Barra stocked in the Brisbane River

[Brian D]

The world is changing, right! So why not change a few things for the better and stock the upper reaches of the Brissy River with Barramundi. It is a fact that with Gobal Warming tropical species are being found further south at a ever increasing rate. Some say that by 2020 the Barra will be here in numbers so why not help things along and stock them now. Further north Barra co-exist with catfish and threadfin salmon so don't tell me that would not thrieve down here, now. They might help restore the balance by chewing up a few carp alone the way. I don't know about you guys but I would love to go barra fishing in the Brissy River. What do you reackon?

[BIG DAVE 1]

Its a good idea, and heres some try info for you. In the very early 1900's and late 1800's along witht the brisbane river cod there was also traces of barramundi. but when the weirs were built and all that crap they slowly were iradicated (bummer). But with the dpi and there drainage system crap they wont allow them. also they wanted to stock wivenhoe witht them to irradicat catties and talapia and banded grunter. I think if any stocking takes place it will be illgal stocking of fish. It wouldnt be an easy task because it gets very cold down here in winter. and the barra are a troical species.

Quote; Gregorys fishing guide- to brisbane and surrounding areas.

writen by rod harrison. published 2002

\"The barra question.\"

The brisbane river marks the southern boundry of barramundi distrubution. Records from the 1800's indicated that northen australia's \"first fish\" was present here, togeather with the brisbane river cod.

Those records -- and the fact that waters such as lake wivenhoe are over run with fork-tailed catfish and highly undesirable talapia and banded grunter, and are thus in the need of a major predator-- suggest that a trial program should be inicaiated to re-establish barramundi. Although Wivenhoe has some very large bass , it appears that those fish will not prey on Wivenhoes nuisance fish. But barramundi do.

An alternative, the marry river cod, cannot be cost effectively produced in numbers needed for a biological control of pest species. The fact that the cod are a over-oriented fish, while fork tailed catfish, talapia. banded grunter--and barramundi-- are all open-water species, does not help the case for cod.

On paper it would seem lthat waters like wivenhoe could be too cool for barramundi. Winter sees some parts of wivenhoe, not all, a little bellow 17º cited as the lowest temperature that barramundi can tollerate. theres little reason to beleive, however, that southern strain barramundi could survive the cooler months. Barramundi in farm dams and aquaculture facilities with in the same climatic zone as wivenhoe can and do.

Another precedent lies with tinaroo dam, water at a 600m elevation on the atherton table land above cairns. there the winter months see water temperatures will into the lower teens, but tinarro holds the worls biggest mother load of trophy fish. There ae no free-ranging barramundi such consistently large fish.

sorry if theres any typos its early and im a bit tired, i hope this answers your question kazabri

I hope i quoted that right cause i dont wnat to be up for copyright

yours truly

Dave

[blue_mako]

it is a good idea... but i dont think itl happen... sumhow i think the carp wud eat the barra rather barra eat the carp.... as much as i liek the idea it seems to impossible

troy

[Ash]

How ever early this year or very late last year they release over 100 000 baby bassies up the very top of the river! It'll be good if we can get some nice sport wish going, even if we have to travel a fair bit up stream!

[BIG DAVE 1]

Troy theres wild goldfish in the river and joining creeks but there is no carp as such, theres talapia but.

dave

[Brian D]

Dave thanks for the info - I found it very interesting. If I had more time I would make it happen even if I had to accidently spill a bucket of baby barra ment for a private dam.

I'm a bit confused but, if there barra back in the early 1900's why would it not work now?

The economic value to the local area would be fantastic. there would be new businesses and operators, not to mention the flow on increase to supportive infrastructure like accomodation, food, hotels, bait & Tackle outlets, charter operators, boat hire etc.

Could you just imagine catching barra in moerton bay or a brissy river barra comp?

Surley there is someone in the DPI or a mad scientist somewhere that can help. It's gonna happen sooner or later so why not sooner!

Dave do you know about the bass Ash is referring to? Where are they?

[BIG DAVE 1]

the dpi and scintists need to get those test tubes out of there ass' please excuse the language. But it wont be for a little while. I think it will have to be a hit and miss sorta thing, atm there are to many predators like sharks so it wouldnt be easy. u would need a couple of hundred of them stocked in a privated dam and grow them up then release them when they have size.

dave

[Brian D]

I was talking to a chef friend who buys live barra from local farms at $14 kg. He told me I could buy as many as I want for a \"Private Dam\" and any size from finger to over plate size.

So I asked for 10kg of live fingerlings.

[Angus]

Hahaha.

And where is your private dam

Angus.

[Brian D]

The chef friend just called again and said $1 per fish (fingerling) from another supplier. I ordered 150

[Ash]

Could u put a couple in a tank? how hard would that be?

[Angus]

Ash,Dave has two in a tank and Troy as one big one.

Angus.

[Ash]

Awesome! i'll grab some ideas from them. That'd be awesome to have a big tank with a couple!

[BIG DAVE 1]

if you get your gear, ill set it up for you and show you how to keep your barra nice and happy.

DAVE

[Ash]

I might just take u up on that offer dave!

[BIG DAVE 1]

Sure thing, i used to work in an aquarium so i can help u out heaps.

DAVE

[Brian D]

What's the current water temp up the top end of the Brissy River, does any know?

The barra farmer i was talking with said that 20 C was the min temp for the farm so

I was thinking that peel island might be a good spot for baby barra. Cause the water temp in the shallow reefs is nice and warm, especially the northern shore. There are also plenty of hiding spots for them to grow in.

BUT he also said that the Barra will eat everything in the river? Is that a bad thing?

If there was Barra in the Brissy River wold that be a bad thing?

[Angus]

Mate my only concern would be them eating all the bass fingerlings etc.

However are there not dams that have Bass and Barra population.

Awoonga?

as far as gar and mullet, well im fairly sure they are a stable population now but would such a serious apex predator mess them up?

Angus,.

[Brian D]

I would hate to get it wrong

[BIG DAVE 1]

i think it will be right, i think that peel island maybe a bit to hard for the barra considering the come from straight fresh. U should grow them adn release them into places like colleges crossing in summer.

DAVE

[Feral]

The \"pay to fish\" joint (Aussie Fishing Park) at Maroochydore is mainly stocked with Barra, I think their impoundments are only 3m deep, so they would get way under that temperature in winter.

Cant stick up their link, as their web site has expired (possibly they have gone out of business, which would be a shame, I was going to take the kids up their to get our first Barra's when the weather warmed up)

[Ash]

As much as like love the idea of barra in the river, there has to be a reason why they havent been released already.

I mean lets face it, im sure this isnt the first time the thought has come up. And i dont think we can blame it entirely on the politions as there a alot of them that love a good fish too!

Im just saying that the proper research needs to be done, and if it already has, needs to be published so everyone can see why.

Just my 2cents.......

[blue_mako]

feral the ausie fishing park is still there... ive been to it about 15-20 times... and its fantastic on most days... i have caught 12 fish in 1 day which is a pb and 10 which is my second... ther has also been 2 times where i havent caught anything.. my bigets bream was from there aswel... if you plan on going up ther use no heavier then 10lb mono or else they wont touch your pellet bait

ash my barra is in a 4 foot fresh water tank hes around 45cms and a little over a kilo... hes too big for my tank now i need to find him a new home... i feed him pellets, prawns, fresh water shrimp, herring, mullet and some times frogs and moths.. he literally eat out of your fingers and is realy tame... i also have a silver perch to get rid of hes about 36cms and is very agressive

kazabri the water temp for my barra is no less then 25 degrees... 21 degrees in the wild is the absolute minimum for barra to be feeding... though you do have exceptions... also if you are going to release them why not grow some bigens first as breeders?? like my barry

troy

[BIG DAVE 1]

just adding on to that last bit, u will need big barra and a few of them to start a colony. Because say u pop 2 barra in and one gets taken by a shark to days later there goes your breeding colony if u know what i mean.

dave

[blue_mako]

true that

[BIG DAVE 1]

also Barra have a sex change at around 60cm, so u are guna need to release say 100 40cm barra and 200 60cm+ barra. That would be the ideal amount of fish to stock if planning on getting a breading coloney under way.

DAVE

[blue_mako]

60cm is the minimum length of a sex change... by the time they are 90cms it is almost certain they will be female

troy

[Brian D]

I was thinking more of a 5 year plan. Say 20000 every year for 5 years.

My little 150 or so would be better suited in my pool!

[rayke1938]

I wonder if these are the barra that are now being caught in the brissie river

Cheers

Ray

[Bi_polar]

They are in the river systems just south of us Ray....regularly caught on the Gold Coast