Swansea MP Yasmin Catley is hoping to land the perfect flathead one day in her local electorate.
That’s after more than 150,000 fingerlings were recently released into key fishing locations, including the Georges River, Hastings River and Lake Macquarie.
The juvenile mulloways and dusky flatheads’ new surroundings are part of the state government’s NSW Marine Stocking Program, supported by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts.
And, the latest cycle follows previous releases of both species into Lake Macquarie in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years.
“Fishing is such an important aspect of our local community,” Ms Catley said.
“Every weekend, Lake Macquarie and the Swansea Channel are full of boaties chasing their ideal catch.
“But, it’s not just a hobby; it’s part of who we are.
“The Minns government knows this… and that is why we are investing and maintaining our waterways with plenty of fish to support recreational fishing.
“I, like everyone else, can’t wait to get out here and cast a line.”
Both the dusky flathead and mulloway are among NSW’s most popular fishing species.
The former is relatively easy to target, making them perfect for beginners and families, while they’re also great eating.
Mulloway, on the other hand, are notoriously unpredictable and can often be hard to locate.
They make long, strong runs and hooking a “big one” is a serious test of skill and gear as they’re often considered a “rite of passage” for NSW anglers.
While the Marine Stocking Program has only been operating for five years, there are hopes it will grow to equal the success of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Freshwater Stocking Program, which produced and released in excess of five million native and salmonid species in NSW waters last year.
Meanwhile, recreational fishers are reminded to ensure they have paid their mandatory fees and abide the bag and size limits when fishing in NSW.
Mulloway boasts a minimum length of 70cm and bag limit of one.
Dusky flathead has a threshold of 36cm-70cm and a bag limit of five.
For further information on DPIRD’s Marine Stocking Program, visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/stocking
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