150,000 Mulloway and Dusky Flathead released in NSW rivers

MORE than 150,000 Mulloway and Dusky Flathead fingerlings have been released into key NSW fishing locations – including the Hastings River – as part of the NSW Government’s Marine Stocking Program.

Over the past month more than 100,000 Mulloway fingerlings have been released into the Georges and Hastings rivers and Lake Macquarie.

In March, some 54,000 juvenile Dusky Flathead were released into popular Recreational Fishing Havens on the NSW South Coast, including Lake Conjola, Burrill Lake and St Georges Basin.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said, “The release of these fingerlings into popular fishing spots is a great example of recreational fishing fees at work.

“This is about building fish stocks, undertaking the research needed to keep as many fingerlings alive as possible and knowing where and when to release them.”

Both Dusky Flathead and Mulloway are among the State’s most popular fishing species, with Dusky Flatheads relatively easy to target, making them ideal for beginners and families.

Mulloway are notoriously unpredictable and can often be hard to locate.

They make long, strong runs, hooking a big one is a serious test of skill and gear and they are often considered a “rite of passage” for NSW anglers.

To ensure the success of the Marine Stocking Program into the future, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development scientists have an ongoing research and monitoring program to determine the optimum size of the fish for release, preferred habitats and the rates of predation in the days after liberation.

The NSW Marine Stocking Program is supported by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts.

Recreational fishers are reminded to ensure they have paid the recreational fishing fee and abide the bag and size limits when fishing in NSW.

Mulloway has a size limit of 70cm and bag limit of one.

Dusky Flathead has a slot limit of 36cm-70cm and a bag limit of five.