddington Bottom Reservoir (Stuart Mill)	Nov	50		2000
Teddington Bottom Reservoir (Stuart Mill)	Nov	50		2000
Teddington Top Reservoir (Stuart Mill)	Nov	62	2000
Tooliorook Lake (Lismore)	Jul	37	3000
	Jul	38		5000
	Jul	38		2000
	Oct	38	2000
Toolondo Reservoir (Toolondo)	Oct	37	2000
	Oct	60		5000
	Oct	442	814
	Dec	750	400
Tullaroop Reservoir (Carisbrook)	Sep	37	7000
	Sep	51		7000
	Oct	50	3000
	Oct	55		7094
	Oct	60		3000
	Oct	60		1000
	Oct	60		1906
Upper Coliban Reservoir (Kyneton)	Jul	29		5000
Upper Coliban Reservoir (Kyneton)	Jul	33	10000
Upper Goulburn River (Jamieson)	Jun	53	5000
Upper Sandy Creek Dam (Sandy Creek)	Aug	39	1000
Upper Stony Creek Reservoir (Durdidwarrah)	Nov	35	1000
	Nov	55		3000
	Nov	450	800
	Nov	720		500
	Nov	876	411
Wallace Lake (Edenhope)	Oct	38	1000
Wallace Lake (Edenhope)	Oct	60		4000
Wartook Lake (Halls Gap)	May	25	6000
Wartook Lake (Halls Gap)	May	39		6000
Wendouree Lake (Ballarat)			6000*
	Mar	30		10000
	May	25	11000
	Sep	250		500
	Sep	250		500
	Sep	2500		6
	Nov	600		600
West Barwon Dam (Forrest)	Jul	26		5000
	Jul	39	3000
	Jul	48		2000
	Nov	40	2000
William Hovell Lake (Cheshunt South)	Oct	50		1000
	Oct	50		4000
	Oct	65	1000
Wombat Reservoir (Daylesford)	Jul	43	1000
Wombat Reservoir (Daylesford)	Jul	48		1000
Wurdiboluc Reservoir (Winchelsea)	Jul	48		5000
	Jul	37	3000
	Jul	38		3000
	Oct	38	3000

Family Fishing Lakes

The Victorian Fisheries Authority stocks ready to catch yearling rainbow trout into small waters (normally less than 5 hectares surface area) in or adjacent to population centres. The waters are accessible to juniors and anglers with limited mobility.

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

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

2016 Family Fishing Lakes Stocked

Water Stocked	Month	Rainbow Trout	Average Weight (g)
Albert Park Lake (Albert Park)	Sep	1000	200
Alexandra Lake (Ararat)	Jun	300	219
Alexandra Lake (Ararat)	Sep	300	200
Allans Flat Dredge Hole (Allans Flat)	Jun	350	209
Allans Flat Dredge Hole (Allans Flat)	Aug	350	226
Anderson Lake (Chiltern)	Jun	300	200
Anderson Lake (Chiltern)	Sep	300	200
Arboretum Dam (Euroa)	Jun	400	200
Arboretum Dam (Euroa)	Sep	400	200
Bannockburn Lagoon (Bannockburn)	Jun	300	205
Bannockburn Lagoon (Bannockburn)	Aug	300	227
Bartlett Lake (Tatura)	Jun	100	209
Bartlett Lake (Tatura)	Aug	100	230
Berwick Springs Estate Lake (Berwick)	Mar	500	303
	Jun	500	200
	Sep	500	200
Boyds Waters (Geelong)	Oct	200	255
Calembeen Lake (Creswick)	Jun	200	325
Calembeen Lake (Creswick)	Aug	200	227
Casey Fields Lake (Cranbourne)	Jun	500	200
	Sep	500	200
	Oct	300	200
Cato Lake (Stawell)	Jun	300	219
Cato Lake (Stawell)	Sep	300	200
Caulfield Racecourse Lake (Caulfield)	Sep	300	200
Cobden Lake (Cobden)	Jun	200	200
Cobden Lake (Cobden)	Sep	200	200
Coleraine Lagoon (Coleraine)	Sep	100	206
Crusoe Reservoir (Bendigo)	Jun	250	200
Crusoe Reservoir (Bendigo)	Sep	150	200
Darlingsford Lake (Melton)	Jun	500	205
Darlingsford Lake (Melton)	Aug	500	228
Don Lake (Healesville)	Jun	400	209
Don Lake (Healesville)	Sep	400	228
Dunkeld Arboretum (Dunkeld)	Jun	200	219
Dunkeld Arboretum (Dunkeld)	Sep	200	206
Eildon Pondage Weir (Eildon)	Feb	370	324
	May	1295	273
	Jun	2000	296
	Sep	450	178
	Sep	800	235
	Oct	2000	210
	Dec	2200	280
Emerald Lake (Emerald)	Jun	500	200
Emerald Lake (Emerald)	Sep	500	228
Esmond Lake (Ballarat)	Jun	250	219
Esmond Lake (Ballarat)	Sep	250	200
Ess Lagoon (Casterton)	Jun	750	219
Ess Lagoon (Casterton)	Sep	500	206
Felltimber Creek Wetlands (Wodonga)	Jun	400	200
Felltimber Creek Wetlands (Wodonga)	Sep	400	200
Foletti Caravan Park Lake (Donald)	Jun	350	200
Foletti Caravan Park Lake (Donald)	Sep	350	200
Forest Lake (Kangaroo Flat)	Jun	200	200
Forest Lake (Kangaroo Flat)	Sep	200	2000
Fosters Dam (Glenrowan)	Jun	200	200
Fosters Dam (Glenrowan)	Sep	200	200
Garfield Lake (Garfield)	Sep	200	200
Glenlyon Dam (Glenlyon)	Jun	200	325
Glenlyon Dam (Glenlyon)	Aug	200	227
Golf Course Dam (Longwood)	Jun	200	200
Golf Course Dam (Longwood)	Aug	200	227
Great Western Racing Rec Reserve Lake (Great Western)	Sep	200	200
Guthridge Lake (Sale)	Jun	250	217
Guthridge Lake (Sale)	Sep	250	200
Hanging Rock Lake (Woodend)	Jun	300	219
Hanging Rock Lake (Woodend)	Sep	300	200
Heyfield Racecourse Lake (Heyfield)	Jun	200	217
Heyfield Racecourse Lake (Heyfield)	Sep	200	200
Hyland Lake (Churchill)	Jun	750	217
	Sep	200	200
	Nov	500	280
Jack Emmett Lagoon (Rupanyup)	Sep	300	200
Jubilee Lake (Daylesford)	Jun	200	325
	Aug	200	227
	Sep	200	206
Karkarook Lake (Moorabbin)	Mar	2000	190
	Jun	2000	217
	Sep	2000	200
	Nov	200	300
Kennington Reservoir (Strathdale)	Jun	500	200
Kennington Reservoir (Strathdale)	Sep	500	200
Les Stone Park Lake (Wodonga)	Jun	100	200
Les Stone Park Lake (Wodonga)	Sep	100	200
Lethbridge Lake (Lethbridge)	Jun	100	205
Lethbridge Lake (Lethbridge)	Aug	300	227
Lilydale Lake (Lilydale)	Mar	800	190
	Jun	800	209
	Sep	800	200
Marma Lake (Murtoa)	Jun	300	219
Marma Lake (Murtoa)	Sep	300	200
Marysville Lake (Marysville)	Jun	450	209
Marysville Lake (Marysville)	Sep	450	227
Merriwa Park Lake (Wangaratta)	Sep	150	200
Minyip Wetlands (Minyip)	Sep	200	200
Mooroopna Rec Reserve Lake (Mooroopna)	Jun	100	209
Mooroopna Rec Reserve Lake (Mooroopna)	Aug	100	230
Morwell Lake (Morwell)	Jun	750	217
Morwell Lake (Morwell)	Sep	750	200
Navan Park Lake (Melton)	Jun	300	205
	Aug	300	227
	Sep	300	200
Nhill Lake (Nhill)	Sep	200	200
Old Hamilton Reservoir (Hamilton)	Jun	200	219
Old Hamilton Reservoir (Hamilton)	Sep	200	206
Pakenham Lake (Pakenham)	Mar	500	303
	Jun	500	200
	Sep	500	200
Pertobe Lake (Warrnambool)	Jun	300	200
Pertobe Lake (Warrnambool)	Sep	300	200
Police Paddock Dams (Horsham)	Jun	300	219
Police Paddock Dams (Horsham)	Sep	300	200
Quarry Street Reserve Lake (Trentham)	Jun	200	325
Railway Dam (Skipton)	Jun	200	219
Rowville Lakes (Rowville)	Apr	150	360
	Jun	550	223
	Sep	550	200
Roxburgh Park Lakes (Roxburgh Park)	Jun	250	200
Roxburgh Park Lakes (Roxburgh Park)	Aug	250	227
Sambell Lake (Beechworth)	Jun	300	209
Sambell Lake (Beechworth)	Aug	300	230
Simpson Recreation Reserve Lakes (Simpson)	Jun	200	200
Simpson Recreation Reserve Lakes (Simpson)	Sep	200	200
Spavin Lake (Sunbury)	Jun	400	200
	Aug	400	230
	Oct	400	200
St Augustines Waterhole (Geelong)	Jun	700	205
St Augustines Waterhole (Geelong)	Aug	500	228
Stanley Ditch Dam (Stanley)	Jun	375	209
Stanley Ditch Dam (Stanley)	Aug	375	227
Sumsion Gardens Lake (Wodonga)	Jun	250	200
Sumsion Gardens Lake (Wodonga)	Sep	250	200
Tchum Lake (Birchip)	Jun	1000	200
Tchum Lake (Birchip)	Sep	1000	200
Tea Tree Lake (Mortlake)	Jun	200	200
Tea Tree Lake (Mortlake)	Sep	200	200
The Gong (Buninyong)	Jun	200	219
Tom Thumb Lake (Bendigo)	Jun	200	200
Tronoh Dredge Hole (Harrietville)	Jun	300	209
Tronoh Dredge Hole (Harrietville)	Aug	300	230
Upper Sandy Creek Dam (Sandy Creek)	Jun	500	209
Upper Sandy Creek Dam (Sandy Creek)	Aug	500	227
Victoria Lake (Shepparton)	Jun	500	205
Victoria Lake (Shepparton)	Aug	500	228
Victoria Lakes (Ballarat)	Jun	400	219
Victoria Lakes (Ballarat)	Sep	400	200
Yarralumla Drive Lake (Wodonga)	Jun	100	200
Yarralumla Drive Lake (Wodonga)	Sep	100	200
Yarrambat Lake (Yarrambat)	Jun	600	200
	Aug	600	230
	Oct	300	200

Weight (kg) Stocked

	Brown Trout (kg)	Rainbow Trout (kg)	Chinook salmon (kg)	Brook trout (kg)	Total kg
Fry up to 5gs	42	349	149		540
Yearlings 20gs+	11,180	12,362	693	279	24,514
Advanced Yearlings 150gs+	1,580	15,138			16,718
Ex Brood Stock 1Kg+	2,235	2,103			4338
Total:	15,037	29,952	842	279	46,110

Key

1	Fry	1-19gm
2	Fingerlings	20gm+
3	Yearlings	50-149gm
4	Advanced yearlings	150gm+
5	Broodstock	1.5kg+
6	Ballarat Fish Hatchery Brown trout*

Acknowledgements

This summary was developed by Michael Marshall, Fisheries Victoria – Fisheries Management. January 2017.