As Murray cod closed season commenced on September 1st, fishers are reminded that our local waters are off limits to fishing for our iconic and much-loved green fish.
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But why?
We know it has something to do with them breeding, but what?
Murray cod are very devoted parents.
The whole process of breeding and parental care goes on for close to a month, depending on the season and when water temperatures hit the right level.
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 sort 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.
The cod season is closed until December 1, however anglers can still target these iconic native sportfish in Blowering Dam and Copeton Dam during the closed season as DPI research indicates there is minimal natural recruitment in these impoundments.
Anglers are reminded that bag (two per day) and slot size limits (55cm and 75cm) still apply in Blowering and Copeton.
It's important that anglers respect fishing closures to ensure sustainable stocks of all species.
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