How a $22,000 fine is giving Australia’s rarest fish a fighting chance

The Murray River holds a secret few anglers ever seen.

For a short window each year, a rare species fights to survive against the odds.

Disturbing its habitat could risk the last chance for a miracle in the wild.

Protecting the last wild trout cod

Between Yarrawonga and Tocumwal, a 101-kilometre stretch of the Murray River has been closed to all fishing this year, not as a bureaucratic formality, but to protect the final natural breeding ground of one of Australia’s rarest native fish.

Trout cod, a species formally recognised in 1972, once swam throughout the southern Murray-Darling Basin but faced catastrophic declines in the 1970s, leaving only three self-sustaining populations before the mid-2000s.

Today, the largest remaining wild population occupies approximately 200 kilometres of river between Yarrawonga and Barmah.

The closure from September to November coincides with the trout cod’s spawning season, when adults reach sexual maturity at 3-5 years and deposit between 1,200 to 11,000 eggs on hard surfaces such as logs and rocks.

These large, adhesive eggs hatch after 5-10 days, with larvae drifting downstream, making any disturbance—even catch and release fishing—potentially fatal for the species’ future.

Amazing trout cod facts

Conservation programs giving hope

Recent conservation efforts have brought renewed hope.

In 2024, 47,000 fingerlings were bred at Narrandera Fisheries Centre and released into Snowy region waterways, with the government targeting 100,000 fingerlings per year and aiming to reach 250,000 within 5-10 years.

Innovative pond spawning techniques have improved breeding success, offering a gentler and more productive alternative to hormone induction, signalling a remarkable turnaround for a species once teetering on the edge of extinction.

For visitors planning a Murray River trip, the closure means fishing must take place outside the protected zone that runs from Yarrawonga Weir Wall to the Newell Highway Road Bridge at Tocumwal.

Penalties are serious, reflecting the species’ endangered status: on-the-spot fines start at $500, with court proceedings potentially reaching $22,000.

Trout cod are listed as endangered under both Commonwealth and state legislation, as well as by the World Conservation Union and the Australian Society for Fish Biology.

Long-term protection and research

The Murray River’s seasonal protection has been in place for over 30 years, highlighting Australia’s long-term commitment to native species recovery.

Research has shown that trout cod growth is optimised by variable environmental flow regimes, with stable low-flow periods, such as the Millennium Drought, reducing growth rates.

Temporary signage reminds visitors of the closure, and illegal fishing can be reported through Fishers Watch on 1800 043 536.

A hopeful future for trout cod

Conservation success is tangible.

Fingerlings are being released into habitats within the species’ historical range that feature pristine conditions, including rocks and fast-flowing water, offering hope that trout cod could one day return to rivers from which they vanished decades ago.

Your patience with this temporary inconvenience plays a direct role in one of Australia's most important conservation success stories.

The story of the trout cod highlights how fragile some fish populations are and why careful protection matters.

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What are your thoughts on balancing recreational fishing with native species conservation?