RECORDS of the fish caught by members of Victoria’s Nagambie Angling Club have provided clear evidence of the benefits of fish stocking by the state Government at both Lake Nagambie and Goulburn Weir.
Nationals Member for Benalla Bill Sykes said records from the club’s angling contests dating back to 2003 showed a distinct recent improvement in both fish stocks and the diversity of species present at the lake and the weir.
Dr Sykes said Lake Nagambie and Goulburn Weir had experienced a decline in fish stocks and species diversity several years ago despite both being popular destinations for anglers. This was reflected in records of Nagambie Angling Club contests which found that between 2003 and 2009, only redfin were being caught.
“However, since 2009 the contest results show that numbers of golden perch and Murray cod are increasing in the anglers’ catch and are being caught frequently,” Dr Sykes said.
“These results also directly correlate with increased stocking of both those species into Lake Nagambie and Goulburn Weir.
“In 2009, to help rebuild the local recreational fishery, Fisheries Victoria significantly increased its stocking effort at those two water bodies to 200,000 golden perch and 50,000 Murray cod each year.
“Since then more than one million of these native fish have been released into Lake Nagambie and Goulburn Weir. The Nagambie Angling Club’s records demonstrate that the investment in fish stocking is now starting to pay dividends for anglers and the Nagambie fishery is once again becoming an important and productive recreational fishery.”
Dr Sykes said angling reports had also been received of Murray cod being caught in the Goulburn River up to Seymour.
Secretary of the Nagambie Angling Club Wally Cubbin said, “We were more than happy to allow Fisheries Victoria access to our competition records as it allows the club to be actively involved in monitoring our local fishery and the success of the stockings.
“The club has worked closely with Fisheries Victoria particularly in the stocking of Lake Nagambie by releasing the fingerlings fish so it is fantastic to now see these fish entering the fishery,” Cubbin said.
