January 26th, 2025Murray cod fingerling release part of restocking program
Victorian fishers are hoped to be in for a bumper season, with more chances to hook, line and sinker a Murray cod following a decade of record fish stocking.
Victoria’s Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos visited Karkarook Lake in recent days to release 6,000 Murray cod fingerlings for fishers and to highlight the state government’s continued investment in Victorian fishing.
Murray cod are threatened by overfishing, mishandling, and environmental changes with the fingerling release among measures that are hoped to help counteract those threats.
Since 2014, more than 66 million fish have been released across Victoria including golden perch, Australian bass, estuary perch, trout, salmon and dusky flathead – more stocking than all other Australian states and territories combined, a state government media release highlighted this month.
The 6000 fingerlings that were released on January 17 were produced at the Arcadia Native Fish Hatchery, near Shepparton, which is being upgraded to triple its size and will see it produce up to six million native fish each year, part of a $15 million investment.
Since 2014, more than 22 million Murray cod have been stocked into Victorian waters at more than 60 locations across the state.
Several Victorian lakes are open year-round so fishers can wet a line and reel in a Murray cod including Bendigo’s Lake Eppalock, Rocklands Reservoir and Lake Eildon.
Since 2014, Lake Eppalock alone has scored 2.4 million cod, with locals and visitors now catching increasing numbers of fish – which are likely upward of 3-4 years old.
Near the Grampians, Rocklands Reservoir has been stocked with millions of Murray cod since 2017, plenty of which are now being caught by freshwater anglers.
Several other waterways are reportedly flourishing thanks to record stocking and delivering benefits for nearby communities like Melton Reservoir, Cairn Curran near Newstead, Taylors Lake near Horsham, Eildon and Lake Nillahcootie.
To find out more about some of the state’s top fishing locations, head to vfa.vic.gov.au/fishingdestinations.
Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos: “We want Victorians to get out and enjoy our great outdoors and there’s no better time to wet a line, with 66 million fish stocked in the last decade – more than all other Australian states and territories combined.”
“There are millions of reasons Victorian families should get out and drop a line this year – with dozens of lakes and rivers stocked across the state.”
This story based on a state government media release
