Six hundred cod return to Lake Bonney

Around six hundred mature Murray Cod were released into Lake Bonney at Barmera in South Australia's Riverland last week, coordinated by RecFish SA.

Fish died out years ago from the lake

RecFish SA chief executive Asher Dezsery said cod populations had died out from Lake Bonney many years prior due to water quality issues and fish kills.

“Throughout various water quality issues, the lake got segregated from the river, and unfortunately there were a few fish kills here that removed all of the cod.”

These are big fish ready to breed

The released cod are up to a metre long and mature individuals. Dezsery said they would be instant broodstock, creating an instant fishery for recreational fishing.

“They're going to be instant broodstock, creating an instant fishery to push recreational fishing tourism in this area.”

Cod improve water quality and structure

Charles Sturt University ecology associate professor Paul Humphries said Murray Cod are habitat engineers that improve water structure and quality in the Murray-Darling Basin.

“They will improve generally the water, the structure and the water quality, because they actually are, to a degree, habitat engineers.”

Cod play a role in the food chain

Humphries said cod played a major role in the natural food chain but was uncertain they would reduce the large carp population, which are prolific breeders.

Culturally significant to Ngintait people

Ngintait elder Norman Wilson said the lake and Murray Cod are culturally significant. He believed some fish would migrate into the river but return to breed at Lake Bonney.

“That's their cycle; they'll always come back to the same place, so there's going to be cod here at all times.”

Fishing season resumes January first

Berri Barmera Council mayor Ella Winnall said the release was a once in a lifetime opportunity to boost tourism. Catch-and-release fishing resumes from January one, twenty twenty-seven.