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:
- Competition for food and habitat between barramundi and resident species would be minimal;
- Impact on resident fish from barramundi predation would be minimal;
- Little data available on effective ways to move barramundi up fish ladders;
- A fish ladder could be used by other species;
- Saltwater crocodile management would need to be able to exclude them from entering Lake Kununurra; and,
- Fish would move downstream to breed.
Positive and negative social impacts included:
- Guarded support for the concept overall;
- Concerns over the viability of the project (could it work?):
- No proponent identified to take the project past this point;
- Access, development and management issues on the lake;
- Genetic miss breeding if fingerlings were used;
- Loss of the current wilderness values the lake holds; and,
- Will the fish stay in the lake?