Reply With Quote
Two million good reasons to fish:hatchery breaks record
23 March, 2004
The Narrandera fish hatchery, in the Riverina, had bred more than two million fish so far this season – setting a new record.
The bumper breeding season will boost freshwater angling opportunities in a few years when the fish reach legal size.
The hatchery has bred 2,073,000 fish so far this season, beating the previous record of 2,020,000 in 1999/2000.
Fish bred at the hatchery are stocked into waterways throughout the State and help boost the recreational fishing industry, which is vital to many rural and regional areas.
Freshwater angling creates jobs and supports local businesses and tourism. A recent survey found the State’s recreational fishers spend $550 million a year on their sport – that’s an average of $550 per angler.
Since 10 March this year alone, a total of 230,000 golden perch and 78,000 silver perch fingerlings have been released into the following waterways:
Keepit Dam, Gunnedah
82,000
golden perch
10 March
Split Rock Dam, near Manilla
110,000
golden perch
10 March
Peak Hill Weir, near Parkes
2,000
golden perch
10 March
Endeavour Lake, near Parkes
4,000
golden perch
10 March
Googong Dam, near Queanbeyan
30,000
silver perch
10 March
Captains Flat, near Queanbeyan
5,000
silver perch
10 March
Lake Talbot at Narrandera
6,000
silver perch
11 March
Yanco Lagoon at Yanco
2,000
silver perch
11 March
Ben Chifley Dam, near Bathurst
32,000
golden perch
12 March
26,000
silver perch
12 March
Moulamein Dam at Moulamein
2,000
silver perch
16 March
Bowman’s Lagoon at Wagga Wagga
2,000
silver perch
17 March
This financial year to date, a total of more than 7.1 million native fish have already been released, through the Government’s stocking program and the community-based Dollar-for-Dollar program.
Another record was broken last financial year, with the Government and the community together stocking 7.9 million native fish and trout around the State.
This stocking relies on the Narrandera hatchery, as well as hatcheries at Gaden, outside Jindabyne, and Ebor on the North Coast.
The NSW Government has provided more than $1 million for its stocking program this year to ensure anglers continue to enjoy freshwater fishing.
The program is supported by $500,000 from the recreational fishing licence. Of this, $200,000 has been earmarked for the Dollar-for-Dollar fish stocking program.
The Dollar-For-Dollar program provides matching funds of between $1,000 and $5,000 for local communities, councils and fishing clubs to stock native fish and improve recreational fishing.
webmaster@fisheries.nsw.gov.au | Terms of use including Copyright & Privacy Statement | Phone: (02) 9527 8411
