70,000 Murray cod in Rocklands

Rocklands Reservoir is now home to an extra 70,000 Murray cod fingerlings, which state fisheries leaders believe will boost the region’s visitation and economy.

Victorian Fisheries Authority chief executive Travis Dowling said the release kick-started the lake’s progress to becoming the state’s ‘newest and most exciting native recreational fisher yet’.

Rocklands will be stocked with more than 200,000 Murray cod and golden perch fingerlings this summer, aligning with the State Government’s $46-million Target One Million commitment to get more people fishing, more often.

Mr Dowling said regional angling clubs had called for the stocking of native fish at Rocklands for more than 20 years to improve the quality of fishing in the reservoir.

“Our commitment to develop Rocklands as an iconic native fishery was a once in a generation opportunity to improve inland fisheries,” he said.

He said Rocklands Reservoir had fantastic habitat for native fish that was created when the forest was flooded during its construction in the 1950s.

Mr Dowling said as a result of this stocking, visitation to Rocklands was expected to double over the next five years, particularly as stocked fish approach legal size.

He said the government expected the stockings would generate an additional $6-million in fishing-related expenditure in the region, as travelling anglers stayed overnight and bought fuel, tackle and food.

“Based on our experience in developing other native fisheries, we believe Rocklands could be every bit as good as Lake Eildon,” he said.

Rocklands Reservoir currently holds a large population of introduced fish including, redfin, carp, tench and stocked trout. Mr Dowling said the stocking plan was informed by a detailed independent fish stocking risk assessment, which found the stocking posed no significant risk to endemic native fish populations.

He said stocking of Murray cod into Rocklands would also help with the recovery of the much-loved native, which was listed as a threatened species under Victorian, federal and international policy.

Mr Dowling said there was a lot more to come this summer.

“The native fish stocking season has just begun,” he said.

“Anglers can expect to hear lots more over coming months about other efforts to develop recreational fisheries as we approach our Target One Million commitment to stock five-million fish.”

People can visit www.vfa.vic.gov.au/ rocklands for more information.