Murray Cod return to Lake Bonney after years of decline
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RecFish SA released around 600 mature Murray Cod, a native Australian fish, into Lake Bonney in South Australia’s Riverland region last week.
The organisation coordinated the release with support from the state government and the Recreational Fishing Authority after populations disappeared from the lake due to water quality issues and fish kills. These cod, some up to one metre long, are expected to breed quickly and establish a self-sustaining population.
Charles Sturt University’s Paul Humphries explained that Murray Cod improve water quality and act as “habitat engineers” within the Murray-Darling Basin. While the cod may prey on smaller fish like carp, Humphries cautioned that controlling the large carp population will require more than just this release. Ngintait elder Norman Wilson believes the cod will follow their natural breeding cycle and return to Lake Bonney consistently.
Berri Barmera Council mayor Ella Winnall hopes the reintroduced fish will attract recreational fishers and boost tourism in the area, though fishing will be restricted during the breeding season and will resume under catch-and-release rules from January 1, 2027.
