Trout farm hooks fish

THE Buxton Trout Farm is one of four fire-affected aquaculture ventures in Murrindindi Shire to share in a catch of 20,000 rainbow trout fingerlings.
Seymour MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Ben Hardman said the 2009 spawning season had been a success for the Government’s fish production facility at Snobs Creek, producing large numbers of rainbow trout for stocking in Victoria.
“As a result, we were able to make a donation of 20,000 fingerlings to local aquaculture operations,” Mr Hardman said.
Mr Hardman said Victoria is the largest producer of aquaculture freshwater trout in Australia with the aquaculture industry contributing significantly to regional economies, particularly the Murrindindi Shire.
“The bushfires that raged through Victoria in early February destroyed more than 200 tonnes of farmed trout in the Murrindindi Shire,” he said.
Mr Hardman, Murrindindi mayor Lyn Gunter and Cr Kevin Bellingham and DPI executive director of fisheries Anthony Hurst were given a tour of the Buxton Trout Farm last week by owner Mitch Macrae.
Mr Macrae lost 39 tons of his 40 tons of fish in the fires, salvaging just 10,000 fingerlings. He said, however, compared to other farms, he was one of the lucky ones.
He was able to buy 14 tons of trout from a Noojee farm, which was closing down. This enabled him to open for tourist trade within weeks of the fires.
Mr Macrae said they were now working to re-establish business at the Melbourne Fish Market.
He said he had received tremendous help from other operators.
“Everyone has been so generous. We have received eggs from the DPI and from other fish farms.
“When the guys you are selling against at the fish market are helping you out, that’s fantastic,’ he said.
Fisheries Victoria donated about 500,000 trout eggs to bushfire affected aquaculture operations in and around the Murrindindi Shire in August and Mr Hardman said the added trout fingerlings would further boost the industry.
“The eggs will be highly beneficial in helping these farms recover from the bushfires and the fingerling rainbow trout will contribute significantly to the recovery of these operations by addressing gaps in production caused by loss of stock in the bushfires,” he said.
“Fisheries Victoria has also assisted affected aquaculture ventures with fish transport vehicles to enable farm re-stocking, technical advice regarding water quality and will provide funds for an industry-wide bushfire recovery plan.”