THE Victorian Fisheries Authority says the Gippsland Lakes are another step closer to being back to a recreational fishing mecca, following a Victorian-first stocking of 42,000 dusky flathead fingerlings at Metung and Lakes Entrance.
Minister for Fishing and Boating Melissa Horne said stocking the Lakes with popular species such as dusky flathead was a key part of the Gippsland Lakes Recreational Fishery Plan, launched in January.
The plan was developed following the end of commercial net fishing in the Lakes last year, which was a flagship commitment of the state government’s investment to get more people recreational fishing.
The three-year trial dusky flathead stocking program run by the Victorian Fisheries Authority is a result of input from local fishing groups and key stakeholders, aimed at boosting populations of an iconic species in Victoria’s eastern estuaries including Bemm River which was also stocked for the first time with 5,000 dusky flathead. In January, dusky flathead broodfish were captured at Mallacoota with help from volunteers including the Mallacoota and District Angling Club.
As part of the collection process, DNA samples from across East Gippsland were gathered to map the genetic structure of dusky flathead stocks along the east coast.
The broodfish were then transported to a marine hatchery where they spawned. The larvae have grown to fingerlings size in the months since and are now ready for release into the wild.
A staggering 8 million fish are planned to be stocked by April this year, with 10 million to be released in 2022. The fish include Australian bass and estuary perch, released into tributaries of the Gippsland Lakes in December.
