Fry and fingerlings are available from licensed hatcheries throughout the State.
Australian native fish:
Most native fish species are native either to the coastal drainages or to western NSW. In general, fish from one region should not be stocked into the other. Exceptions to this rule are noted below.
Suited to the coastal and inland plains and the lower slopes of the Great Dividing Range, most native species can tolerate water temperatures of 4–30ºC. The catfish, and perhaps the silver perch and the Murray cod, occasionally breed in dams;
however, the young often die from inadequate food, parasites, or through predation by insects, birds and other fish. Some fish need complex environmental stimuli not easily reproduced in farm dams.
Silver perch or bidyan (Bidyanus bidyanus)
Native to the western drainage (Murray–Darling Basin). Wild (river) populations are listed as a ‘vulnerable’ species and are protected, although they have been stocked in many dams for angling. The silver perch may be the best warm water fish for stocking in western drainage dams, because it is an omnivore (eats both animal and plant matter):
It lives on shrimps, insects, plankton and algae, and so can exploit a greater range of food sources than the carnivorous fishes. Good to angle and excellent to eat, it can reach plate size within two years. Stocking of silver perch in dams on the eastern drainage is not encouraged unless there is no chance of escape into local waters.
Golden perch, callop or yellowbelly (Macquaria ambigua)
Native to the western drainage (Murray–Darling Basin), this is an excellent angling and table fish. In warm areas where food is plentiful, it may reach eating size within a year, but usually takes two years. It is a carnivore, feeding on yabbies, insects, shrimps and small fish. Because of its different diet, it may be stocked together with silver perch. Stocking of golden perch in dams on the eastern drainage is not encouraged unless there is no chance of escape into local waters.
Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata)
Native to coastal streams of the eastern drainage. It is one of the best known recreational freshwater sportfish, as well as being excellent to eat. Its diet includes a wide range of fish, yabbies, shrimps and insects, and it adapts well to farm dams. It can exceed 4 kg in dams, but cannot breed there.
Each year, adults in the wild migrate downstream to estuaries to breed and the juveniles move back upstream into the freshwater streams. Because of this, weirs and other barriers on coastal streams have impeded movement of bass to much of its essential habitat.
Australian bass are the preferred fish for farm dams east of the Great Dividing Range. They should not be stocked into western drainage dams.
Freshwater catfish, tandan or eel-tail catfish (Tandanus tandanus)
A hardy species native to both coastal and western drainages, although research has shown that there are several sub-species, with those east of the Great Dividing Range being different from those in the west. A good angling and eating fish, although commonly rejected because of its appearance. It is carnivorous, feeding on shrimps, yabbies and insects.
It can be stocked with other species, and reaches table size in 2 years. It matures at 5 years, and builds metre-wide stony nests for breeding in spring–summer (when water temperatures reach about 24ºC). Their venomous spines can inflict painful wounds.
Catfish to be stocked should be obtained locally to ensure that the various sub-species do not hybridise.
Murray cod, pondee or goodoo (Maccullochella peelii peelii)
Native to the western drainage (Murray–Darling Basin). It is the largest Australian freshwater fish:
5–10 kg is not uncommon, and individuals of 30 kg are caught occasionally. The record is 113.5 kg and 1.8 m (Barwon River, Walgett). The cod matures at 5–6 years, and may breed in farm dams if there are hollow logs or drums where it can deposit its eggs. A carnivore, it eats insects, yabbies, shrimps and fish. It is ready for the table after 2 years, and makes an excellent dish.
The Murray cod is aggressive and territorial. Once an individual grows a little larger than others within its area, it has a competitive edge for food, resulting in a wide separation in sizes in the dam, which can lower overall survival. Other sport fish should not be stocked with them. It is illegal to stock Murray cod into farm dams in north-eastern NSW, as it could compete or hybridise with the endangered eastern freshwater cod.
Introduced fish:
Trout are introduced species that have the potential to negatively impact on native animals. They should only be stocked into regions that have previously been stocked with trout, in dams that preclude escape into public water bodies.
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss),
brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) grow well in farm dams. The rainbow trout is probably the best of these for farm dams as it is the fastest grower and most easily caught. It can reach 2 kg in 2–3 years, and is excellent for both angling and eating. Trout cannot breed in farm dams as they require running water and gravel beds to spawn. Suitable for dams on the upper slopes and highlands, where summer water temperature does not exceed 20ºC (measured 50 cm below the surface).
Freshwater crayfish:
About 100 species of freshwater crayfish are native to Australia. They vary in their habitat and food requirements, and should generally be stocked only in areas where they occur naturally – the possible effects on local crayfish and other animals and ecology are unknown, and it can be very difficult to prevent the escape of crayfish from dams.
The common yabby (Cherax destructor) is native to the western drainage in NSW. It is found in many permanent and semi-permanent waters, and is easy to catch. The yabby is sometimes used as food for farmed fish but is beginning to be cultured more and more for its own qualities. Yabbies can be produced in farm dams, but should not be stocked with fish if they are to be the main crop. A suitable number for seeding a 0.1 ha dam would be 20–40.
If seeded in spring (breeding time), the dam should produce enough for limited fishing within two years. Several other species of Cherax occur along the coast from Newcastle northwards, but little is known of their biology or suitability for farming. The common yabby should be stocked only in farm dams in the western drainage. Eastern drainage farm dams should be stocked only with yabbies collected locally.
The marron (Cherax tenuimanus) from Western Australia and the Queensland red-claw (Cherax quadricarinatus) must not be stocked in farm dams in NSW. (Licensed aquaculturists are exempt under strict aquaculture permit arrangements.) The spiny crayfishes (genus Euastacus), including the Murray crayfish and the Sydney crayfish, are unsuitable for farming. They need cool, clean, well oxygenated water, and cannot survive long in most farm dams.
Note. Hand hauled yabby nets may be used in farm dams, but not in streams, rivers, lakes or dams. See the Freshwater fishing rules on this site for details of legal gear.
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