Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Victoria Fish-e-Fax A fortnightly round-up of recreational fishery management issues Fish-e-Fax Issue 212, 17 January 2008 Your fishing licence fees at work at Clifton Creek Victorian Waters to get a million Murray cod and golden perch 270,000 Rainbow Trout Released into Victorian Lakes Your fishing licence fees at work at Clifton Creek fishing platform Clifton Creek Recreational anglers can now look forward to improved fishing access to Clifton Creek near Bairnsdale, following the installation of three fishing platforms. The East Gippsland Shire Council managed the construction of the three fishing platforms along the lower sections of Clifton Creek to improve access for shore-based anglers keen on chasing bream, luderick or flathead. The new platforms offer environmental benefits too, by reducing bank erosion and thus improving the overall aquatic health of the river. The three platforms, best accessed from Eastwood Estate, are adjacent to recent urban development and are linked by a walking track. Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence revenue funded the construction of the $20,000 platforms through the annual Recreational Fishing Grants Program. Funding from the last round of the Australian Government’s Recreational Fishing Community Grants Program will see another three fishing platforms constructed along the creek’s foreshore over the next six months. Since the commencement of the Victorian Recreational Fishing Grants Program in 2001/2002, almost 200 projects totalling over $6.7 million have been funded to improve freshwater and saltwater fishing opportunities in Victoria. For more information about the Program or previously funded projects visit the Recreational Fishing Grants Program page. Victorian Waters to get a million Murray cod and golden perch Up to a million Murray cod and golden perch are scheduled to be stocked across rivers and lakes in Victoria over the coming months. A strong year for the breeding program at Snobs Creek has resulted in good stocks of Murray cod becoming available for release earlier than usual. The stocking of 34,000 Murray cod fingerlings went into Lake Eildon before Christmas. Lake Eildon has continued to thrive as a native fishery and stockings of 50,000 Murray cod and 200,000 golden perch are planned over the coming months. The Department of Primary Industries, through Fisheries Victoria, stocks approximately one million native fish and trout annually into our waterways to enhance the recreational angling experience. Over 80,000 Murray cod are expected to be liberated in the Goulburn and Loddon rivers and the Gunbower Creek in January. Golden perch stockings will also commence this month along with silver perch into selected waterways. Angler reports of native fish catches has increased and we will continue to support this through our annual stocking program. For more information about Fisheries Victoria’s fish stocking program, including annual summaries of trout releases, visit the Fish Stocking page. 270,000 Rainbow Trout Released into Victorian Lakes More than 270,000 rainbow trout have been released into four Victorian lakes to benefit recreational anglers. Members of the Victorian Recreational Fishing peak body, VRFish, and other anglers participated in the release by ferrying fish, tub by tub, throughout the lake in the hope that in future years, anglers will reap the benefits of these stockings. The rainbow trout fry were spawned last autumn at the Department of Primary Industries’ fish production facility at Snobs Creek in response to forecasts of good spring rain last year, and to test the hatchery’s capacity to grow fish quickly for drought recovery. Unfortunately, significant rain did not come so alternative homes for the fish were found at Lake Glenmaggie (100,000), Lake Eildon (100,000), Eildon Pondage (20,000) and Lake Bellfield in the Grampians (50,000). The last of the rainbow trout were released into Lake Eildon last month by Fisheries Victoria staff assisted by volunteers organised by VRFish. The majority of the fish were fry of about 3 grams, but over 6,000 fish averaged 120 grams with some larger rainbow trout weighing up to 900 grams. The release of the smaller than usual rainbow trout will not compromise fish numbers for this year’s trout and salmon stocking season, but will free up valuable space in the hatchery to look after the fish already on site through the remainder of summer. The larger trout had been identified during a pre-summer ‘stock-take’ of the Snobs Creek fish production facility and were of a ‘takeable’ size when released. New investments at Snobs Creek, such as the installation of a direct oxygen injection system, complement last summer’s approach and will enhance Fisheries Victoria’s ability to produce trout. © The State Government of Victoria, 1996 - 2009 This document was published on 22/12/2008 15:47:44. Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Victoria Fish-e-Fax A fortnightly round-up of recreational fishery management issues Fish-e-Fax Issue 213, 31 January 2008 Bass yabby bait bust Bass yabby Almost 200,000 trout stocked in 2007 despite the drought Help protect Victoria’s most valuable shellfish this summer Bass yabby bait bust Earlier this month a man was interviewed after being caught by Fisheries Victoria officers operating an unlicensed commercial bait business in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. The man was apprehended with more than 3832 Bass yabbies in Western Port and a search warrant was executed on his premises in Jacana. Aerators, troughs and packing material consistent with long term unlicensed commercial operations were found at the premises. The man will be charged on summons with taking Bass yabbies for sale without a licence. Evidence of bait theft had been gathered through surveillance activities by Fisheries Officers over the last six months. The man did not hold the required commercial licence and in addition to the charges, his boat has been seized. Bass yabbies are popular bait used by anglers to target a number of marine and estuarine species and are also becoming an increasingly popular bait for native freshwater fish such as golden perch. Bass yabbies sell for upwards of $5 per dozen and the quantity seized has a commercial value of over $1500. In recent years Fisheries Victoria officers have observed a significant increase in the recreational harvest of Bass yabbies in Gippsland, Port Phillip Bay and Western Port. As a result, a daily recreational catch limit of 100 per person has been put in place. Recent research has highlighted the significant role Bass yabbies play in the aquatic ecosystem, which is why it is important daily catch limits are observed. Fisheries Victoria will continue to manage fisheries, including Bass yabby collection, to ensure Victoria’s fish resources remain sustainable for future generations. Members of the public who wish to report illegal or suspicious fishing activity are encouraged to contact 13 FISH (13 3474) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Almost 200,000 trout stocked in 2007 despite the drought Freshwater anglers will be pleased to hear that close to 200,000 brown and rainbow trout were stocked into Victorian waters in 2007. In 2007 there were about 18 fewer waters to stock with trout compared to 2006. Stocking could not be undertaken in some of Victoria’s best trout lakes including Newlyn Reservoir and Hepburn Lagoon near Ballarat, Lauriston and Malmsbury Reservoirs near Kyneton and Fyans Lake in the Grampians, because of low water levels. Most other waters were affected as well and there was a need to reduce the number of fish stocked accordingly. Given fewer waters were available for stocking, overall stocking numbers were slightly down on previous years. Significant releases still occurred in many of Victoria’s popular trout waters. Anglers will be able to look forward to fishing in waters such as Lake Bullen Merri, Lake Purrumbete, Lake Eildon and Lake Hume. In addition to the stocking of 200,000 yearling trout, Fisheries Victoria also released a further 270,000 rainbow trout fry into Lakes Eildon, Glenmaggie, Bellfield and the Eildon Pondage. These fingerlings were produced in the winter of last year in case good spring rainfall saw an improvement in water levels. Unfortunately this did not occur and so these extra fish were stocked into some larger impoundments to provide more exciting fishing opportunities in the future. Stockings in 2007 also included a significant number of Premier (>1 kg) rainbow trout that were stocked into family fishing lakes. As part of the Go Fishing in Victoria initiative, more than 3,000 Premier rainbow trout have been stocked into selected waters and these larger fish provide a great opportunity for families to get out and enjoy some great fishing. Help protect Victoria’s most valuable shellfish this summer Over the summer months recreational anglers and divers are being urged to observe the closed area at Port Fairy and follow the biosecurity guidelines to help reduce the risk of spreading the abalone disease. Within the closed area people must not take abalone, shellfish or sea urchins from the high water mark west of The Crags car park to Killarney Beach car park. Outside of this area divers may take abalone, but should: • Wash vessels, wetsuits, dive equipment and their hands with soapy freshwater, • Remove all marine organic matter from vessels and equipment, and • Dispose of abalone shell, meat and gut with their household waste. To boost awareness of the closure and the biosecurity guidelines, Fisheries Victoria is once again working with the south west community and the commercial abalone fishers over summer, so that visitors and local residents are informed and can do the right thing. Foreshore signage has been maintained and expanded, and flyers in English, Cambodian, Chinese, Spanish and Vietnamese have been distributed via Tourist Information Centres, Parks Victoria, the Victorian Multicultural Commission, accommodation providers and fishing and dive charter operators.