ONGOING efforts to reintroduce endangered native Macquarie perch in to inland waterways in NSW is producing promising results.
Karl Schaerf of the Central Acclimatisation Society (CAS) reports NSW Fisheries has advised previous stockings of Macquarie perch have resulted in the sampling of several healthy examples of the species from a release site.
According to Dr Dean Gilligan, Senior Research Scientist, NSW Fisheries and Ecosystems Research, Batemans Bay, sampling of the Retreat River last week resulted in the capture of five hatchery bred Macquarie perch ranging in size from 122mm to 197 mm.
“All five individuals were very healthy and quite fat (as can be seen in the photos). As expected they all had hatchery batch marks. None of them had the dorsal spine notch that would have identified them as the 1 year old grown out fish we released in October 2012.” said Dr Gilligan.
The next sampling of Macquarie perch in the Retreat River (the “safe haven” for the species), will take place between 22 – 24 April 2013. Dr Gilligan has advised that members of the CAS and others interested in the Macquarie perch restocking program, are welcome to attend the sampling activities.
If you are interested and are able to attend (the site is within the Abercrombie River National Park, and requires a 4WD vehicle to reach it), contact Karl Schaerf for more information.
