Macquarie perch bred for first time in captivity

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Macquarie perch bred for first time in captivity

Large numbers of Macquarie perch have been successfully bred in captivity for the first time.

The breakthrough was made by DPI aquaculture scientists at Snobs Creek. The scientists used improved diet management and advanced hormone therapy to induce egg maturation and spawning.

Four fish spawned over summer resulted in the hatching of 11,700 larvae.

During the 1980s and 1990s, we produced Macquarie perch for stocking programs using broodstock caught from the wild during the spawning season. But despite numerous attempts over the last half century, the breeding of Macquarie perch using fish held in captivity at Snobs Creek has been unsuccessful until now.

This breeding breakthrough will greatly assist the recovery of Macquarie perch in its natural range, given declines in its distribution and abundance.

In 2009, DPI instigated a new breeding program for Macquarie perch that saw 3,550 fingerlings released into Expedition Pass Reservoir and Hollands Creek, near Tatong, last year.

This year 8,300 Macquarie perch were released into three waters over summer, including 5,600 fingerlings which were bred in captivity.

Expedition Pass Reservoir received 3,000 fish, Lake William Hovell 2,800 and the Ovens River 2,800 between Myrtleford and Wangaratta.

Source: Victoria Fisheries Dept