PRIMARY Industry and Fisheries Minister Gary Higgins today helped release 7000 Barramundi fingerlings into the dam.
“It’s all part of the NT Government’s commitment to maintaining recreational fishing opportunities,” Minister Higgins said.
“The fingerlings are from the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries’ stocking program and like teenagers they can’t stop eating or growing, so it was time for them to move into their new home at Manton Dam.
“The Government is serious about supporting, maintaining and growing the Territory’s iconic Barramundi stock and the robust recreational fishing industry.
“As well as programs such as this, we have opened the Mary River for recreational fishing all year round, funded key fishing infrastructure, partnered with the Amateur Fishermen’s Association Northern Territory (AFANT) to hold the first NT Recreational Fishing Awards – to name a few initiatives.”
The fingerlings released today are 110mm in length and weigh about 12g each. They are grown in salt water at the Darwin Aquaculture Centre (DAC) and have been gradually introduced to increasing amounts of freshwater over the week prior to their release.
Amateur Fishermen’s Association of NT (AFANT) executive officer Tristan Sloan praised the fingerling program.
“Manton Dam is an extremely popular spot for recreational fishermen due to its close proximity to Darwin and its year round accessibility,” Sloan said. “The stocking of these Barramundi fingerlings will ensure it continues to provide opportunities for keen anglers to enjoy great fishing well into the future”
Member for Drysdale Lia Finocchiaro is a big fan of the program.
“The fingerlings for Palmerston are a great addition to my Neighbourhood Fishing Program and I’m looking forward to the next release in the coming months,” she said.
“It’s been a wonderful addition to the lifestyle of Palmerston residents and one which has been quite successful.”
The fingerlings have been dispersed across multiple locations around Manton Dam. To give them a better chance of survival they are released into sheltered areas across the dam.
The DAC has been stocking Barramundi fingerlings into Manton Dam since 2004.
“These newest residents to Manton Dam join around 33,000 smaller members of the family who were released into Manton Dam in early February,” Mr Higgins said.
“These fingerlings come from the breeding program growing fish to stock the Durack Lakes. To enable those fish to grow and make more tank space available, excess fingerlings are used to stock Manton Dam.”
The fingerlings being grown for Palmerston Lakes will be released at 25cm and still have some more growing to do ahead of their release in a couple of months’ time.