Salmonid Fish Releases 2014
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 Victorian Fisheries Authority, 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 2014 salmonid stocking component of the program released 660,699 salmonids into Victorian waters, including 286,272 rainbow trout, 327,877 brown trout and 45,700 Chinook salmon.
The fish production levels at the Snobs Creek facility reflect improvements made with recreational fishing licence funds and the State Government's work in upgrading facilities and improving fish health management. The hard work and expertise of staff is vital to reliable fish production and healthy fish releases into waterways.
Victorian waterways have benefited in recent years with the breaking of a drought and the return of average rainfall conditions permitting many once dry lakes to be restocked in 2011. However, we are reminded of the variability of our weather patterns with drier than average conditions returning in 2014 across much of western Victoria. Subsequently, stocking levels were adjusted in some affected waterways. The trout scheduled for release in these waters were redistributed among other waters across the state that had received more favourable conditions. It is anticipated upon the return of amenable rainfall patterns and as soon as water security in these waterways can be restored stocking levels will return to normal.
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.
2014 Salmonid Stockings – total numbers
Brown Trout | Rainbow Trout | Chinook Salmon | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Yearlings 30g+ | 326,080 | 219,120 | 45,000 | 590,200 |
Advanced Yearling 150g+ | 66,802 | 700 | 67,502 | |
Ex Brood Stock 1kg+ | 1,797 | 1,200 | 2,997 | |
Totals | 327,877 | 286,272 | 45,700 | 660,699 |
Water Stocked | Month 2014 | Fish size (g) | Brown Trout | Rainbow Trout | Chinook Salmon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aringa Reservoir (Port Fairy) | Aug Aug | 43 51 | 500 | 1000 | |
Barkers Creek Reservoir (Harcourt) | Nov Nov | 80 1400 | 1500 100 | ||
Bellfield Reservoir (Halls Gap) | July July | 38 38 | 4000 6000 | ||
Blue Rock Lake (Willow Grove) | Apr May July | 31 43 54 | 5000 5000 | 7000 | |
Bolac Lake Lake Bolac) | Aug | 44 | 5000 | ||
Bostock Reservoir (Ballan) | May May Aug | 34 21 523 | 2500 | 2500 | 700 |
Bottom Teddington Reservoir (Stuart Mill) | July | 37 | 2000 | ||
Buffalo Lake (Dandongadale) | July | 33 | 1000 | ||
Bullarto Reservoir (Bullarto) | July July | 33 37 | 500 | 500 | |
Bullen Merri Lake (Camperdown) | May May May May June Aug Aug Sept | 41 40 64 58 90 93 90 181 | 5000 | 3000 2000 | 5625 6200 4000 2478 1697 |
Cairn Curran Reservoir (Maldon) | May May May June | 43 43 34 33 | 8370 8370 8000 5260 | ||
Cartcarrong Lake (Winslow) | Aug | 43 | 1000 | ||
Colbrook Reservoir (Colbrook) | Sept | 50 | 600 | ||
Cosgrave Reservoir (Creswick) | July July | 33 37 | 1000 | 1000 | |
Dean Reservoir (Dean) | July July | 33 37 | 500 | 500 | |
Devilbend Reservoir (Moorooduc) | May May | 34 32 | 5000 | 5000 | |
Eildon Lake (Eildon) (Eildon) | July Aug Sept Oct Oct Oct Oct Nov Nov Nov | 33 43 42 45 45 45 74 71 70 93 | 10000 10000 7200 7500 7860 4860 4800 5160 3900 | 5000 | |
Eildon Pondage Weir (Eildon) | Jan Mar Mar Apr Apr June June July July Aug Aug Aug Aug Sept Sept Sept Sept Oct Oct Nov Nov Dec Dec | 1250 1500 1700 1777 2100 1800 2000 2100 2300 1700 2100 1570 2500 1800 2100 1800 2100 2700 3800 1300 196 1200 243 | 150 200 75 100 100 100 200 142 200 200 200 | 150 100 200 100 100 100 100 200
50 100 2500 2500 |
|
Elingamite Lake (Cobden) | Aug Aug | 42 116 | 2000 | 1000 | |
Fyans Lake (Halls Gap) | Aug Aug | 53 43 | 6000 | 6000 | |
Gillear Lake (Allansford) | Aug Aug | 43 51 | 1000 | 1000 | |
Glenmaggie Lake (Glenmaggie) | May Oct | 43 55 | 2000 5000 |
| |
Goldfields Reservoir (Maryborough) | July | 33 | 500 | ||
Goulburn River (Eildon to Molesworth) | June | 33 | 10000 | ||
Hamilton Lake (Hamilton) | May May May | 28 37 24 | 2000 | 1297 1703 | |
Hepburn Lagoon (Newlyn) | Apr May | 30 34 | 5000 | 5000 | |
Holland Creek (Tatong) | May | 26 | 1100 | ||
Hopkins River (Kents Ford Lane Bridge to the Junction with Mount Emu Creek) | May | 28 | 4000 | ||
Howqua River (Sheep Yard Flat to Junction with Running Creek) | Sept | 72 | 5000 | ||
Hume Lake (Tallangatta) Hume Lake (Cont'd) | May May June July July July Oct Oct Oct Oct Nov Nov | 29 31 33 35 40 33 66 42 55 46 47 50 | 8275 11600 10125 | 10000 9000 3000 5620 6475 5000 4905 7600 7200 | |
Konong Wootong Reservoir (Coleraine) | May May | 38 61 | 2000 | 1000 | |
Lauriston Reservoir (Lauriston) | Apr | 32 | 6750 | ||
Lilydale Lake (Lilydale) | Sept | 50 | 1000 | ||
Macalister River (Above Lake Glenmaggie to Junction with the | July | 38 | 9000 | ||
Macalister River (Downstream of | May | 40 | 2000 | ||
Malmsbury Reservoir (Malmsbury) | June | 33 | 4000 | ||
Merri River (Grassmere to Wollaston) | July | 54 | 2000 | ||
Merri River (Below Weir to Dennington) | May | 38 | 6000 | ||
Moorabool Reservoir (Bolwarrah) | May | 31 | 10000 | ||
Mount Beauty Pondage (Mount Beauty) | Apr July Nov | 264 33 225 | 1000 | 500 1000 | |
Mount Emu Creek (Below Castle Carey Bridge to Panmure) | July | 42 | 2000 | ||
Mount Emu Creek (Skipton to Darlington) | July | 33 | 1100 | ||
Moyne River (Rosebrook to Toolong North) | July | 54 | 1000 | ||
Narracan Lake (Moe) | Apr May May Oct Oct | 31 26 26 55 55 | 4000 3000 | 3000 5000 5000 | |
Newlyn Reservoir (Newlyn) | Apr | 30 | 4000 | ||
Nursery Reservoir (Macedon) | July July | 33 37 | 500 | 500 | |
Ovens River (Porepunkah to Bright) Ovens River (Cont'd) | Sept Sept Sept | 77 1800 170 | 1000 30 1470 | ||
Purrumbete Lake (Camperdown) | May May May June June Sept Sept Sept Nov Nov | 40 43 61 74 81 95 95 66 47 225 | 5000 | 3000 5000 1000 1000 | 11800 2635 6480 3780 305 |
Pykes Creek Reservoir (Ballan) | May | 29 | 5000 | ||
Rocklands Reservoir (Balmoral) | July July Oct Oct Oct Oct Nov Nov | 54 35 45 44 55 48 85 46 | 2500 8000 2000 4230 | 2500 4360 5640 7820 | |
Ryans Creek (Molyullah) | May | 26 | 550 | ||
Talbot Reservoir (Evansford) | July | 33 | 1000 | ||
Tullaroop Reservoir (Carisbrook) | May July Aug Aug | 32 32 44 40 | 10000 5000 | 7500 2500 | |
Upper Coliban Reservoir (Kyneton) | May May May | 35 24 35 | 8000 2000 | 5000 | |
Upper Goulburn River (Junction with Edward Creek to Jamieson) | Sept | 72 | 5000 | ||
Upper Sandy Creek Dam (Upper Sandy Creek) | July | 33 | 1000 | ||
Wartook Lake (Halls Gap) | June July | 36 33 | 5000 | 5000 |
|
Wendouree Lake (Ballarat) | May June June Aug | 34 33 38 39 | 8038 2962 | 4000 6000 | |
Wendouree Lake (Ballarat) | June Aug | 50 75 | 3000 3000 | ||
West Barwon Dam (Forrest) | Aug Oct | 97 55 | 3000 2000 | ||
Wombat Reservoir (Daylesford) | July July | 33 37 | 1000 | 1000 | |
Wurdiboluc Reservoir (Winchelsea) | July Aug Oct | 32 97 55 | 4000 | 4000 2000 |
|
Totals: |
|
| 327,877 | 229,820 | 45,700 |
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 2014 | Fish size (g) | Rainbow Trout |
|---|---|---|---|
Albert Park Lake (Albert Park) | June Sept | 161 200 | 1000 1000 |
Alexandra Lake (Ararat) | June Sept | 173 197 | 300 300 |
Allans Flat Dredge Hole (Allans Flat) | June Sept | 173 200 | 350 350 |
Anderson Lake (Chiltern) | Sept | 200 | 300 |
Arboretum Dam (Euroa) | June Sept | 173 200 | 400 400 |
Bannockburn Lagoon (Bannockburn) | June Sept | 177 197 | 350 350 |
Bartlett Lake (Tatura) | June Sept | 197 200 | 100 100 |
Berwick Springs Estate Lake (Berwick) | June Sept | 197 197 | 500 500 |
Boyds Waters (Geelong) | Oct | 214 | 400 |
Calembeen Lake (Creswick) | June Sept | 168 200 | 200 200 |
Casey Fields Lake (Cranbourne) | June Sept | 168 204 | 500 1000 |
Cato Lake (Stawell) | June Sept | 173 197 | 300 300 |
Caulfield Racecourse Lake (Caulfield) | Apr Sept | 281 200 | 300 300 |
Cobden Lake (Cobden) | June Sept | 167 204 | 200 200 |
Water Stocked | Month 2014 | Fish size (g) | Rainbow Trout |
Coleraine Lagoon (Coleraine) | June Sept | 169 187 | 250 250 |
Darlingsford Lake (Melton) | June Sept | 163 181 | 500 500 |
Don Lake (Healesville) | June Sept | 165 187 | 400 400 |
Dunkeld Arboretum (Dunkeld) | June Sept | 169 187 | 200 200 |
Eildon Pondage Weir (Eildon) | June Sept | 161 200 | 2000 2000 |
Emerald Lake (Emerald) | June Sept | 161 200 | 500 500 |
Esmond Lake (Ballarat) | June Sept | 168 197 | 200 200 |
Ess Lagoon (Casterton) | June Sept | 169 187 | 500 500 |
Felltimber Creek Wetlands (Wodonga) | June Sept | 173 182 | 350 450 |
Foletti Caravan Park Lake (Donald) | June Sept | 165 200 | 350 350 |
Forest Lake (Kangaroo Flat) | June Sept | 165 200 | 200 200 |
Fosters Dam (Glenrowan) | June | 173 | 200 |
Garfield Lake (Garfield) | June Sept | 165 187 | 250 250 |
Glenlyon Dam (Glenlyon) | June Sept | 168 200 | 200 200 |
Goldfields Reservoir (St. Arnaud) | June | 165 | 200 |
Golf Course Dam (Longwood) | Sept | 200 | 200 |
Great Western Racing Recreation Reserve Lake (Great Western) | Sept | 197 | 200 |
Guthridge Lake (Sale) | June Sept | 165 187 | 750 750 |
Haddon Reservoir (Haddon) | June Sept | 173 197 | 200 200 |
Hanging Rock Lake (Woodend) | June Sept | 169 187 | 300 300 |
Heyfield Racecourse Lake (Heyfield) | June Sept | 169 204 | 200 200 |
Hyland Lake (Churchill) | May June Sept Nov | 203 169 204 225 | 200 750 750 500 |
Jack Emmett Lagoon (Rupanyup) | Sept | 200 | 300 |
Jack Roper Reserve Lake (Campbellfield) | June | 177 | |
Jubilee Lake (Daylesford) | June Sept | 168 200 | 200 200 |
Water Stocked | Month 2014 | Fish size (g) | Rainbow Trout |
Karkarook Lake (Moorabbin) | Apr June Sept Oct | 281 168 204 210 | 1000 1000 1000 1000 |
Kennington Reservoir (Strathdale) (Strathdale) | June Sept | 165 200 | 500 500 |
Les Stone Park Lake (Wodonga) | June Sept | 173 200 | 100 100 |
Lethbridge Lake (Lethbridge) | June Sept | 177 197 | 550 550 |
Lilydale Lake (Lilydale) | June Sept | 197 200 | 800 800 |
Marma Lake (Murtoa) | June Sept | 173 200 | 300 300 |
Marysville Lake (Marysville) | June Sept | 165 187 | 400 500 |
Minyip Wetlands (Minyip) | Sept | 200 | 200 |
Mooroopna Recreation Reserve Lake (Mooroopna) | May June Oct | 341 197 191 | 52 100 50 |
Morwell Lake (Morwell) | June Sept | 169 204 | 750 750 |
Navan Park Lake (Melton) | June Sept | 163 181 | 300 300 |
Nhill Lake (Nhill) | Sept | 200 | 200 |
Old Hamilton Reservoir (Hamilton) | June Sept | 169 187 | 200 200 |
Pakenham Lake (Pakenham) | June Sept | 197 197 | 500 500 |
Pertobe Lake (Warrnambool) | June Sept | 167 204 | 300 300 |
Police Paddock Dams (Horsham) | Sept | 200 | 300 |
Quarry Street Reserve Lake (Trentham) | June | 167 | 200 |
Rowville Lakes (Rowville) | June | 161 | |
Roxburgh Park Lakes (Roxburgh Park) | June Sept | 177 200 | 250 250 |
Sambell Lake (Beechworth) | June Sept | 173 182 | 900 1100 |
Simpson Recreation Reserve Lakes (Simpson) | June Sept | 167 204 | 200 200 |
Spavin Lake (Sunbury) | June Sept | 163 181 | 400 400 |
St. Augustines Waterhole (Geelong) | June Sept | 177 197 | 900 900 |
Stanley Ditch Dam (Stanley) | June Sept | 173 182 | 350 350 |
Sumsion Gardens Lake (Wodonga) | June Sept | 173 200 | 250 250 |
Tchum Lake (Birchip) | June Sept | 165 200 | 500 500 |
Tea Tree Lake (Mortlake) | June Sept | 167 204 | 200 200 |
Tom Thumb Lake (Eaglehawk) | June | 165 | 200 |
Upper Sandy Creek Dam (Upper Sandy Creek) | June Sept | 173 182 | 500 500 |
Victoria Lake (Shepparton) | June Sept | 197 200 | 500 500 |
Victoria Lakes (Ballarat) | June Sept | 173 200 | 400 400 |
Yarralumla Drive Lake (Wodonga) | June Sept | 173 200 | 100 100 |
Yarrambat Lake (Yarrambat) | June Sept Oct | 177 200 191 | 600 600 400 |
Totals: |
|
| 56,452 |
Weight
Brown Trout (kg) | Rainbow Trout (kg) | Chinook Salmon (kg) | Total (kg) | |
Yearlings 30g+ | 13,759.2 | 13,395.5 | 2,927.5 | 30,082.2 |
Advanced Yearlings 150g+ | 11,942.7 | 366 | 12,308.7 | |
Ex Brood Stock 1kg+ | 3,136.6 | 2,567.5 | 5,704.1 | |
Total: | 16,895.8 | 27,905.7 | 3,293.5 | 48,095.0 |
Transport
Kilometres travelled | Total work days |
|---|---|
| 89,176 | 230 |
Key
1 | Fry | 1-5g |
2 | Yearlings | 30g+ |
3 | Advanced yearlings | 150g+ |
4 | Broodstock | 1kg+ |
5 | Ballarat Fish Hatchery Brown trout | |
6 | Brown trout Fin Clipped Adipose Fin | |
7 | Mountain Fresh Trout Farm Brown trout |
Acknowledgements
This summary was developed by John Douglas and Ewan McLean, Fisheries Victoria – Fisheries Victoria. January 2014