Foggy morning Thredbo river walk - NSW, Australia
The government of the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has confirmed the construction of a new $5 million fish production facility to expand the breeding capacity of the Gaden Trout Hatchery in Jindabyne.
The Australian renewable energy company Snowy Hydro will be responsible for this 462-square-metre, steel-structure investment at the hatchery site. It will also monitor the Tantangara Reservoir and Lake Eucumbene to prevent any future incidents.
Meanwhile, the fisheries team from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) will assume the ongoing costs and operational management.
The new facility will feature a state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), allowing the production of “advanced-size” rainbow and brown trout fingerlings to help prevent the impact of invasive species such as redfin.
Construction is set to begin in 2026 once the tender is awarded, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of the following year. The plan is for the new hatchery to have the capacity to produce up to 20 tonnes of fish per year.
This initiative is part of the Recreational Fishing Management Plan developed for Snowy 2.0, Australia's largest renewable energy project, which is an expansion of the historic Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme.
"The capability to produce and stock advanced-size fingerlings in waterways will ensure this important recreational fishery will continue to thrive throughout the operations of Snowy 2.0," said Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty.
Additionally, NSW Member for Monaro Steve Whan indicated: "The Snowy Mountains region is renowned for providing high-quality trout fishing opportunities, so it's important that we do everything we can to plan for embedding resilience into the trout population so it can withstand natural disasters and biosecurity threats."
Finally, Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes noted: "This partnership is a great example of the Snowy Hydro team working with the community to bring to life a project that will have tangible benefits for tourism, as well as for every local who loves a fish."