Construction has begun on a multi-million-dollar Macquarie Perch Recovery Centre to bring ‘Maccas’ back to their former glory in Victorian rivers and creeks.
Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos said the project was backed by a $15 million Victorian Government investment in upgrading and expanding the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s Snobs Creek and Arcadia fish production facilities to produce more native and threatened species.
The centre, at the renowned Snobs Creek Hatchery near Eildon, will produce up to 500,000 Macquarie perch fingerlings a year to help restore wild populations of the threatened native species which was once prevalent through northern and north-eastern Victoria.
In addition, up to 500,000 trout cod will also be grown in the recovery centre, making use of the cool water naturally available which is well suited to growing these species. Murray cod production is being moved to the Arcadia hatchery near Shepparton, in ideal growing conditions with warmer water temperatures.
Local firm Cronin Construction will undertake the build, which includes world-class water recirculation technology that can re-use up to 400,000 litres per day while the facility will give hatchery staff the ability to manipulate air and water temperatures and light levels to maximise production and mimic the natural environment.
The centre will house more than 100 tanks, troughs and incubators used to hold fish of all sizes, from large broodfish in 1,000-litre poly tanks through to small fibreglass troughs where eggs hatch into larvae.
Incoming water from Snobs Creek itself will be treated using ceramic membranes filtration and UV sterilisation. It will then be recirculated throughout the system with underground sumps filtering, disinfecting, heating and re-oxygenating the water using innovative equipment and technology.
The centre will put into practice what is being learned through a three-year partnership led by the Victorian and Federal governments to ‘crack the code’ on how to reliably breed Macquarie perch in captivity.
The Cracking the Code project is supported by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, a range of government, university and community organisations and research partners. It is examining nutrition, hormones, the timing of breeding and more to understand how to consistently produce fingerlings for stocking.
Further north near Shepparton, construction continues on a major expansion of the Arcadia Native Fish Hatchery that will see production capacity skyrocket toward 6 million Murray cod and golden perch each year.
Quotes attributable to Parliamentary Secretary for Outdoor Recreation Luba Grigorovitch
“Macquarie perch are one of our treasured native fish and this dedicated hatchery facility and ongoing research work to ‘crack the code’ on producing Maccas will give us the best chance to restore wild populations.”
“While Macquarie perch are currently protected in Victorian waters, we hope re-establishing their numbers means opportunities for the next generation of recreational anglers to enjoy catching these wonderful native fish.”
