Fishing Victoria Forum

4liters wrote:
And people complain about windfarms lol

But if you build too many wind farms all the wind will be used up...

Stevieboy wrote:My question is would you actually eat a barra if you caught it out of that water... Obviously if its legal size and all but the looks alone of that water definitely doesn't look too appealing to me. I was there a few weeks back taking out my niece and nephew catching the cichlids that currently reside in there and while I was there kept noticing every so often this black soot layer peeling off the bottom of the pondage and floating on top of the water. No idea what it is but needless to say I wouldn't be eating a barra if I caught one outta there.

They are not being put there to be eaten, its more so that people can catch and release. no-one in their right mind will eat fish from places like that.
the fish are being trialled there to boost the tourism in the area, and to meet the 1 million fishing target that the government has introduced.

FishnMiss wrote:On talking Fishing this evening it was announced that Barra would be released into the Hazelwood dam tomorrow morning but fishing will be off limits for a few months for fisheries to do a study to see how they fare in the pond/lake.
I think there will be a media release tomorrow.

they have been in there for a few months already. its only being made public now.

Media Release:
Wednesday, 20 April, 2016
BARRAMUNDI COMING SOUTH TO HAZELWOOD PONDAGE
Barramundi will be stocked in Gippsland for the first time with the first batch of 1600 barramundi into Hazelwood Pondage today.
This is another significant milestone for the Andrews Labor Government in delivering its Target One Million plan to grow recreational fishing.
The release is a key step in the development of this new fishery, following successful tank-based acclimatisation trials which indicated the species could survive in pondage water.
Barramundi are usually only found in northern Australia, however the unusually warm water in the pondage may provide Victorian anglers with the chance to cast a line for the iconic species much closer to home.
Three size classes of barramundi were released today, consisting of 1000 fingerlings at 5cm, 500 fish at 10cm and 100 larger barramundi measuring 30cm.
Fifteen of the larger fish carry acoustic tags to track their movements so more can be learned about their behaviour and preferred habitats.
Several listening stations have been positioned throughout the pondage and will monitor tagged fish movements and log water temperatures.
To optimise the stocking trial and fish movement investigation, the pondage will be closed to all recreational fishing for six months.
This will allow barramundi growth rates, diet composition, flesh quality and aggregation patterns to be studied without active fishing pressure.
Fisheries Victoria, recreational anglers and other project partner organisations that comprise the Barramundi Working Group will then consider the results of the stocking trial and, pending the results, progress plans to formally open the fishery in consultation with other recreational users.
Boosting participation in recreational fishing is the primary aim of the Labor Government’s Target One Million plan, which aims to increase angler numbers to one million by 2020 and get more people fishing, more often.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford
“This is a big step forward to developing Victoria’s first barramundi fishery for recreational anglers – and also a key milestone in our Target One Million plan to increase recreational fishing.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“Anglers from all over Victoria and interstate have been waiting a long time for barramundi to go into the Hazelwood Pondage - this is a massive boost for fishing and for the Latrobe Valley.”
Media Contact: Tom Whitty 0488 084 717| tom.whitty@minstaff.vic.gov.au

1600 barra released today - 6 months until it can be fished - so just how many fishos will flood the place on the first day/first week?
It is exciting news - but I think I will wait till the hype dies down before i fight for my spot on the bank.

Stevieboy wrote:My question is would you actually eat a barra if you caught it out of that water... Obviously if its legal size and all but the looks alone of that water definitely doesn't look too appealing to me. I was there a few weeks back taking out my niece and nephew catching the cichlids that currently reside in there and while I was there kept noticing every so often this black soot layer peeling off the bottom of the pondage and floating on top of the water. No idea what it is but needless to say I wouldn't be eating a barra if I caught one outta there.

freshwater barra are terrible to eat

Surely it wont matter cause they would have to make it catch and release to survive.

bm

Sounds like it's going to be like vic market on the first day lol

What do barra need in order to breed? Is there any chance of a breeding population establishing in the pondage?

Will barra eat the cichlids that are in the pondage?

4liters wrote:What do barra need in order to breed? Is there any chance of a breeding population establishing in the pondage?

flood plains to breed or rivers creeks that flood during the wet.

barra dont breed in dams impoundments.

hence it must be catch and release to work