50,000 barra for Monduran

[Steve B]

The MASA (monduran anglers and stocking association) yesterday released another 50,000 barra fingerlings into Lake Monduran.

We had 4 boat releasing the 50mm fingerlings in many varied areas around the dam yesterday afternoon. NOT A BIRD in sight!!! No one reported any deaths upon release either. I know the thousands I let go swam off brilliantly.

This is my first experience with the release of fingerlings as part of MASA, and I must say it is a rewarding feeling which was equally shared with the existing longer term members.

MASA are a great bunch of local men and women, who volounteer all their time over many years now to create, and continue to stock this great impoundment. I asked the president "when are we doing this again" his reply, "as soon as more fingerlings become available". The future looks good.

cheers steve

[NAGG]

The MASA (monduran anglers and stocking association) yesterday released another 50,000 barra fingerlings into Lake Monduran.

We had 4 boat releasing the 50mm fingerlings in many varied areas around the dam yesterday afternoon. NOT A BIRD in sight!!! No one reported any deaths upon release either. I know the thousands I let go swam off brilliantly.

This is my first experience with the release of fingerlings as part of MASA, and I must say it is a rewarding feeling which was equally shared with the existing longer term members.

MASA are a great bunch of local men and women, who volounteer all their time over many years now to create, and continue to stock this great impoundment. I asked the president "when are we doing this again" his reply, "as soon as more fingerlings become available". The future looks good.

cheers steve

Well done MASA

& thanks for letting us know Steve! + your participation

It just goes to show that time & effort is put into stocking that magnificent impoundment
& the barra just dont appear!

Cheers

Nagg

[the_matrix]

Nice work Steve,
Got a call from Kurt Hutchby the other day, we too have a stocking day coming up with similar numbers for Awoonga.
Is a reinvigorating feeling hey.
Well done MASA.
Cheers
Jas

[Gordie]

Great to hear this. Lets hope we can get something done about the bag limit over the next few years.

If there are any ideas out there then start typing.

For and against it doesn't matter.

Regards gordon

[BR65]

good news Steve

cheers
brian

[cammo79]

good on yous all,our work rewards so many of us

thanks

[Steve B]

Jas, yeah it is good feeling. good to see Awoonga still stocking heaps.

Thanks chris, gordon, brian and cammo, Being new to MASA, all the planning and work has been done for this batch before my time. I have really not done anything except spread the little buggers all over the dam!!! which was quite fun.. I did whisper to them to remember my boat, they will be back in it in a few years .

It was quite an eye opener for a newbie to see the process behind getting them here safely from bowen, with the tanks and the O2 system. I took a couple of pics, I will try to attach them soon.

cheers steve

[crab man]

congrads steve and everybody that helped !!
Mate how quick do these things grow ?? 50 mm to what ? in a year ?
interesting system ive seen the set up they use here at clarrie hall and hinze dam etc very interesting!! lets hope they hide quick and eat lots!!!!
just another thing how is the cry fish stocks in monduran ?
Cheers and many thanks craig

[NAGG]

Jas, yeah it is good feeling. good to see Awoonga still stocking heaps.

Thanks chris, gordon, brian and cammo, Being new to MASA, all the planning and work has been done for this batch before my time. I have really not done anything except spread the little buggers all over the dam!!! which was quite fun.. I did whisper to them to remember my boat, they will be back in it in a few years .

It was quite an eye opener for a newbie to see the process behind getting them here safely from bowen, with the tanks and the O2 system. I took a couple of pics, I will try to attach them soon.

cheers steve

Bowen ??? ..... Tell us more?
I thought you guys got your stock from Gladstone or bred them locally

Cheers

Nagg

[the_matrix]

Mate how quick do these things grow ?? 50 mm to what ? in a year ?

Typically a 50mm fingerling will reach legal size within 12months, however a number of factors determine this, they are weather/water temps, and available food source.
28 degree's is a very important number to Barra, this is optimum water temp for growth, and in the wild once water temps reach 28 degree's this becomes the catalyst for breeding. Its also ideal water temp for catching.

Out of the 50,000 stocked fish, about 70% will not survive, so roughly 15,000 will kick on.
This too varies + or - but is an average.
15,000 is a great top up.
Cheers
Jas

[Tropicaltrout]

Fantastic news steve its a good feeling putting something back to the lake we all love.

How many times a year does the fish go in with the mortality rate of these fish explained by Jas not to mention the numb nuts that don't handle these fish right and catch and keep fellas, the survival rate would be somewhat lowwer than that of the bass dams due to fishing pressure, climate etc?

Cheers Nath

[Steve B]

Nath your right, its hard enough for them to get a start!! Then they have to survive the meatos and the misshandling. We cant really help the survival rate underwater, but we can above. Thats my plan within MASA to get some signs for careful handling at the ramps and brochures with more detailed handling techniques to be supplied with SIP at Foxies and probably the dam too.

That is one way to improve the out-of-water survival rate. The info and brochures MAY just plant the C&R seed in the meatos head. Who knows, if the meatos actually take the time to handle the fish nicely...they might just say "hey, why don't we let it go now!! If only one does it.....its a start and a bonus IMHO.

Jas, thanks for supplying that info. Its a pretty daunting survival rate 30%% . Legal size in 1 year is pretty rapid growth!!

Craig, bait fish is plentiful thankfully. I saw heaps and heaps of guppies (not sure what they will grow to be) up in a few of the bays yesterday. and heaps of boneys on the sounder in main basin. The gar breed like mad as well according to the locals in MASA.

Chris, yeah there is a big hatchery in Bowen..I am not sure of the facts about it, or where they got fingerlings previously. Jas might know more, Not sure about the one in gladstone, I would guess it would solely supply Awoonga. Again Jas might be able to elaborate.

[NAGG]

[quote=Steve B;800208]Nath your right, its hard enough for them to get a start!! Then they have to survive the meatos and the misshandling. We cant really help the survival rate underwater, but we can above. Thats my plan within MASA to get some signs for careful handling at the ramps and brochures with more detailed handling techniques to be supplied with SIP at Foxies and probably the dam too.

That is one way to improve the out-of-water survival rate. The info and brochures MAY just plant the C&R seed in the meatos head. Who knows, if the meatos actually take the time to handle the fish nicely...they might just say "hey, why don't we let it go now!! If only one does it.....its a start and a bonus IMHO.

Jas, thanks for supplying that info. Its a pretty daunting survival rate 30%% . Legal size in 1 year is pretty rapid growth!!

Craig, bait fish is plentiful thankfully. I saw heaps and heaps of guppies (not sure what they will grow to be) up in a few of the bays yesterday. and heaps of boneys on the sounder in main basin. The gar breed like mad as well according to the locals in MASA.

Chris, yeah there is a big hatchery in Bowen..I am not sure of the facts about it, or where they got fingerlings previously. Jas might know more, Not sure about the one in gladstone, I would guess it would solely supply Awoonga. Again Jas might be able to elaborate.[/quote]

'Awoonga" Trev .... tells me the that the GWA hatchery these days has to be self sustaining ( make a buck $$$$) ..... So they would be trying to sell fingerling's left right & centre
Nagg

PS .... If Jas's 30%survival rate is correct! ...... IMO that would probably be much better than wild fish!
....... I just cant imagine those numbers in any given estuary system

[crab man]

Thanks jas and steve , i think there shold be a huge sign at the ramp with the figures on it i think the meat guys might slow down a little , maybe this sounds over the top but with over fishing ,meaters , and people who just dont give a f*ck , could destroy a fishery like monduran,
Ifound it really interesting that they stock the BB (Babie Barra) at the end of summer ? i guess atleast there should be less fishos

[Dan5]

PS .... If Jas's 30%survival rate is correct! ...... IMO that would probably be much better than wild fish!
...
.... I just cant imagine those numbers in any given estuary system[/quote]

At Corroboree lagoon every 2 year's fisherie's net's off a hundred meter section and does a fish count,the numbers usually range between 800-1000 or so barra.

Not bad for wild freshwater fish,

Dan...