FRESHWATER catfish (Tandanus tandanus) populations have obtained an infinite improve through
the translocation of 102 mature catfish from the Glenelg River to 4 waterways all through
northern Victoria.
The initiative was a collaboration between leisure fishers, Typical Proprietor groups
and fisheries and catchment administration authorities to help recuperate catfish by re-
establishing additional populations of the species.
Leisure fishers from the Casterton Angling Society, along with Casterton, Balmoral,
Dartmoor and Merino Angling Golf tools angled the 102 catfish from the Glenelg River over the
two-day event on 23-24 March 2024, supported by funding from the Murray-Darling Basin
Authority – Native Fish Restoration Method.
Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Administration Authority
(CMA) obtained the catfish and transported them to northern Victoria for launch on the
following web sites with companions:
* 30 catfish into Lower Broken Creek, Nathalia with Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal
Firm, Parks Victoria and Goulburn Broken CMA
* 30 catfish into Lake Sambell, Shepparton with Indigo Shire, North East CMA, Robbie
Alexander
* 25 catfish into Little Murray River, Swan Hill with Wamba Wamba Typical
Householders, Wiran Aboriginal Firm, VRFish, OzFish Limitless and North Central
CMA
* 17 catfish into Harcourt Park Wetland, Bendigo with Djaara Typical Householders, North Central CMA and Metropolis of Greater Bendigo Council
The initiative builds on the worthwhile trial in November 2023 when 80 catfish have been caught
from the Glenelg River, transported and launched into the Little Murray River, to rebuild the
inhabitants following impacts of blackwater.
Catfish are normally not endemic to the Glenelg River nonetheless given their sturdy numbers throughout the system,
confirmed acceptable genetics and assist from the Glenelg Hopkins CMA and leisure
anglers, they’re serving as a useful surrogate inhabitants to help rebuild catfish populations
of their pure differ all through the Murray-Darling Basin.
Further catfish translocations are deliberate later throughout the 12 months from the Glenelg River and possibly
totally different surrogate web sites. The catfish translocations contribute to the ten in 10 initiative and VFA
Conservation Hatchery which targets to restock and recuperate a minimum of 10 threatened species in
10 years.