Stocking Journey

Regional Recreational Fishing Advisory Committees

Regional Recreational Fishing Advisory Committees were created in WA to provide advice to State Government on various recreational fishing issues. In 1993, the East Kimberley Recreation Fishing Advisory Committee (EKRFAC) was formed when the Kimberley group was split between east and west. From the onset, the EKRFAC started to advocate for finding a means to re-establish migratory pathways on the Ord River to allow fish to regain access above the two dams to the full length of the river.

Lake Kununurra Fish Stock Enhancement Group Created

EKRFAC renews its intention to pursue the issue of re-establishing migratory pathways to allow the restocking of Lake Kununurra with barramundi. The following year, the Committee invited stakeholders to form a working group called the Lake Kununurra Fish Stock Enhancement Group (LKFSEG). The member organisations were:

• EKRFAC;
• Shire Wyndham-East Kimberley;
• Ord Land and Water; and,
• Fisheries WA.

The LKFSEG gave itself three objectives to determine the feasibility of the concept:

1. A report on the economic impacts of a successful recreational barramundi fishery in Lake Kununurra.
2. A report to identify the ecological and social issues concerning the establishment of that fishery.
3. If the first two reports were positive in their recommendations, investigate options for the development of an engineering strategy to allow barramundi to become resident in Lake Kununurra in numbers that would sustain a successful fishery.

Ecological and Social Issues Report

The report on the Ecological and Social Issues Concerning the Establishment of a Recreational Barramundi Fishery in Lake Kununurra was released. The summarised findings were:

1. Competition for food and habitat between barramundi and resident species would be minimal;
2. Impact on resident fish from barramundi predation would be minimal;
3. Little data available on effective ways to move barramundi up fish ladders;
4. A fish ladder could be used by other species;
5. Saltwater crocodile management would need to be able to exclude them from entering Lake Kununurra; and,
6. Fish would move downstream to breed.

Positive and negative social impacts included:

1. Guarded support for the concept overall;
2. Concerns over the viability of the project (could it work?):
3. No proponent identified to take the project past this point;
4. Access, development and management issues on the lake;
5. Genetic miss breeding if fingerlings were used;
6. Loss of the current wilderness values the lake holds; and,
7. Will the fish stay in the lake?  

Interagency Meeting

An interagency meeting was held between representatives from the following organisations:

• Department of Fisheries;
• Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley,
• Water Corporation;
• EKRFAC;
• Recfishwest; and,
• Kimberley Development Commission.

The meeting resolved the following as its key findings:

• The principle issue is the development/enhancement of a recreational barramundi in Lake Kununurra;
• A fish way option holds the most promise. Experts with extensive experience in fishways should be consulted to gather further insight and advice on options; and,
• A successful project will be as much about the management of people as the fishery itself. Issues that need to be addressed will include: possible changes to bag and size limits; fishing permits and other funding options; consideration of wilderness values and competing resource users.

The meeting proposed the following steps in order to progress the project:

• Feasibility study on migratory corridors/fish-ways, must address the crocodile issue;
• Promote the concept to facilitate community stewardship;
• Develop detailed operational plan; and,
• Secure political support and capital works funding.

Australian Technical Workshop held in Kununurra

The Fourth Australian Technical Workshop was held in Kununurra.

Its recommendations included:

1. It was agreed that restoring fish passage along the length of the Ord River was a desirable and achievable goal, with benefits to the ecological, economic, social and cultural values of the East Kimberley.
2. Government should plan for funding of major works through a budget allocation for capital works within the next five years.
3. There is an urgent need for biological studies to further our understanding of fish populations (species, sizes, movements in response to flows) around the Kununurra Diversion Dam to optimise the design and function of the fish passage.
4. It is recommended that such a facility be incorporated in the design to attract tourists and increase public awareness of the benefits of the fishway.
5. Given community concern about estuarine crocodiles passing into Lake Kununurra, the fishway will be designed to exclude them.
6. To initiate this process, State Government is asked to fund a project leader to carry this project through from its feasibility to completion.

Spillway Overflows

Spillway overflows of about 2m and large numbers of escapee barramundi, most between 80cm and 1m, move into the spillway and downstream into Lake Kununurra.  Kununurra locals fish the spillway over that Easter in droves and many fish are caught and lost in the rapidly moving water

Catching Large Barras

Large barramundi, measuring 1m and larger, start to become viable angling targets in Lake Kununurra and Lake Argyle, but are only targeted by only a very few number of anglers.

Priority for Fishway Project

The Shire of Wyndam-East Kimberley writes to the State Government, advising the fishway project is a priority for the East Kimberley region. The correspondence urged the State Government to commit funds for the capital infrastructure.

Pilot Study Accepted

A proposal is put to the Kimberley Development Commission to collect bloodstock and stock a small number of barra into the lake, as a pilot study – it is accepted in April, 2010. A month later, the Western Australian Fish Foundation was awarded the contract to collect broodstock and provide fingerlings through Kimberley Training Institute (KTI) for a pilot study.

Females caught from Ord River

Anglers collect female broodstock, with a holding cage secured and assembled on Lake Kununurra. Between October and December, about 20 fish are collected and kept in the cage until they could be transported to Broome just prior to the new year.

$700,000 For Restocking Lake Kununurra

Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy provides just under $700,000 for restocking Lake Kununurra, with Kimberley Training Institute winning the contract.

20,000 Released

KTI, alongside Recfishwest and the State Government, release 20,000 barramundi fingerlings into Lake Kununurra to mark the start of the Lake Kununurra Barramundi Stocking Program.

200,000 Released

Another 200,000 barramundi fingerlings are released into as part of the Lake Kununurra Lake Kununurra Barramundi Stocking Program.

Fish Graph

Data was recorded by volunteers showing catch effort per trip and fishing hours. The number of fish and fish lengths were recorded to give a further indication of growth rates. See graph below.

Economics Benefits Study Released

A new economic benefits study is released by the Lake Kununurra Barramundi Stocking Group, indicating the fishery could have a conservative economic value of $9.16 million to $9.81 million annually if the restocking program continues.

Restocking Contract

Work continues towards stocking more barramundi into Lake Kununurra thanks to $975,000 funding through the State Government’s recfishing COVID recovery package, announced in August 2020. This package was developed by the State Government in conjunction with Recfishwest.