Freshwater crays worth rugging up for this winter
by Victorian Fisheries Authority 27 May 21:38 UTC
Cray with ruler © Victorian Fisheries Authority
Recreational fishers are being encouraged to get into the great outdoors during winter and catch a Murray spiny freshwater crayfish when the three-month season opens on 1 June.
Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Chief Executive Officer Travis Dowling said the prized freshwater species could be caught in northern and north-east Victoria and were great fun for fishers of all ages and experience levels.
"One great thing about catching crays is you don't need heaps of gear - a piece of steak on a length of string or a labelled hoop net will do the job," Mr Dowling said.
"Many families have great memories of winter weekends catching crays, which are perfect to enjoy around the campfire with loved ones or can be released to stay at liberty.
"It's important to know how to measure crays correctly, from just behind the eye socket to the rear of the carapace, which is the main body shell. The legal size range of 10-12 centimetres helps keep large, breeding females in the system to produce offspring for years to come."
In good news for the treasured native species, a study funded by recreational fishing licence fees has found wild populations across 17 sites in north-east Victoria remain in strong shape.
Researchers from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action's Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) and Nature Glenelg Trust surveyed the locations using hoop nets and found only minor changes from a similar study undertaken in 2016.
VFA recreational fisheries manager Dr Taylor Hunt said the assessment compared the abundance, size and sex ratio of freshwater crays caught in the two surveys and showed their numbers remaining steady.
"There were increases in the Goulburn River around Shepparton and the Wodonga Creek, slight reductions in the Goulburn at Murchison, Mitchellstown and Seymour and very little to no change in the Ovens, Kiewa and Mitta Mitta rivers," he said.
"This is good news and suggests our existing fishing rules are balancing fishing opportunities for recreational anglers with the right level of protection for a really important native species.
"We're also working with ARI to produce Murray spiny freshwater craylings at our Snobs Creek conservation hatchery, which will further bolster numbers in these spots and more."
Key rules for Murray spiny freshwater crayfish include the 10-12cm 'slot limit', a daily bag limit of two crays and statewide possession limit of four per person at any one time. For more information, grab a free Recreational Fishing Guide from a tackle store, download the free VicFishing app or head to www.vfa.vic.gov.au/fishingguide.