Local fisherman and conservationists will be very pleased to know that Nagambie Angling Club members were part of the restocking of native fish into the Goulburn River and Nagambie Lakes system recently.

The anglers released some of the fingerlings at Kirwan’s Bridge on Sunday 15 March and also took part in a Fisheries Victoria project of releasing golden perch and Murray cod hatchlings into the Goulburn River on Wednesday 18 March.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Seymour Labor MP Ben Hardman, was present at the release of the 230,000 small fish and joined the Angling Club’s secretary Wally Cubbin and Fisheries Victoria’s Russell Strongarm in releasing some of the fish from a small boat on the Goulburn River at Mitchelton. Bruce Wilson, from Fisheries Victoria, delivered the hatchlings in their fish tanks from a hatchery near Narrandera to the river site.

“The release of the fish signals a welcome return of the stocking of native fish,” Mr Hardman said.

“In total, more than 250,000 perch and Murray cod will be released this year into the Lakes region, including Lake Nagambie, Goulburn Weir and the adjoining Goulburn River and backwaters.

“With fishing in the Lakes on the increase and thanks to the hard work of the Nagambie Angling Club, stocking has resumed in this area for the first time in fifteen years. Similar numbers of fish to those introduced today will be released into these waters for another four years.

Mr Hardman added, “The Nagambie Lakes area is close to large population centres and provides good access to all types of anglers. It is hoped that the many waters of Nagambie Lakes will become the focus of fishers in central Victoria over the coming years.”

As he joined the Club members in the day’s fish release, Mr Hardman surveyed the unsurfaced boat ramp, which, they explained, is not very satisfactory. They have wanted a proper boat ramp at the Mitchelton bridge area for years, and asked Mr Hardman to note their request for an upgrade.

Close to one million native fish will be stocked into Victorian rivers and lakess over the next couple of months. Nearly 400,000 trout will also be released, with the aim of enhancing recreational fishing venues for the benefit of the community. The majority of native fish to be stocked are Murray cod and perch, which are both very popular species for angling. Other native species to be stocked into selected waters are trout, cod and silver perch.

Thanks was extended to the Nagambie Angling Club members for their assistance with the local project. Hopefully, in years to come, many of the hatchlings will survive to provide good fishing for the members.

The releases are in line with the Fisheries Management Plan, which gives Nagambie Lakes the potential to offer fantastic recreational fishing opportunities to fishers in the future.