Tamboon Inlet, near Cann River in East Gippsland, was stocked with 5,000 mulloway yesterday for the first time ever to improve recreational fishing opportunities for anglers.

Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing said it was all part of the Andrews Labor Government’s Target One Million plan to get more people fishing, more often.

The mulloway fingerlings were grown by NSW Fisheries at Port Stephens – given their aquaculture expertise with the species.

Lake Tyers was also stocked yesterday, receiving 11,000 mulloway.

Stocking mulloway is part of Victoria’s marine stocking program, which will run over two years and is a key element of Target One Million, which aims to boost participation to one million anglers by 2020.

Lake Tyers now boasts Victoria’s biggest marine stocking effort having received 16,000 mulloway and 25,000 estuary perch fingerlings, with a further 25,000 estuary perch to be released in December.

Monitoring by angling clubs and fisheries scientists will evaluate the success of these stockings in coming years to determine the contribution these fish have made to mulloway populations and to anglers’ catches.”

Victoria is home to 838,000 recreational fishers and stocking estuarine fisheries like Tamboon Inlet and Lake Tyers will help grow participation to the one million target.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing:

“Mulloway are an iconic sport fishing species that grow to 180cm and 80kg, but are more commonly encountered by Victorian anglers between 3 and 15kg.” 

“The 16,000 mulloway released into both estuaries were helped on their way by volunteers from the Bemm River and Lake Tyers Beach angling clubs and the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.”

“This yet another boon for Gippsland – not only will it get more anglers, fishing more often, but will bring more tourists to our iconic region.”