Melanie Riley
NATIVE mature murray cod, yellow belly perch and non-native brown/rainbow trout may be amongst the fish restocked into the Valley Lakes/Ketla Malpi next year.
Permitted fishing is currently limited to invasive European carp by limited recreational anglers, but the moves to bring a different variety of fish to the lake to open up opportunities for recreational fishing in the area.
RecFish SA approached the City of Mount Gambier regarding the restock for the Valley Lakes/Ketla Malpi as part of the Valley Lakes/Ketla Malpi Recreational Fishing and Ecotourism Initiative.
The South Australian Tourism Commissions is developing a Recreational Fishing Strategy, set for release early in 2024, and the restock plans will be implemented in a two-phase approach beginning this month and spanning through to September, 2024.
Phase 1 will include application for a ministerial permit to release aquatic resources and restocking of fish and phase 2 will include continued investigations into a recreational fishing licence/permit model.
The council hoped the introduction of the fish into the Valley Lakes/Ketla Malpi would be beneficial to lake ecology and biodiversity and would be a great addition to the already popular Native Wildlife Park.
Water quality monitoring has been underway by a consultant on behalf of the council since September 2022.
Council endorsed the application for a ministerial permit to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) as part of phase 1 of the plan this week and are looking forward to implementing the plan moving forward.
Councillor Max Bruins expressed concerns regarding stocking introduced species into the lake, and raised the consideration of stocking only native fish moving into phase 2.
“I have a hesitation of putting an introduced species into the lake as opposed to a native one if there is a native alternative,” he said.
Craig Philp and Jamie Coates from Spot On Fishing Tackle and Outdoors supported the move by council to restock the lake.
The pair saw various benefits from the plan and said the Valley Lake/Ketla Malpi is one of the area’s biggest assets in regards to tourism and believed it is not being utilised to its full potential.
“I think it is good to encourage the kids to get into recreational fishing,” said Mr Coates.
“It will be good to see people using the lake again and good to see kids line the banks of the lake.”
In addition to the benefits for locals, Mr Coates said there are significant tourism benefits for the area.
“If there is cod and yellow-belly in the lake, people will come to town to catch them,” he said.
“It attracts the tourist dollar, people will hopefully stay in town and they will spend their money while they are here.”
Mr Coates said as predatory fish get bigger and begin to eat carp and their eggs, carp numbers would reduce significantly.
“It is a fabulous idea and it is fabulous to see it going ahead,” he said.
