Murray cod caught in the Goulburn River at natural levels. Photo: VRFish.
Swift action by the local fishing fraternity has averted a planned inter-valley transfer of water down the Goulburn to accommodate the influx of fishers and campers for the seasonal cod opening.
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The Murray-Darling Authority requested delivery from the Goulburn to the Murray was scheduled to start last Saturday and fall back later next week, leaving slippery and muddy banks ahead of the busy first weekend in December.
“Late last week VRFish was alerted to a large pulse flow that was to be released into the Goulburn river below Nagambie, a section known as Victoria’s premier Murray cod river fishery,” VRFish executive officer Anthony McGrath said.
“The flow was scheduled to be released for the duration of the weekend, which would have ruined the plans of thousands of fishers.
“Pulse flows like this tend to make the river unfishable for several days and often flood popular camp sites.
“Pulse flows also cause native fish to seek refuge and stop feeding.”
The Goulburn River below the Goulburn Weir during an IVT pulse flow event. Photo: VRFish.
The announcement was followed by immediate feedback from the fishing community, including Greater Shepparton City councillor and Trelly’s Fishing and Hunting store owner Steven Threlfall.
“If we miss this opportunity for a great experience, of cod opening and getting our kids out, it doesn’t translate into talk around the table, Christmas gifts and the idea of revisiting the river in their near future,” he said.
“Even a later flow will still impact some access to lower banks, sandbars, and boat ramps, but would be better than an earlier flow where we will see muddy and slippery banks.
“I have seen this happen every time an environmental or IVT flow happens this time of year.
“A shift in flow by a few days would mean a lot.”
The Goulburn Broken CMA worked with G-MW – which carries out the Murray-Darling Authority’s requests for Goulburn water – to achieve a postponement of the flow.
“We’ve worked through with the MDBA to be able to commence delivery of the pulse from Goulburn Weir on December 2,” G-MW’s co-ordinator of river operations, Guy Ortlipp, said on Monday.
This will see the river reach its peak flow of 3000 megalitres a day at Shepparton on Saturday, December 6 and begin falling around December 8 after the main cod fishing weekend.
He added that the delivery was a much smaller flow than the recent environmental flows, with the Goulburn’s level rising by around 50cm.
“VRFish supports the outcome that was achieved, but the stress caused to fishers and campers was entirely preventable,” Mr McGrath said.
“We’re offering to work with irrigators and water managers to ensure that important dates on the recreational fishing calendar are considered in relation to IVT’s and environmental flows.
“These include school holidays and the opening weekends for Murray cod, trout and spiny fresh water crayfish.
“With over 1 million recreational fishers in Victoria, we know that fishing-based tourism provides a significant economic boost to communities along the river.”
