AT the NSW DPI Trout Allocation Meeting earlier this month, Steve Samuels of the Monaro Acclimatisation Society presented “A Proposal to Improve the Effectiveness of Trout Stocking in NSW Lakes that Support a Redfin and/or Native Fish Population”.
According to the latest NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers newsletter, the MAS proposal highlighted a need to change the trout stocking policy for lakes that have a redfin population and/or a native fish population where the current trout stocking practice has proved ineffective.
The proposed changes centre around the need to stock larger fish that have a better chance of competing, particularly competing with redfin, and referred to the success of Victorian fisheries managers in stocking yearling fish to quickly recover Victorian trout fisheries after the severe droughts of the past decade or so.
Victoria stocks almost exclusively with yearling trout in the 40 to 100 gram range, while NSW stocks with fry or fingerlings, less than 20 grams.
You can read MAS’s full proposal HERE.
Following discussions at the Trout Allocation Meeting, NSW DPI plans to send key hatchery managers to Victoria’s Snobs Creek Hatchery to examine its methods, and NSW DPI aquaculture scientists would look at hatchery procedures needed at Gaden Trout Hatchery to grow larger trout without impacting too much on general hatchery production.
It is expected trial releases of larger fish in a small number of NSW impoundments will follow. The effects the changed method has on the fishery will then be monitored.
