The Incredible Shrinking Fishery

Two years ago, Lake Eppalock in the Goldfields region of Central Victoria, was close to 100% full. Generous spring rains and lower than average daily temperatures had seen the lake which is fed by the Campaspe and Coliban Rivers rise to near capacity. The fishing was similarly very good with water rising over new ground. Whilst there was plenty of water between fish, the impoundment seemed to be reaping the rewards of continual stocking of both trout and natives, the latter in particular over the past decade.

At the time I was trolling with Roger Dark (local fishing writer) along a high banked narrow passage in the Twin Rivers area when I was lucky enough to be on the end of a golden perch that nudged the 20 pound mark (9-10kg). The No. 3 Stumpjumper had been continually clipping the tops of snags before it was slammed by the GP. The feel of weight was immediate. There had been good numbers of 2-3kg golden perch coming out of Eppalock in recent times but nothing like this. Roger and I were a little shell shocked by the sheer enormity of the fish and after taking a photo or two dozen, we carefully released it.

The word got around pretty quickly that a large GP had been caught and the fishing community including the tackle shops around Bendigo and Eppalock were similarly pleased that the lake was finally producing some quality natives. Monster GP's are not common in Victoria with only Lake Hume on the NSW/Victorian border the usual reside of 'Big Mutha' perch!

The future looked even brighter in February 2001 when Victorian Premier Steve Bracks and Rex Hunt through the auspices of the Futurefish Foundation released thousands of Murray cod fingerlings into the lake. Amongst them was Futurefish's one millionth stocked fish!

Now in early December 2002, Lake Eppalock is a shadow of it's former self. The current level is around 18% and dropping as the ravages of drought and irrigation requirements take their toll. Locals will tell you the last decent rains were way back when the Lake was close to 100% two years ago, since then it has been downhill all the way. At 18% the lake is still quite fishable albeit many boat ramps are high and dry and you would need to build a road to get the water in some locales. The fishing is similarly pretty good and improving as water temperatures rise and the perch start to move. Sounds Ok doesn't it, heaps of fish in less water!

Recently the relevant water authorities and other State Government departments announced that due to irrigation requirements Lake Eppalock could fall as low as 5% by May 2003. Or at least 5% is the lower limit before irrigation drains would cease, evaporation though could take the lake even lower. The implications for the fishery are potentially tragic.
According to John Corbett who works for a water management authority and is also a VRFish representative, the small stocks of trout will be the first to suffer as water temperatures in shallow areas sky rocket and algal blooms develop, resulting in oxygen depletion.

Over crowding is another main concern as naturally the same fish biomass will have to exist in less water and several areas will be cut off as Eppalock becomes a succession of deep pools. This over-crowding caused in no small way by the huge European carp population could cause fish to stress. Fish stressing sounds a little funny (maybe they should go fishing) but the results are not. Stressed fish die and many will fall to viruses, particularly Eppalock's thriving redfin population which is susceptible to the EHN virus.

Any fish kills are naturally a concern from a water quality perspective. Whilst no firm decisions have been made, the authorities will not allow widespread fish kills to develop. One possibility is that commercial fisherman will be given a permit to net the lake and sell the fish! Inconjunction with that decision all bag and size limits for anglers would be removed. Murray cod could be translocated, the problem is that a suitable destination has to be found as so many lakes are already low themselves and the Victorian Flora & Fauna Act restricts any stockings in waters south of the Great Dividing Range where perhaps there are some suitable impoundments with good water levels.

Local anglers are naturally outraged by this possibility. Angler licence money has gone into stocking fish into the lake. Whilst some consideration is being given to saving Murray cod populations, golden perch will be classified as bycatch. I'm told that once the commercial fisherman's costs are paid from selling the fish to market , any surplus funds would be put into a trust fund for future stocking if and when the lake's water levels recover.

You have to wonder if recreational fisheries are worth anything to the community at all in the State Government's eyes. It is hard to argue against the need for farmers to have water for irrigation. However is it being sold too cheap? Is there any wastage? Will the farmers be willing to put something back into lost fisheries - probably not. Despite the money generated for the economy by recreational fisherman it carries very little weight in the Government's eyes.

Just last week I fished the lake again with a mate and trolled in the same passage where I caught the big GP two years ago, I looked up and the likely snag that produced that great fish was probably 20 feet above my head. Let's hope late summer rains save this fishery before it shrivels up and completely dies.