Native breeding season began mid-October 2025 with both Murray cod and trout cod producing quality eggs. There’s a long-held belief that a storm today means a busy time tomorrow collecting nest boxes full of eggs - it may sound superstitious, but this proved true again for us with the first spawning events of the season. [...]
The Victorian Government has committed $96 million as part of its ‘More piers, jetties and opportunities for little anglers’ election policy which includes $15 million to expand the Arcadia and Snobs Creek fish hatcheries. The Arcadia native fish hatchery and Snobs Creek hatchery expansion projects will significantly increase the production capacity of the hatcheries to [...]
The salmonid stocking season is wrapping up and, despite conditions limiting water availability, 360,000 salmonids have been stocked into 115 Victorian waterways since July 1st. Estuarine stockings began in November with Australian bass and estuary perch stocking across the Gippsland region and select waters in the State’s west including Rocklands Reservoir and the Moyne River. [...]
In November, two of our Recreational Fishery Managers, Anthony Forster, and Mark Adams met with representatives from global tackle manufacturer Daiwa, to showcase our work in developing Lake Eildon’s amazing Murray cod fishery. The tour started with the filming of newly hatched Murray cod fry at the Snobs Creek hatchery and, our newly built small-bodied [...]
The 8th Murray Codference was held at Shepparton on Saturday, 8th November 2025. The day was action packed, with lots of learning, networking, tackle browsing and prizes! The theme of the day was “Fishing is More Than Catching” and we heard excellent talks from VFA’s own Taylor Hunt on Victoria’s native fish resurgence, Anthony Forster [...]
The VFA is wrapping up an exciting trial of an innovative stocking technique for golden and silver perch! Funded by the Commonwealth’s Murray Darling Water and Environment Research Program, this 15-month project simulated the natural “nursery areas” that natural floodplain wetlands once provided for these two iconic species. Unfortunately, due to river regulation these fish [...]
Spring is a key season for the VFA’s science team as they embark on their annual King George whiting (KGW) pre-recruit surveys around Port Phillip Bay. Occurring at 8 locations including Eastern Beach Geelong, Blairgowrie and Ricketts Point, they’ll collect data on juvenile whiting found in shallow seagrass beds. The KGW captured are typically around [...]
Did you know that funds from the NSW Government's Recreational Fishing Trusts are used to improve recreational fishing access and provide new or upgraded facilities including fishing platforms, jetties and fish cleaning facilities? A perfect example of this work is the fish cleaning facility at the McInernhey Park Reserve in Port Macquarie, which was constructed earlier [...]
Do you enjoy spearfishing at Little Bay in Randwick? Just a reminder that Little Bay is a shared space used by swimmers, snorkellers, and other beachgoers. Please be mindful of others while you enjoy your time in the water. Before entering, check the large signs at each walkway leading down to the beach — they [...]
Following some solid spawning activity in broodstock ponds, the dedicated team at our native fish hatchery at the Narrandera Fisheries Centre is quietly optimistic of a bumper Murray Cod stocking season. Broodstock cod at the hatchery breed in ponds in specially designed spawning boxes. Fertilised eggs are collected and kept in tanks inside the hatchery [...]
