NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Inland Fisheries Manager, Cameron Westaway said the record number of Australian Bass were produced at the Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, exceeded the 413,000 produced back in 2013.

“This year, DPI has stocked Australian Bass into 32 dams throughout the Central West, Hunter Valley, Northern Rivers, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands,” Mr Westaway said.

“Australian Bass are a sought after sports fish with bait, fly and artificial lure. They travel to estuaries to spawn, between June and August, and stocking is the only way to maintain the Australian Bass numbers in our impoundments.

“All 413,000 Australian Bass were bred from wild fish caught when they were ready to spawn and breeding takes place under strict protocols to ensure the fish are of a high quality.

“Anglers will be able to catch these fish in three to five years providing significant social and economic benefits for the regions.”

·         20,000 Australian Bass were stocked into Lake Lyell near Lithgow;

·         99,000 were stocked in Glenbawn Dam and 64,000 stocked in Glennies Dam in the Hunter Valley;

·         30,000 Australian Bass were stocked in Toonumbar Dam in the Northern Rivers;

·         81,000 Australian Bass were stocked into Lake Yarrunga in the Shoalhaven;

·         2,000 were stocked this week into Pejar Dam in the Southern Highlands.

Additional fish stocking will continue to occur throughout NSW, over the coming months, through the NSW Government’s $250,000 Dollar for Dollar program, where funding from fishing clubs and community groups are matched by the Recreational Fishing Trust, for the purchase of fish for stocking in approved sites from registered private hatcheries.

For more information visit the NSW DPI website.