60,000 fish swim into healthier Wimmera River

by Simone Dalton on 28 Jan 2015 Fish stocking in the Wimmera River is more than 70 per cent above normal levels this year thanks to improved water quality and funding from Victorian recreational fishing licence fees.

Fisheries Victoria officers recently released 60,000 golden perch fingerlings in the Wimmera River in an area stretching from Jeparit in the north to Glenorchy in the southern Wimmera.

The tiny fish, which weighed an average of 1 gram each, should be catchable size in three to four years.

Fisheries Officer Murray Burns said the river normally received about 35,000 golden perch each year but with extra environmental flows, the river health had improved allowing for greater numbers.

'The river is looking the best it has for about 15 years thanks to extra flows as a result of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline development allowing for more environmental water,' Mr Burns said.

Golden perch river stockings this week were:

• Jeparit - 5000

• Antwerp - 5000

• Dimboola – 15,000

• Polkemmet - 5000

• Quantong - 5000

• Horsham Area – 20,000 and

• Glenorchy - 5000.

The normal annual stocking for the Wimmera River is 35,000 golden perch so the extra 25,000 fingerlings is a considerable boost.

Anglers will also be happy to hear that another 30,000 golden perch will be swimming their way into Taylors Lake at Horsham.

Every year the fees anglers pay for recreational fishing licences are allocated to projects that directly improve recreational fishing such as fish stocking, facilities, extra enforcement and research.