A survey to check on the health and size of the Macquarie Perch population in the Yea River will be carried out between March 3 and 7.
A survey to check on the health and size of the Macquarie Perch population in the Yea River will be carried out between March 3 and 7.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) River Health Officer Sue Kosch said researchers from the Department of Environment and Primary Industries’ Arthur Rylah Institute would conduct the survey as part of the Hooray for the Yea Project.
The Hooray for the Yea Project is funded by the Victorian Government and delivered by the Goulburn Broken CMA and aims to improve the river’s health and fish populations, particularly of native threatened species such as the Macquarie Perch, through on-ground works and continuing community involvement.
“A survey conducted last year - the first done for many years - confirmed the presence of Macquarie Perch in the Yea River with three fish collected and externally tagged at three different locations in the river between Glenburn to the confluence of the Goulburn River,” Ms Kosch said.
“The fact that Macquarie Perch were found was great news. This next survey will focus on a 10 km stretch of the Yea River between Devlins Bridge and Nashes Road where adults were collected in previous surveys and conditions that favour Macquarie Perch such as deep pools and in-stream woody habitats are present.
“We’re pretty optimistic about the survey outcome as I recently heard a local angler had caught and released two Macquarie Perch in this area.”
Ms Kosch said the survey would provide more information on whether Macquarie Perch were breeding and establishing a population in the Yea River and, if so, the size of that population.
All fish captured during the survey will be measured, weighed and externally tagged (adult fish only) before being released.
Ms Kosch reminded anglers that taking Macquarie Perch from the Yea River was prohibited.
“We’d appreciate that if an angler catches a tagged fish, that they record the number on the tag and let us know, before carefully releasing it,” she said.
For more information about the Hooray for the Yea Project visit www.gbcma.vic.gov.au or to find out more about incentives for landholders to protect frontages along the Yea River, phone 5736 0100.
