Fish stocking

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Fish stocking - NSW DPI Newscast

The late John Lake, one of the most influential freshwater fisheries biologists in Australia, carried out pioneering work on the reproduction of many native fish species while working at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre between 1960-1966. While techniques of artificial breeding were known on species overseas at the time, the methods had to be adapted to Australian conditions on a trial and error basis.   

Artificial fish breeding techniques were further developed at Narrandera throughout the 1970s when fish were grown to maturity in ponds, spawned, eggs transferred to incubators, larvae shifted to large ponds with abundant plankton feed and released at about 5cm long.

Since that time, the centre has continued to improve techniques for the breeding of popular recreational species such as Murray cod, golden perch and silver perch. These species are stocked into public lakes and dams between November and April each year to improve fishing opportunities.

Trout cod are also bred and stocked into the Macquarie River while Macquarie perch are bred and stocked into the Lachlan catchment as part of threatened species recovery programs to re-establish populations where they were once widespread. Both species are protected from fishing. Visitors can experience the hatchery first hand through regular guided tours. For more information call the Narrandera Fisheries Centre on (02) 6958 8200.