Friday, March 29, 2024
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Recreational fishing tagging program reveals Victorian mulloway movements

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The Nature Glenelg Trust has been running the mulloway tagging program for nearly four years. Image: Patrick Linehan

A MULLOWAY tagging project funded by recreational fishing licence fees is uncovering more about the movement of the species in Victoria.

Funded by a recreational fishing grant, Nature Glenelg Trust (NGT) has been running the mulloway tagging program for nearly four years with 868 mulloway tagged. And one of them just keeps giving fishers an opportunity.

A mulloway first tagged in April 2019 on the Patterson River measuring 65 centimetres was recaptured in the same area in March 2020, this time at 75 centimetres. In early June this year, it was recaptured for the third time in three years, this time by Julian Straub. It measured 82 centimetres, with a growth of 17 centimetres during its time at liberty.

Another fish has also been recaptured several times in the Patterson system.

Originally tagged in March 2019 at 72cm, Reece Cliff landed the same fish a month later at the same length. Almost two years later, Reece recaptured the same fish for a third time!

Reece released the fish – now measuring 95cm – a growth rate of 23cm in a little more than two years.

It’s fair to say fishing Patterson River in autumn pays dividends, with 39 of the 60 fish captured as part of the program recorded in March, April and May.

The NGT’s Lauren Brown says fishers have reported the catches coinciding with greater numbers of baitfish in the system.

For more information: natureglenelg.org.au/more-amazing-movements-of-mulloway-revealed/

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