Trout Management in Victoria

Note Number: FN0166
Published: October 2004
Updated: September 2009

Recreational Value

Almost half of all angling effort in Victoria occurs on freshwater lakes, rivers and streams with trout and redfin being the two most harvested species in these waters. The Victorian trout fishery is a major social and economic contributor to regional communities with nearly half of all trout harvested annually in Australia being caught in Victoria. Inland anglers spend more than $250 million a year pursuing trout, redfin and native species such as Murray cod and golden perch. In addition to providing good sport fishing, many consider trout to be a choice table fish.

Stocking

Consultative meetings are held annually in five regional centres across the state to develop fish stocking plans and address other freshwater fisheries management issues. These meetings involve representatives from Fisheries Victoria, VRFish and other stakeholders.

Between April and November each year, the Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Victoria releases between 300,000 and 400,000 salmonids (trout and salmon) into Victoria's public waterways to improve recreational fishing opportunities for freshwater anglers. The total weight of Departmental salmonid stockings has increased from around 30 tonnes in 2001 to more than 40 tonnes in 2006, due to the increasing proportion of salmonids released at larger sizes.

Most trout and salmon stocked by the Department are released as yearlings weighing between 80 and 100 grams each (20-25 cm in length), for put-grow-and-take fisheries. Yearling trout are close to a catchable size almost immediately upon release and research, such as that on Lake Purrumbete, indicates their survival rate in the wild is usually greater than that of smaller fish known as ‘fingerlings’. Low numbers of larger trout are stocked during second and third term holiday periods for put-andtake fisheries in Family Fishing Lakes and ponds close to urban centres.

Most of the Department’s salmonids are stocked into lakes and impoundments because many do not sustain adequate natural populations. Without stocking, salmonid fisheries in these waters would be severely limited or non-existent.

In many streams however, trout fisheries are based on self-sustaining wild stocks.

The primary reason why wild trout abundance may not be high in a given stream is related to the carrying capacity of that stream, which is determined by the quality of in-stream habitat and water flow. Natural variation in trout abundance will often occur between seasons as a consequence of climate induced fluctuations in stream flow and temperature.

Trout in Victorian rivers are often subjected to less than ideal conditions during summer. High water temperatures impact trout populations by restricting their distribution, inhibiting their growth and even causing mortality in extreme cases. Increased flows help buffer against stream temperature changes, however, natural events such as drought have an uncontrollable negative effect on stream flow, habitat and in turn, trout quality and abundance.

Departmental Salmonid Stocking

Acknowledgements

This Fishnote was developed by Karl Pomorin, October 2004.

It was reviewed by Monique Leane, Fisheries Victoriac – Inland Fisheries Management. September 2009.