Murray Cod fishery opens to catch-and-release
South Australia Fisheries Department advises that the Murray Cod fishery will reopen on 1 January 2013, as part of management arrangements which permit catch-and-release activities between 1 January and 31 July. The fishery will then close from 1 August to 31 December 2013, with an additional ban on trolling from a moving vessel for all freshwater species.
Fishers are also being reminded about correct handling techniques. Murray Cod is a vulnerable species and must be handled with extreme care. In particular, fishers need to remember that it is illegal to lift any size Murray Cod out of the water at any time.
The following handling techniques for Murray Cod are recommended:
- Avoid using light lines and playing fish to exhaustion
- Use barbless hooks or barbless trebles on lures
- Use a knotless landing net to support the fish in the water
- Cut the line outside the mouth for deep hooked fish and don''tt try to remove the hook
- If using a fish grip, don't hold the fish vertically in the water
Under the current management arrangements, it is also illegal to target or take Murray Cod in any section of the Chowilla floodplain year-round.
Protecting the Murray Cod Video