Issue 162, 5 January 2006 ISSN 1443-0592 November Fish Stocking In November another DATE WATER: SPP. NO. 73,880 fish were 23/11 Banimboola Lake BT 1,400 stocked into Victorian 29/11 BT 600 waters by Fisheries 29/11 RT 1,500 Victoria. 10/11 Barkers Creek Reservoir BT 1,330 30/11 BT 420 This included 43,880 2/11 Blue Rock Lake BT 885 salmonid yearlings 14/11 Bullen Merri Lake CS 1,025 (brown trout, rainbow 21/11 Cairn Curran Reservoir BT 4,160 trout and chinook 22/11 BT 2,730 salmon) and 30,000 23/11 BT 1,450 golden perch 9/11 Eildon Pondage Weir BT 200 fingerlings. 9/11 RT 100 16/11 BT 50 Each year Fisheries 16/11 RT 50 Victoria stocks more 7/11 Hume Lake GP 30,000 than 1.3 million 2/11 Lauriston Reservoir BT 1,800 salmonid and native 11/11 BT 1,385 fish into Victorian 30/11 BT 565 waterways 14/11 Macalister River RT 2,000 3/11 Malmsbury Reservoir BT 1,800 4/11 BT 1,800 RT = Rainbow trout 30/11 BT 400 16/11 Mt. Beauty Pondage BT 920 BT = Brown trout 16/11 RT 1,000 CS = Chinook salmon 22/11 BT 80 GP = Golden perch 2/11 Narracan Lake BT 370 2/11 RT 600 9/11 Pakenham Lake RT 2,000 7/11 Purrumbete Lake RT 5,540 14/11 CS 910 17/11 RT 2,140 24/11 CS 1,475 24/11 RT 425 21/11 Wurdiboluc Reservoir RT 1,300 28/11 BT 1,500 34 days of Abalone for Summer Holidays From December 27 2005 to 29 January 2006, Central Victorian waters will be open to Abalone fishing for 34 days. As mentioned in Fish-e-Fax 153, since 1 September 2005 there has been a permanent year- round closure of central Victorian marine waters to recreational abalone fishing except for 60 nominated days each year and the reduction of the recreational abalone bag/possession limit to 5 per person. Central Victorian waters (between the mouth of the Aire River and Arch Rock (Venus Bay), including Port Phillip Bay and Western Port) • Bag and possession limits of 5 (of which no more than 2 can be greenlip); • Closed season (black and greenlip) except for 60 allocated days each year; • Restriction on harvesting of abalone from the central intertidal zone; and • No take of greenlip abalone from Port Phillip Bay water until further notice. Victorian waters outside of the central zone are subject to a bag/possession limit of 10 per person. For more information on conditions for take of abalone and nominated days for the central zone for the first half of 2006 check out the DPI website www.dpi.vic.gov.au or contact the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186. Marine Safety Victoria introduces an on-water presence The Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor recently launched Marine Safety Victoria’s (MSV) first water-based craft, enabling it to add an on-water presence to its educational program. The two 6-metre Zodiac boats will provide MSV’s Boating Safety Officers with the ability to move around the state on coastal and inland waterways this summer, providing recreational boaters with expert marine safety advice and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. The boats have been funded by MSV’s 2003 – 2004 Boating Safety and Facilities Program that is sourced by the re-investment of recreational boat operator licensing fees and vessel registration revenue. MSV’s Boating Safety Officers commenced a summer safety program using the new vessels on October 29, with the aim of auditing all types of recreational vessels over the summer months. MSV recommends boaters follow some simple boating safety tips throughout the summer: Lifejackets save lives – wear a lifejacket when boating alone, crossing bars, in bad weather, at night, if you are a weak swimmer and in an emergency; Always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return; Ensure you have the correct safety equipment; Know how to use the safety equipment, ensure it is in good condition and readily accessible in the event of an emergency; Make sure your boat is properly maintained, the battery is fully charged and a supply of fuel is onboard; Seek up-to-date local knowledge, particularly if heading inland, as conditions of rivers and lakes may be affected by low water levels; Operate at a safe speed and maintain a good lookout; and Stay with your boat if in trouble, and don’t drink alcohol while boating. © State of Victoria, Department of Primary Industries 2005 Reproduction is authorised – call 136 186 for conditions. This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purpose and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Issue 163, 19 January 2006 ISSN 1443-0592 More fish for Eildon Pondage and Eildon Lake A total of 25,569 rainbow trout and brown trout were released into six waterways during December. Eildon pondage continues to receive more big fish that should provide good summer fishing. Over 1400 brown trout and rainbow trout ranging in size from 1 to 3 kg were released into the Lake Eildon pondage during December. Yearlings were also released into Eildon Lake. Now that we are in the summer months Fisheries Victoria will begin stocking native fish such as golden perch and Murray cod into Victoria’s waterways. DATE WATER: SPECIES No. Avg weight 8/12 BANIMBOOLA LAKE RT 1800 5/12 CAIRN CURRAN RESERVOIR BT 1270 1/12 EILDON LAKE BT 2793 1/12 RT 2470 2/12 RT 2555 6/12 BT 8035 7/12 BT 1115 7/12 EILDON PONDAGE WEIR BT 200 1.0 7/12 RT 100 1.0 14/12 BT 50 3.0 14/12 RT 50 3.0 19/12 BT 622 1.3 19/12 RT 120 1.0 21/12 BT 178 1.3 21/12 RT 116 1.0 1/12 MACALISTER RIVER RT 2200 6/12 PURRUMBETE LAKE RT 1895 Lake Mokoan has got the Blues Monitoring by Goulburn-Murray water (G-MW) has detected high levels of blue-green algae in Lake Mokoan. Warning signs are being placed at the recreational areas around Lake Mokoan. Goulburn-Murray Water advises the public to avoid direct bodily contact with water from Lake Mokoan. Other popular activities such as boating and fishing with due care can still be enjoyed on the lake. Characteristic signs of algae contact are skin rashes or itchiness; sore eyes, ears and nose; or, if swallowed, gastroenteritis, nausea or vomiting. People with sensitive skin or allergies are at a higher risk. For further information, please see the Goulburn-Murray Water website www.g-mwater.com.au and for blue-green algae status contact the algal hotline on 03 5833 5785. Fyans fish out Drought and ongoing high temperatures have affected water conditions at Lake Fyans to the extent it is unlikely that the fish population can be sustained at its current levels. A forecast of water levels below one metre in the reservoir has prompted Fisheries Victoria to implement a fish-netting program. Fisheries Victoria began netting on January 9 in a bid to alleviate stress on fish by reducing overall fish levels. Over two tonnes of fish have been removed with approximately 75 % being tench. After the first week 190 trout and 400 kg of redfin had been caught. Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (GWMWater) approached the Department of Primary Industries fearing forecast low water levels would result in a major fish kill which would affect the quality of drinking water for Ararat and Stawell that is stored in Lake Fyans. Fisheries Victoria worked with GWM Water and the Environment Protection Authority to consider options. They also sought the views of anglers via extensive consultation with local representatives of the Victorian Recreational Fishing peak body (VRFish). It was determined that the best way to reduce the impact of the fish kill was to reduce the biomass by netting the lake. Detailed investigation indicated survival of Lake Fyans’ fish population was unlikely through the summer. Low water levels, associated rising water temperatures and low levels of dissolved oxygen, are factors that put stress on fish and are likely to result in a large-scale fish kill. This is the first time that Lake Fyans had begun summer with a water level of less than three metres. The current water level is not enough to sustain the current fishery given that further drops in the water level is likely to further reduce water quality. Fisheries Victoria has regularly stocked Lake Fyans with trout and intends to rebuild the fishery when there is more water in the lake. Carp screens at Rocklands reservoir Permanent, low maintenance and effective carp screening at Rocklands Reservoir is drawing nearer with carp screen units now being constructed. As mentioned in Fish-e-Fax 150 on 21 July, 2005, existing screens, although successful require a high level of maintenance. The new screens will allow larger volumes of water to be released as environmental flows to improve river health, including fish habitat, in the Glenelg River downstream of Rocklands. The aim of the project is to prevent carp (including eggs) being introduced to the Glenelg through environmental flow releases. Carp are abundant in Rocklands Reservoir but exist only as a small, isolated population in the Glenelg River, downstream of the reservoir.