Freshwater Fish Stocking EIS and FMS

Aim

Prepare a fish stocking fishery management strategy and environmental impact assessment.

Background

The activity of fish stocking is undertaken in many water storage impoundments and rivers throughout the State at a rate of around 7 million fish per annum. Stocking is primarily of native species including golden perch, silver perch, Murray cod and Australian bass, and non-native species including Atlantic salmon, brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout.

Fish stocking is recognised for its importance to the community in terms of quality recreational fishing, Indigenous cultural fishing opportunities, conservation outcomes, employment, and subsequent economic benefits that have grown in response to the activity taking place over many years.

NSW DPI and key stakeholders developed a fishery management strategy which aims to ensure continued access and opportunities for involvement in freshwater fish stocking activities, and to make sure that stocking is conducted in an ecologically sustainable manner.

The management strategy for fish stocking contains a description of the activity, the management goals and objectives, and provides the management framework for the next five years and beyond. It also outlines a program for monitoring the environmental, social and economic performance of the fishery, establishes trigger points for the review of the strategy, and requires regular public reporting on performance.

An environmental impact statement (EIS) was prepared which examined the environmental impacts and risks of the existing stocking program, and the estimated changes to those impacts and risks if the (draft) management strategy was implemented. The EIS assessed the impact of the activity on the biophysical, economic and social environments.

• View the approved Freshwater Fish Stocking Fishery Management Strategy (PDF, 1607.58 KB)
• View the Freshwater Fish Stocking Environmental Impact Statement

Benefits Region: Inland statewide.