Recreational fishers have welcomed works designed to improve habitat for native fish in the Goulburn River near Wyuna.
More than 80 root balls and large snags were deposited into the river at four separate sites last month to provide habitat for native fish, including Murray cod and golden perch.
Well-known fishing advocate Steven Threlfall said resnagging parts of the river was a win for recreational fishers.
“Electrofishing carried out by Arthur Rylah Institute has shown us that fish gather and hide around structures,” Mr Threlfall said.
“That gives fishers somewhere to cast and target fish. In a cleared waterway, there’s nowhere for them to hide.”
The resnagging project was coordinated by the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority using timber donated by a nearby solar farm.
Goulburn Broken CMA’s Matt Crawford said the project would support native fish populations in the river.
“The snags will provide refuge and breeding sites, resulting in more fish in the Goulburn River,” Mr Crawford said.
He said the river was desnagged many years ago because it was believed the snags in the river impacted its flow.
“Historically many Australian rivers, including the Goulburn River, sustained widespread removal of snags, which has been a significant contributor to the decline in native fish populations.”
He said the snags were donated to the project from the nearby Wunghnu Solar Farm.
“That timber could have been sold for firewood but instead it has been set aside for environmental projects such as this.”
The project was funded by the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s Recreational Fishing Licence Grants Program.