Snowy strategy to stay for five more years

A NSW Government strategy aimed at maintaining the Snowy Mountains Lakes as one of Australia’s premier trout fisheries has proved highly successful, and will be extended for another five years.

The Snowy Lakes Strategy was developed six years ago, following poor fishing in the area during the late 90s. The strategy has been very popular with local businesses and anglers who say that fishing in the area is the best it has been for many years.

It’s estimated that the improved fishing has attracted more than 34,000 anglers to the region, which has a flow-on effect to local business.

Figures show that the fishery is valued at over $70 million annually. Members of the Snowy Lakes working group recently met to discuss the Strategy’s future direction. The group re-endorsed the Strategy and expressed confidence in the fishery’s long-term viability.

The highly successful Strategy involves a set-stocking program for lakes Jindabyne and Eucumbene, protection of spawning trout and possession limits and ongoing research. Each year, Lake Eucumbene and Lake Jindabyne are stocked with 150,000 and 50,000 rainbow trout fingerlings respectively. Lake Jindabyne is also stocked with 200,000 Atlantic salmon and 50,000 brook trout.

The stocked fish are bred at the DPI Gaden Trout Hatchery from fish returning to spawn in the Thredbo and Eucumbene Rivers; this maintains the integrity of the stock and ensures their disease free status.

In addition to this, the Strategy also involves ongoing research into fish stocking in the area and the Government, through the DPI is examining the possibility of introducing a drought contingency into the plan to ensure that the level of stocking during drought is effective.

The Snowy Lakes Trout Strategy is one of many projects supported by the DPI Recreational Freshwater Fishing Trust. Funds from the sale of the fishing licence are placed into a Trust and can only be spent on projects to improve recreational fishing.

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