By Casey OÇonnor
The Stanthorpe Blue Water Fishing and Restocking Club had a busy Australia Day ensuring Storm King Dam has plenty of fish for the keen angler.
A crowd gathered at the dam watching and participating in the release of Murray Cod and Golden Perch fingerlings as part of the annual restock program, funded through
the State Government Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS) program.
The children were on-hand to help coax the tiny fish from the buckets into the dam while their parents took photos and asked questions of club members.
The club also released 10,000 Murray Cod and Golden Perch fingerlings in the Severn River, Quart Pot Creek, Accommodation Creek and other small tributaries of the river following the Storm King Dam release.
There will be a further release of Silver Perch fingerling in April this year.
The release has been made possible thanks to a Southern Downs Regional
Council grant and support from MP James Lister.
Nick Donges of Granite Belt Fish Hatchery delivered the fingerlings according to a club spokesman.
“The economic and social benefits from the restocking program of local streams to the community are very real but they can only continue if we are prepared to volunteer out time to make it happen,” the spokesperson said.
The Stanthorpe Blue Water Fishing and Restocking Club is currently seeking new members to help with their restocking programme and generally promote fresh water fishing in the region.
Anyone interested should contact Ernie Jones on 0488 994 796.
The club meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm at the Stanthorpe RSL.
