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Kow Swamp near Gunbower has received the first installment of Murray cod stockings that makes it Victoria’s most heavily stocked native fishery.
The first stockings of Murray cod fingerlings took place last week, part of the Victorian Government’s Northern Native Fisheries Project.
Member for Swan Hill Peter Walsh said 300,000 Murray cod were planned for release into Kow Swamp over the next three years, with the first 100,000 fingerlings released last week.
Mr Walsh said Fisheries Victoria believed Kow Swamp had tremendous potential as a quality native fishery.
“Kow Swamp’s abundance of habitat, warm climate, shallow productive margins and past record as a productive fishery makes it an ideal Murray Cod fishery in the making,” he said.
“While Kow Swamp has been a best kept secret for many years, its potential will soon be realized as fish stocks increase and angler access improves.”
The Northern Native Fisheries Project is funded from revenue raised from the sale of recreational fishing licenses ($779,000), the government’s Recreational Fishing Initiative ($260,000) and from other government agencies ($310,000)
The project will also see the delivery of eight boat ramps on the Campaspe and Loddon rivers, Gunbower Creek and Kow Swamp to improve angler access.
Mr Walsh said the Murray Cod release was in addition to Kow Swamp’s annual fish stocking allocation of 30,000 Golden Perch.
“This level of allocation makes Kow Swamp the most heavily stocked native fishery in the state, now receiving 36 fish per hectare – more than popular Lake Eildon in the state’s north east,” Mr Walsh said.
For more information on fish stocking and recreational fishing licences, please visit www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fisheries or telephone DPI on 136 186.