2017 Review of the Trout Cod Recovery Plan

Summary

Trout Cod are a large predatory fish native to the Murray-Darling Basin. The species was once abundant in this region, but populations have declined drastically since European settlement. Today wild Trout Cod can only be found in a single remnant population in the Murray River below Yarrawonga Weir and selected locations where conservation stocking has been successful. The species is listed as ‘endangered’ under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994.

A recovery plan was prepared for Trout Cod in 2006. The overall objective of the plan is to ensure the recovery and natural viability of Trout Cod populations within their former range in the Murray-Darling Basin. The plan was developed in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994 and requires a major review within ten years of its publication.

This document comprises the review and complies with the requirements of the Fisheries Management Act 1994. The review of the recovery actions was undertaken in consultation with a range of managers and scientists and drew on several different sources of information (e.g. Fisheries Scientific Committee's Annual Reviews of the threatened species lists, scientific papers, consultants reports, internal DPI reports and personal communication with a range of professionals with involvement in Trout Cod research, management and compliance operations).

The implementation details for each recovery action program area (e.g. Research and Investigation activities, Compliance and Regulatory Activities and Management Activities) are outlined in the report.