WESTERN Australia’s recreational fishing peak body, Recfishwest, says the evolution of a comprehensive metro fish stocking program has taken a big step forward following the release of 10,000 yellowtail kingfish from South Mole, Fremantle.
Stocking yellowtail kingfish in the metro is part of a recfishing COVID-19 recovery package announced in August by WA Premier Mark McGowan. The pint-sized kingfish were released last week by staff from the Marine Finfish Hatchery – Fremantle, who cultured the kingfish, along with several leading members of the WA fishing community.
Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said the stocking was a great step forward in developing an ongoing dedicated metro yellowtail kingfish stocking program and helped push the envelope for the development of a comprehensive state-wide stocking program backed by the state government.
“With a total of 15,000 kingies now released, there’s a greater chance of these juveniles making it to adulthood – having been nurtured through the most vulnerable phase of their lifecycle,” Dr Rowland said.
“At the rate these fish can grow – nearly 5kg in only 18 months – it’s going to be really interesting to see how many more kingies start showing up on some of the inshore reef systems around the coast in the next couple of years on the back of these stocking events.”
For more information: recfishwest.org.au
