FISHERIES Victoria has released a total of 47,000 Australian bass fingerlings into seven Gippsland waterways. Broodstock used to supply the fingerlings were sourced from Gippsland rivers.
The stockings mark the second year of a five-year program and this year’s stocking rate will be repeated over the next four years to provide a depth of age classes for the Gippsland bass fishery.
Fisheries Victoria says the growth rates for bass in this part of the state are likely to see the stocked fish reach minimum legal size in about four years. The minimum legal size for Australian bass is 27cm and the bag limit in Gippsland is two bass per person, per day.
These stockings will provide an ongoing fishing opportunity over many years. Bass are a long-living species and many of these fish will be around for over 15 years.
The areas and number of fingerlings stocked for this year are: Mitchell River 5,000; Avon River 3,000; Macalister River (downstream of wall) 2,000; Lake Glenmaggie 10,000; Cowwarr Weir 2,000; Lake Narracan 10,000 and Blue Rock Lake 15,000.
