After having spent five years in the NSW Government's Narrandera Fisheries Centre native fish hatchery, 19 mature Murray Cod saved from the drought-ravaged Macquarie River in 2019 are now being returned to their home waters.
The fish are among more than 250 Murray Cod and Golden Perch rescued from the river in the State's Central West in November 2019.
Of the 250 rescued fish, 25 Murray Cod and 35 Golden Perch were taken back to the Narrandera hatchery. The remaining fish were either provided to other hatcheries for their broodstock programs or relocated to safer sections of the river.
Over the past five years, these 60 broodstock have produced more than 1 million fingerlings as part of the NSW Government's native fish stocking program.
Of these more than 250,000 Murray Cod fingerlings have been released at various sites along the Macquarie River, including Wellington, Dubbo, Narromine, Trangie, and Warren.
The Murray Cod broodstock, some more than a metre long and weighing up to 15kgs, have now been returned to the rescue area, with hopes they continue to add to wild spawning events.
Murray Cod are a highly regarded cultural species to Aboriginal communities of the Murray-Darling Basin.
Significantly, they are the apex predator of the Macquarie River as well as the premier freshwater sportfish of inland Australia.
The return of the rescued Murray Cod to the Macquarie River, known to traditional owners as The Wambuul, demonstrates the NSW Government's commitment to sustainably managing native fish populations.
The cod were originally rescued by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Fisheries staff, traditional owners, local landholders, recreational fishers and volunteers from Inland Waterways OzFish and the Sofala Central Acclimatisation Society.
More information about the NSW DPIRD Native Fish Stocking Program visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/stocking
Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:
"These fish should be given medals for the monumental contribution they have made to our Murray Cod and Golden Perch numbers around the state.
"The NSW Government is pleased to be able to return these rescued native fish back to their home waters in the State's Central West - a great example of government working with local communities to deliver results for inland fisheries.
"The rescued Murray Cod have played an important role in rebuilding stocks of this iconic native species in the Central West, producing more than 250,000 fingerlings which have been released into the Macquarie River.
"Murray Cod are our largest freshwater sportfish, which provide significant socio-economic benefits, especially in regional NSW where recreational fishing is a key tourism and economic driver.
"The DPIRD Native Fish Stocking Program plays a vital role in not only improving recreational fishing opportunities but also delivers conservation outcomes, employment and subsequent economic benefits that have grown in response to the activity over many years."
Member of NSW Recreational Fishing Advisory Council and the Ministerial Fisheries Advisory Council, Matt Hansen said:
"The fish rescues back in 2019 achieved fantastic results in helping save these iconic native fish from the impacts of an intense drought.
"To see these fish returned back to their home waters today marks the culmination of an outstanding collaboration between local fishos and DPIRD Fisheries.
"Knowing that these fish produced literally millions of juveniles during their time at Narrandera hatchery - with the juveniles being stocked back into the river in recent years - makes all the work we did back in the drought even more significant.
"I hope the returned rescued fish will continue to contribute to stocks in the Macquarie River for many years to come."
