The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), which manages the marine stocking program, were due to introduce the 3.1million prawns on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, (December 15-16). 

Member for Bega Andrew Constance said the stocking program will significantly boost the numbers of king prawns at this popular lake, providing a greater opportunity for recreational fishers to catch their share.

“Catching eastern king prawns over summer is one of the great traditional Aussie family pastimes and these releases will lead to it being even more enjoyable in the future.

“The prawn larvae from a commercial prawn farm will be stocked into seagrass beds within the estuaries, with the prawns expected to grow quickly and reach harvestable size in about two months.

“This marine stocking initiative is part of the NSW Government’s continuing commitment to improving recreational fishing opportunities in regional NSW,” Mr Constance said.

“Fish stocking is a welcome boost to regional communities, as recreational fishing supports local businesses and tourism.”

Recreational fishing generates more than $1.6billion for the NSW economy and creates the equivalent of 14,000 full time jobs.

This year alone the NSW Fish Stocking Program will see more than two million trout and salmon, two million Murray cod, Australian bass and other natives, and 4.3 million prawns added into rivers, dams and estuaries across NSW.

The fish stocking program is run using money raised by the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee, which is placed in the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts.

It is a largely angler driven program that has been developed from the highly successful inland fish stocking program, which has been operating for more than 50 years.