'toga party

[Pilly]

I love fishing for Toga and those fingerlings look great.
Just a quick question, why do they allow Toga to be stocked outside of there natural range?

Cheers
Pilly

Does anyone know the answer to my question? I can not understand the logic on this when there are such strict rules on other species of fish only being stocked within their natural range. All the info I have found so far says Toga are native to the Fitzroy Basin, but I suppose it's no different to Murray Cod being stocked in my local Lake Maraboon many years ago. A mate of mine caught a 109cm Cod out there last year!

Pilly

[elops]

Not really sure, glad it is though.
Other fish are allowed to be stocked outside their natural range eg. Silver Perch and Golden Perch in SEQ impoundments.
Interesting that Toga cant be stocked into the Mary catchment but Sivers and Goldens can.
For the full list of species that can be stocked where see the Fisheries (Freshwater) Management Plan 1999.
Cant find all the updates and relevant parts on DPI website, have it on a pdf file if you are interested ?
Not sure if pdf file can be uploaded here ?

cheers
Steve

[Jim_Tait]

Pilly, from what I recall of my days on the Freshwater MAC Saratoga are alklowed to be stocked outside of their natural range for a couople of reasons - one being that there is a history of doing it and they have already been established in basins beyond their range so for those basins (usually fairly modified ones) at least 'the damage has been done'  (sic) - the other reason is that Saratoga being mouth brooders that only do a couple hundred eggs max at a time have fairly low fercundity (reproductive capacity) - so even where they do establish they don't tend to take over a system and with their fairly specialised niche (visual surface feeders) don't elbow out the locals too much in terms of direct predation or competition. Places where Saratoga stocking would not be  allowed include basins that have never been stocked with them in the past or basins where threatened fish species may  be affected by them - Steve its interesting that Saratoga arn't allowed to be stocked in the Mary basin given that they're already established there - I assume threatened fish species (least three in the Mary) have something to do with it - but to allow Silvers and Goldens seems inconsistent as they would be likely to pose more of a direct threat to the threatened fish species present - perhaps its the history of stocking these species, demonstrated of lack of breeding by them (is that the case?) and probably rec fisher pressure that sees them continued? - Regards Jim

[drjfly]

Jim is essentially correct.


No species is allowed to be stocked outside of its range except where a continuing permit exists. So if a species was stocked before the translocation policy was introduced and a continuing permit and management plan exists then they can continue to be stocked. If the permit was not renewed then no further stocking will be allowed. It is a lot more technical than that but you get the gist.


Regards
Darren

[Fitzy]

There was a move, at one point, by a senior person in the then Fisheries Management body QFMA to have the stocking of saratoga outside of the Fitzroy River catchment (Qld) stopped.

An outcry by fishing clubs saw a backdown on that stance.

Agree with Jim & Dryfly on their comments.

I believe there will be a time when the stocking of almost all fish outside of thier natural range will not be permitted. Possibly as species such as Jungle Perch become available for restocking, the Murray Darling species (Golden & Silver Perch) may be dropped from restocking permits.

In the meantime, if Saratoga can be established BEFORE there is a cesation of stocking them, then the need for stocking is moot.

Cheers,

fitz..

[Pilly]

Thanks fellas,

Very informative replies to my question and you are right Fitzy, better get stuck into stocking Toga because you never do know when we may be stopped. They are an awesome fish.

Regards
Adrian