These fish came from the Victorian Fisheries Authority and were produced as a result of money that anglers paid for their Victorian Fishing Licence.
So far this stocking season, TAG members have released 75,000 Murray cod fingerlings into the Broken River, from below the Swanpool Bridge to Archer St in Shepparton, along with 99,000 golden perch at separate locations over the same area.
During summer, TAG members used their own boats to relocate 60,000 Murray cod and 40,000 golden perch into Lake Nillahcootie.
In 2024 TAG put forward a submission to the VFA for increased stocking of Murray cod to Lake Nillahcootie, owing to the lake being declared a ‘no closed season’ fishery.
This has resulted in an increase of Murray cod fingerlings from 20,000 to 60,000 each year.
TAG fish stocking co-ordinator Noel O’Connor said TAG members were not only interested in stocking native fish that they were allowed to catch and keep, but had also applied to the VFA for stockings of the endangered Macquarie perch, which is now totally protected.
“Our application for the stocking of this species saw our members release 5000 Macquarie perch into the Broken River below the Lake Nillahcootie dam wall in 2024; this number was increased to see 10,000 released this year,” Mr O’Connor said.
Tatong Anglers Group members have been involved in the stocking of native fish species within the Goulburn/Broken catchment area for over 25 years. This included the rescuing and relocation of Murray cod that would have perished when Lake Mokoan was decommissioned in 2004.
In the past 10 years, TAG members have released over one and a half million native fish into Lake Nillahcootie and the Broken River system.
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