Iconic sportfish could soon be on the impoundment menu

News release | 27-Jun-2024

Two iconic sportfish will be stocked into a Queensland dam as part of a 4-year project that could boost recreational fishing opportunities and tourism in the state.

While barramundi dominates most northern Australian impoundments, giant trevally and bigeye trevally could be introduced should this project prove successful.

Renowned for their speed, power and size, trevally are considered one of the world's greatest sportfish.

A survey indicated trevally was among the top three species Queensland stocking groups wanted added to the permitted list for impoundments.

Recent economic surveys have shown recreational fishing contributes $333 million to the Queensland economy each year, with the most valuable impoundment contributing more than $10m annually to the local economy. There is considerable scope for iconic species like trevally to grow these figures.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) researchers will collect broodstock from the wild and breed the fish at the Bribie Island Research Centre, before releasing the fingerlings into Kinchant Dam, south-west of Mackay.

A small number of sub-adult and young adult trevally will also be released in a central Queensland dam to enable researchers to track any movements upstream and downstream.

The trials will:
• evaluate survival and growth rates
• assess angler satisfaction levels
• evaluate whether stocked trevally have adverse impacts on existing fisheries and the abundance of prey species
• assess the proportion of trevally that remain in the impoundment (rather than run up or downstream).

This $1.14 million project is a partnership between DAF, the Australian Government through the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), Mackay Regional Council, and Daiwa Australia.

Quotes attributable to DAF principal fisheries biologist Michael Hutchison:

"This is an exciting opportunity because as well as improving fishing opportunities for locals, it could attract anglers from interstate and overseas, boosting tourism and benefitting local communities.

"If the trial is a success, these fish will be added to the permitted species list for stocking into suitable impoundments in central and northern Queensland.

"Private hatcheries will also be trained to produce trevally so they can supply stocking groups with fingerlings in the future."

Quotes attributable to Mackay Area Fish Stocking Association (MAFSA) chairman Tim Swann:

"MAFSA committee members are looking forward to seeing the trevally trial to understand how existing world-class dams will respond to a new species, as we look forward to further improving our tropical stocked impoundments in the future."

Quotes attributable to FRDC Managing Director Dr Patrick Hone:

"This research offers an exciting chance to diversify the fish species anglers can target in Queensland's impoundments using a scientific and evidence-based approach.

"Fishing for Bigeye and Giant Trevally in impoundments would be a unique angling experience."

ENDS

Media contact: DAF Media, [email protected]

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