Fisheries victoria executive director travis dowling said catching murray crays was a popular pastime in the states northern waters during the open season of june, july and august. Gippsland spiny crayfish euastacus kershawi, yarra river. For details of locations and restrictions, see fishing for murray crayfish in nsw pdf remember, the murray river is regarded as being in nsw, so you will need a nsw fishing license, available at local stores. With winter well and truly here, its an exciting time for anglers in northern victoria and southern new south wales who are brave enough to face the cold weather in order to pursue their favourite crustaceanyes, its here, saturday, june 1 marked the official opening of the 2019 murray crayfish season.
The open season will officially close tomorrow, so anglers must not take any murray crayfish from nsw waters at all. Managing the recovery of murray crayfish in the southern murray darling basin. This is the list of all the freshwater crayfish species found in australia. Last week, victorian fisheries announced changes to the fishing regulations for murray spiny freshwater crayfish to bring them in line with recent changes in new south wales. Murray spiny freshwater crayfish are subject to a closed season, meaning they cannot be taken or possessed on, in or near victorian waters during this time. Sciencetake a crayfish in trouble by samantha stark and james gorman april 11, 2016 the murray crayfish, the worlds second largest, is sensitive to changes in habitat. Before heading out to catch some crays, check out the victorian rules on the victorian fisheries authoritys murray spiny freshwater crayfish page.
According to nsw regulations, you can only fish for murray spiny freshwater crayfish in the murray river and its tributaries from albury to tocumwal. Number of murray crayfish captured from murray river monitoring. Listed as endangered advisory list of threatened invertebrate fauna in victoria. For those anglers looking to do something really different this autumn, head north of the great dividing range and chase one of our lesser known native species the murray crayfish. Catching murray crays is a popular winter pastime in the states northern waters during the three month open season of june, july and august. Status of the victorian murray crayfish recreational fishery. Fisheries victoria executive director, travis dowling, said catching murray crays was a popular winter pastime in the states northern waters during the three month open season of june, july. The murray crayfish, euastacus armatus, is a species of freshwater crayfish endemic to. The rock lobster fishery is victoria s most valuable fishery and is based on the southern rock lobster jasus edwardsii.
Planned sampling for murray crayfish in the south australian section of the river murray was brought into the spotlight by abc riverland early this week. Anglers are being advised of significant changes to the fishing rules for murray crayfish this season. Well, in terms of outward appearance and body structures, it is easy to assume that the two belong in the same family. Fishers in southwestern areas of nsw are anticipating the opening of the murray crayfish fishing season from 1st june 2016. Freshwater anglers are reminded to fish responsibly and according to the rules when the victorian recreational fishing season for murray crayfish opens on 1 june. Victorian fisheries changes regulations for murray spiny. Published on feb 16, 2016 the gippsland spiny crayfish is a large member of the euastacus group of spiny crays that are endemic to the freshwater rivers and streams of. Murray crayfish were once common throughout the lower murray even forming the basis of a commercial fishery but numbers declined over the 20th century. Recreational fishing seasons department of primary. Threatened murray crayfish given a ride down the murray.
Get your thermals and beanies ready, not only is 1st june the start of winter, it also marks the opening of murray spiny freshwater crayfish open season. Winter is coming for anglers in south western nsw who are set to brave the cold weather for their favourite crustacean, with the murray crayfish season officially opening this saturday, 1. The closed season for murray spiny freshwater crayfish is 1 september to 31 may for waters north. The changes shorten the season by a month with a late start, as well as adjusting the size of crays that can be. Here at the scuba doctor were often asked what we think is the best way to catch a crayfish, or where to find them. The species can tolerate salinities greater than 16 mgl. Freshwater anglers are reminded to fish responsibly and according to the rules when the recreational fishing season for murray crayfish opens on 1 june.
Murray cray fishing season opens 1 june 12 may 2016 freshwater anglers are reminded to fish responsibly and according to the rules when the recreational fishing season for murray crayfish. Murray crayfish can only be taken in season, in the murray river between hume weir and the tocumwal road bridge, and at lake mulwala. Murray cod and murray crayfish seasons close the annual murray cod and murray crayfish seasons closed on friday, 1 september. Catching murray cod and monster murray crayfish with shane orr duration. Cape crayfish season kicks off on saturday capetalk. Murray crayfish season opens june 1st fishing world. The fishery is quota managed, with a total allowable commercial catch set annually after the status of the stock has been assessed. Every currently described freshwater crayfish species in australia is listed and a photo of each crayfish that has been confirmed is displayed. Mr westaway said murray crayfish are slow growing, late maturing and these restrictions are based on quality science to ensure the sustainability of the fishery. Spiny freshwater crayfish all species other than glenelg. The 2016 17 west coast rock lobster recreational fishing season will open on saturday, 26 november 2016 and will close on monday, 17 april 2017. During the season, the minimum size limit for the species is 10cm measured from the rear of the eye socket to the centre rear of the carapace and the maximum size limit is. The murray cray or freshwater lobster can be found throughout the murrumbidgee and murray rivers and also further afield but can only be harvested in two areas.
Murray crayfish on the menu the shepparton adviser. All freshwater crays are from the same family,just different species. This is a remarkable decrease in the size of crayfish existing before the waters were fished when individuals were estimated to. It is illegal to fish for murray cod until 1 december 2017, while the murray crayfish season is closed for the next nine months until 1 june 2018. The murray cray is the largest of all australian freshwater crayfish and are armored with spines to protect them from large murray cod where are you allowed to fish for murray crays. Murray crayfish on the menu from the start of winter. Yet, this iconic and recreationally fished species has undergone. The murray lobster is a spiny crayfish and the 2nd largest freshwater crayfish species in the world, it grows to several kilograms in size and is aquaculture by one of our members for the aquarium trade. That means this weekend you can all try your hand at. Murray crayfish relocated by fishers, scientists determined to ensure. The murray crayfish will have more protection under tough new nsw fisheries laws.
Outside this area, the murray river is closed to murray spiny cray fishing. Nsw fishers are reminded to make sure they know the rules about fishing for murray crayfish before the season opens on june 1. In victoria, murray crayfish are subject to a very limited open season during the three months of winter, from 1 june to 31 august. Victorian fisheries changes regulations for murray spiny crayfish in. Sciencetake a crayfish in trouble the new york times. However, many people are still unsure about the main difference between a typical lobster and a crayfish.
Retrofitting xrap magnum lures with inferior single hooks is a thing of the past. The names come i think from where they are found murray cray,gippsland cray,glenelg cray etc. Murray cray fishing season opens 1 june agriculture victoria. Tough new rules to save murray crayfish the border mail. Executive director fisheries nsw, dr geoff allan, said that environmental factors such as habitat degradation and modification and blackwater events after flooding have taken a. The murray crayfish has the largest geographic range of any of the euastacus crayfish in australia, being found in the murray. Further there is a limited season in which the species can be taken start of may to the.
The status of the murray crayfish recreational fishery in victoria. Department of primary industries dpi inland senior fisheries manager, cameron westaway, said there are a number of rules in place to protect the species found mainly in the murray, murrumbidgee and edward rivers. Other species of spiny euastacus crayfish are also available from steve as well as a number of different. Euastacus bispinosus glenelg spiny freshwater crayfish. This is a quick turnaround, but will not be considered quick enough by fishers who have already made plans for the 1 may season opening. Fishing for murray crayfish can still happen, but the season is shorter and minimum sizes are larger. No data is available regarding the size of murray spiny crayfish caught in victoria. If that sounds appealing, you dont have long because the open season runs for only 4 months a year from may until august.
You can also phone recreational fishing enquiries on 0 720 647. Murray cray fishing season opens 1 june 12 may 2016 freshwater anglers are reminded to fish responsibly and according to the rules when the recreational fishing season for murray crayfish opens on 1 june. Murray crayfish open for fishing in nsw from june 1 nsw. Nsw fishers are reminded to make sure they know the rules about fishing for murray crayfish, following the june 1 season opening. This report provides a summary of the results of the 2016 sampling season and relates. Murray cod and murray crayfish seasons close kaydo.
So its getting to that time of the year when facebook and fishwrecked become swamped with pictures and questions about crays. Murray cray season opens anglers will be going crayzee around the murray for the winter crayfish run the first day of winter means fishers in southwestern areas of nsw will be celebrating the annual opening of the murray crayfish fishing season from june 1, 2016 through to august 31. Murray crayfish on menu from start of winter mirage news. The murray crayfish, euastacus armatus, is a species of freshwater crayfish endemic to australia that belongs to the family parastacidae. These days its rare to see 200 murray crayfish in one spot but these fishers, scientists and volunteers have, and theyre intent on preserving the species. In addition, the taking of berried females and the removal of heads, tails or claws of murray crayfish, in, on or adjacent to waters, is prohibited. Threatened murray crayfish have been hitching a ride down the murray river with scientists, who hope the relocation program will speed up the recovery of. In new south wales and victoria these include a minimum size, bag and possession. The limited open season lasts for the 3 months of winter and is our only chance to catch the worlds second largest freshwater crayfish. Fisheries nsw have recently announced large changes to the rules about fishing. Please note that the murray river is governed by nsw dpi fisheries and you will need a nsw fishing licence to fish there. Just to be clear, the victorian rules for murray crayfish season now reflect those of nsw. Fishers in southwestern areas of nsw are anticipating the opening of the murray crayfish fishing season from 1 june 2016.
Changes to fishing rules for murray crayfish in nsw. Pretty sure anything you catch north of the divide will be a murray cray. On june 1, this thursday, the murray crayfish threemonth fishing season will open. However, in nsw the average size of crayfish caught in the 1980s was less than 200g. For changes to published fishing seasons, check public notices in tasmanian newspapers, follow the fisheries tasmania facebook page or download the tas fish guide app. Limited season for murray cray opens today the weekly times. It was necessary because nsw fishers, whose season has been moved from 1 may to 1 june, were quite likely to shift their fishing trip to victorian.
Nature glenelg trust the hunt for murray crays in south. Crays also need to be kept whole or in carcass form whilst in, on or next to inland victorian waters. These days its rare to see 200 murray crayfish in one spot but. Murray crayfish euastacus armatus is the worlds second largest freshwater crayfish and naturally occurs across 12,500km of victorian and new south wales waterways of the southern murray darling basin mdb, including the river murray. The open season will officially close sunday, september 1, so anglers must not take any murray crayfish from nsw waters at all. Murray crayfish euastacus armatus is the worlds second largest freshwater.