13/04/2026
📑 NEW STUDY: Danylchuk et al. carried out the largest survey of Murray Cod fishers, to explore perceptions around the recovery of this iconic freshwater species.
🐟 Species studied
Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii)
🤔 The issue
Murray Cod is an iconic freshwater fish species in Australia with high cultural importance. Following declines, management and conservation efforts have helped Murray Cod populations recover to such an extent that the species now supports a vibrant recreational fishery.
👩🏽🔬 What did the researchers do?
The team surveyed over 3,500 anglers who fish for Murray Cod – the largest cod fisher survey to date.
💡 What did they find?
Most anglers believed that the quality of the Murray Cod recreational fishery has improved over recent decades and reported high satisfaction for Murray cod fishing in Victoria, consistent with population recovery.
Over 90% of anglers believed handling practices are important to the welfare of released Murray Cod and the Care for Cod Campaign was found to have assisted anglers to engage in better handling practices.
Anglers identified blackwater events and carp as major threats, and ranked fish stocking and current regulations (slot limit) as the most important fishery management interventions for sustaining the Murray Cod fishery.
👍 Any recommendations?
The study findings provide encouragement that our fisheries management actions have and continue to make a difference to the recovery of Murray Cod, including large scale hatchery production and stocking, habitat restoration, slot limits and improved handling of Murray Cod.
The recovery of Murray Cod is a fantastic case study that we can apply to the recovery of other threatened native fish species like Trout Cod and Macquarie Perch through the 10inTen program, an initiative in Victoria to recover ten threatened freshwater species in ten years.
