Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

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tristan.sloan
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Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by tristan.sloan »

AFANT has been working with NT Fisheries and Government towards re-stocking the Palmerston Lakes with Barramundi. Electro fishing surveys will be conducted next week

The official government post is on our facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/AmatuerFishermenNT


AJay
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by AJay »

Are they going to be removing any non-natives from the lakes that they find?
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by Matt Flynn »

Fisheries Survey Durack Lakes

The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries will be conducting a fish population survey on Durack Lakes 9 and 10 in Palmerston on Wednesday the 20th May between 9 am and 3 pm.

The survey will use a boat mounted electrofisher and is designed to assess numbers and growth rates of barramundi released in the lakes by Chartes Darwin University in June 2012.

Fisheries staff will also be looking for and removing any exotic fish species.

Electrofishing is a safe and effective method of fish sampling, reducing stress and injuries to fish.

While the survey work is being conducted the public are warned to keep out of the water and away from the edge.

For more information phone 8999 2144.

***

Electrofishing is a technique used by NT Fisheries to survey fish populations in freshwater rivers, billabongs, creeks, drains and other waterbodies across the Top End. NT Fisheries use this method to collect information about fish populations and to determine the presence or absence of non-native fish in our waterways.

Electrofishing is conducted using a flat bottom boat with a generator and/or a backpack unit powered by batteries. Both setups create an electrical field which stuns fish momentarily giving sufficient time to net and transfer to holding tanks to be identified and measured. Any non-native fish that are detected will be removed from the waterway, whilst the native fish will be returned when it is safe to do so.

A non-native fish is a species that does not occur naturally in the Northern Territory. Many ornamental fish are non-native species. Whilst not a problem when properly contained in an aquarium, many of these species have the potential to become pests if allowed to escape into our waterways.

If released into natural waterways, non-native fish can:

compete with native fish for food and space
dominate waterways by reproducing in large numbers and surviving in adverse and disturbed habitats
alter and disturb natural habitats
feed on native fish, insects, and plants
introduce diseases and parasites.

If you think you've spotted a pest, take a photo, catch a sample if possible and call the Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 891 136.
tristan.sloan
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by tristan.sloan »

Ajay, they will be removing any and all non-native pest species as well
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by Agent86 »

sounds good, will be interesting to see the results
If there is water and it holds fish, then it is fun trying to fool them into eating what you offer!!

Especially when you can see them!
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by AJay »

Good on em, only takes a couple dickheads releasing pet fish from their tanks to potentially cause big problems.
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by tristan.sloan »

Hi guys,
Eight Barra were caught in total with an estimated population of 30-40 Barramundi per lake. Average size was between 60-65cm. No pest species were found.

A few photos form the survey of lakes 9 & 10 are on our facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/AmatuerFishermenNT
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by tristan.sloan »

Forgot to add only lakes 9 & 10 were surveyed yesterday. Lake map is also on our FB page
BarraMick
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by BarraMick »

didn't they release like 1400 into there. (just looked back through my posts it was that amount)

if so that seems like a very poor survival rate to me.

30-40 per lake X 10 lakes = 300 to 400 left
so over 1000 have gone missing.

i remember seeing it a few years ago on the news and thought it was a good idea.
but doesn't seem to many are left now.

i still think its a good idea and should have them stocked more regualary.
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dannett
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by dannett »

BarraMick wrote:didn't they release like 1400 into there. (just looked back through my posts it was that amount)

if so that seems like a very poor survival rate to me.

30-40 per lake X 10 lakes = 300 to 400 left
so over 1000 have gone missing.

i remember seeing it a few years ago on the news and thought it was a good idea.
but doesn't seem to many are left now.

i still think its a good idea and should have them stocked more regualary.



I reckon that's probably a good survival rate. In the wild barra collectively spawn millions of eggs, and the survival rate is probably something in the order of 1 in 1000. Don't forget barra a cannibals too so no doubt many of the missing 1000 fed the remaining 300.
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by stuart »

DO the lakes flood out to the ocean in the wet when big downpours?
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by dodgyone »

What happened to all the PNG black bass I put in there?
Don't wanna be a flat water hero.

Real men go fast when it's rough.
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by Bellfish »

stuart wrote:DO the lakes flood out to the ocean in the wet when big downpours?

yeah mate they all link up and push out into the harbour me and a few mates caught a couple behind the servo in the drains after one big storm a few years ago
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by stuart »

probably where a lot of them have headed off too over time
tristan.sloan
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Re: Palmerston Lakes Electrofishing Survey

Post by tristan.sloan »

Dannet is completely right, 30-40 per lake is an excellent survival rate per lake......lets remember quite a few have been caught and killed in the years since they were stocked as well and the lakes do drain into the Elizabeth river after a big storm.
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