AFTER spending five years in the NSW Government’s Narrandera Fisheries Centre native fish hatchery, 19 mature Murray cod saved from the drought-ravaged Macquarie River in 2019 are now being returned to their home waters.
The fish are among more than 250 Murray cod and golden perch rescued from the river in the State’s Central West in November 2019.
Of the 250 rescued fish, 25 Murray cod and 35 golden perch were taken back to the Narrandera hatchery. The remaining fish were either provided to other hatcheries for their broodstock programs or relocated to safer sections of the river.
Over the past five years, these 60 broodstock have produced more than 1 million fingerlings as part of the NSW Government’s native fish stocking program.
Of these more than 250,000 Murray Cod fingerlings have been released at various sites along the Macquarie River, including Wellington, Dubbo, Narromine, Trangie, and Warren.
The Murray cod broodstock, some more than a metre long and weighing up to 15kgs, have now been returned to the rescue area, with hopes they continue to add to wild spawning events.
The cod were originally rescued by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Fisheries staff, traditional owners, local landholders, recreational fishers and volunteers from Inland Waterways OzFish and the Sofala Central Acclimatisation Society.
More info about the NSW DPIRD Native Fish Stocking Program at https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/stocking
