New ruler for Murray cod Victorian fishing season opening

by NSW Department of Primary Industries on 10 Nov 2010 The recreational fishing season for Murray cod in Victoria opens on Wednesday December 1, 2010, following a three month closed season which allows the fish to breed.

To welcome in the new season, Fisheries Victoria has produced a ruler that allows anglers to estimate the weight of their Murray cod based purely on the fish’s length.

Designed to adhere to the side of boats, the one metre sticker ruler improves the health of Murray cod that are released by reducing the amount of time they spend out of the water.

By lying Murray cod down on the ruler, anglers can quickly get a weight estimate of the fish without suspending it on scales.

Good handling practices are critical to ensure released fish are not damaged.

Funded through the $3.2 million Go Fishing in Victoria initiative, the free ruler is available by emailing go.fishing@dpi.vic.gov.au with your name and postal address.

Freshwater anglers keen on catching Murray cod from December 1 should consider targeting Victorian lakes and rivers that have been stocked by Fisheries Victoria.

Last summer, nearly 1.7 million native fish were released to improve anglers’ chances. Over 434,000 of these native fish were Murray cod, most of which were stocked into:

• Lake Eildon (152,000)	• Greens Lake at Corop (10,000)
• Lake Eppalock (20,000)	• Little Murray River (10,000)
• Lower Goulburn River (50,000)	• Pyramid Creek (10,000)
• Gunbower Creek (20,000)	• Lake Nagambie (50,000)
• Loddon River (20,000)	• Taylor Lake (20,000)
• Avoca River (10,000)	• Cairn Curran Reservoir (10,000)
• Lake Cullulleraine (10,000)	• Mitta Mitta River (10,000)

 

While last year’s releases of Murray cod will take three to five years to reach minimum legal length, many of these waters have been stocked for several years and so already contain Murray cod of a catchable size.

Lake Eildon is set to receive over one million Murray cod over the next three years as part of a ten year stocking program for that lake which is an important step in the plan to develop a booming Murray cod fishery in Victoria.

Anglers are reminded that Fishing Officers will be patrolling inland waters, checking fishing licences, bag limits and equipment throughout the Murray cod season.

In Victoria, Murray cod have a bag/possession limit of two, a minimum legal length of 60cm and a maximum legal length of 100cm.

www.dpi.vic.gov.au