Six western plains rivers will be restocked with thousands of native fish as councils and community groups work to keep their rivers healthy. 

Funding has been gained for restocking in parts of the Namoi, Darling, Castlereagh, Lachlan, Bogan and Macquarie Rivers under the Two-Dollar-for-One-Dollar Native Fish Stocking program, where applicants receive two dollars for every one dollar spent on stocking. 

In Coonabarabran, the local fishing club has spent the last decade restocking the Castlereagh River with Golden Perch under different funding opportunities. 

“Keeping stock continuously helps the numbers for sure…fishing conditions are really really good at the moment,” Coonabarabran Fishing Club member Grant Wood said. 

Despite being the only community along the Castlereagh in the region that takes part in the restocking, communities further down seem to be benefiting. 

“We know people around Gilgandra and Coonamble, they think the fishing right along the river has definitely improved in the last five or ten years,” Mr Wood said. 

“We’re assuming that the fish spread themselves out that far, especially because there’s been good flow for three years now.”

Re-stocking in Coonabarabran in January 2021. IMAGE: Warrumbungle Shire Council

Like many other rivers that flow through the Western Plains, devastatingly high carp numbers are a part of the reason restocking of native species has become so crucial. 

“They say carp make up 80 per cent of fish numbers in the rivers…they’re preying on smaller fish and their eggs. They definitely knock down the native species,” Mr Wood said. 

Luke and Mikah Day take advantage of unusually good fishing in Coonamble in April 2020.

The program supports the stocking of Australian Bass, Golden Perch and Murray Cod. 

Despite their attempts, the Coonabarabran Fishing Club and Warrumbungle Shire Council have had no luck in securing funding for the restock of Murray Cod, with the Department of Primary Industries saying that Murray Cod has not been in the Castlereagh River since scientific sampling commenced. 

Locals, however, disagree. 

“We know for a fact that there’s been Murray Cod caught in the Castlereagh…we’d love (more) because that’s another thing that preys on carp,” Mr Wood said. 

Across the Western Plains, $81,000 in funding was secured to release the native fish into local rivers.