THE Victorian Fisheries Authority has removed the closed season from a trio of lakes in central and northern Victoria.
The annual 3-month closed season (1 September to 30 November) will no longer apply in Lake Eppalock, Cairn Curran Reservoir and Lake Nillahcootie.
More than 90 per cent of submissions on the recent proposal supported the move, which has been advocated for by VRFish and prominent Murray cod fishers for several years.
Research shows that natural Murray cod breeding and recruitment in these systems is very low and Victoria’s record-breaking stocking program does the heavy lifting in boosting populations, so the closed season has limited effect in lakes like these three.
It’s also hoped opening these waters up year-round for cod fishing will take pressure off the Loddon, Campaspe and Broken rivers, where cod breeding and recruitment does occur.
The VFA has previously opened up Lake Eildon which has turned it into a year-round cod mecca, and several waters out west including Rocklands Reservoir and Taylors Lake.
For more information, head to www.vfa.vic.gov.au/bettercod
