As Murray cod season comes to an end at midnight on September 1, all local fishers are reminded that all waters apart from Copeton Dam, are closed to fishing for the iconic species.
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It has been nothing short of an amazing cod fishing season, with incredible reports from both up and down stream talking of one of the best seasons on record for quality fish captures.
Murray cod are very devoted parents.
The whole process of breeding and parental care goes on for close to a month.
Female cod caught in the weeks leading up to spawning can be caused to miscarry or reabsorb their eggs meaning they won’t spawn during the upcoming breeding season.
Males will fight over breeding sites and the fittest male will get the most appropriate site.
Favoured sites include hollow logs and caves with firm surfaces.
Females may move between the different sites and pick the best one, which is generally the one with the fittest male.
Male Murray cod spend about 15-20 days fanning the fertilized eggs and larvae as well as protecting them from predators by actively chasing them away.
This is when the closure is most important.
If a male cod is hooked and caught during this period the eggs or larvae are open to predators.
Fish eggs and larvae are a particularly sought-after food for small fish and crustaceans, as they are rich in nutrients and require little energy to catch.
When bigger fish pair together they have the potential to produce more offspring.
Females can produce between 6000 and 200000 eggs, depending on their size, with larger fish producing more eggs.
The potential loss of future fish is very high if you catch a large fish during the closed season.
To give the cod the best chance of successfully reproducing please adhere to the regulations and even avoid fishing for other species where you know there are good populations of cod.
Even incidental capture and release can be devastating to the cods breeding success.
Be up to date with rules and regulations
Fishing regulation, such as freshwater and saltwater bag and size limits, apply to help ensure healthy and sustainable fisheries for future generations. Size limits aim to allow fish to reach maturity and complete their breeding cycle, while bag limits help make sure everyone gets a fair share of the resource and species are not overfished. Visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fishing-rules-and-regs
