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Goulburn Fish
Tagging 2001-2002
There
are hundreds of tagged trout now swimming in the Goulburn
thanks to the efforts of Paul Brown and his colleagues.
These past winter months and during recent weeks of low
water they have been tagging as many fish as they can
in an effort to gather valuable data on this popular fishery.
Read on so that you know what to do when you catch one.
As you may have read on
our Electrofishing page there are efforts underway to
work out the composition and size of local trout populations.
One of the ways in which this is done is to tag fish
and see how many of them turn up in the following months,
how much they have grown (measured in weight and length),
as well as where they were caught in relation to where
they were tagged.
How often tagged fish are
caught and indeed individual fish are caught allow managers
to use formulas to extrapolate fish population estimates.
This is very important when trying to assess the state
of a fishery. The time between when a fish is tagged
and when it is caught and the change in weight/length
during this time gives us fairly good data as to how
much food is available for each fish. A lot of small
fish with slow growth tells us we could have too many
fish in the system as well as great recruitment facilities
(spawning). That is, plenty of fish and not enough food
to sustain good growth rates. On the opposite end of
the spectrum good fish growth may in fact tell us that
there are not enough fish in the system and that they
have great access to food and the fishery could well
do with more fish in it. It also allows managers to
make estimates of fish populations.
Finally the migratory patterns
so evident when fish are caught somewhere different
to where they are tagged also gives managers vital data
about trout movement within the system. Already one
fish tagged near the Pondage has shown up in the Rubicon
which those of you who know the area will agree is quite
some distance.
We are at a point where
the management of our trout fisheries is undertaking
monumental changes. The Goulburn is the state's most
popular trout river and is very complex with often changing
water levels as well as fish escapes from the Pondage
and local fish farms (rainbows and salmon). We would
ask that if you catch a tagged trout that you please
record the Tag Number and estimate the weight as well
as quickly measuring it with a measuring tape or against
your rod which you can measure back later for an accurate
length. If you cannot estimate the weight accurately
just record whether it was in poor, good, excellent
condition along with the length which should give enough
detail for the database.
Click on the photo above
and print the larger version of the details. Please
keep this print out in your vest and mark the details
on the reverse side before contacting either us on Free
Call 1800 458 111 or email info@theflyshop.com.au
. Or you can call MAFRI direct with your tagged fish
details on the number provided on the print out. And
one more thing. Please practice catch and release!
To read the lastest on
the Rubicon River Click
Here. |