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It took three days to pick up thousands of dead fish The fire creeps ever closer to the farm BUSHFIRES BURN Victoria trout and salmon industries BY ED MEGGITT, PRESIDENT OF THE VICTORIAN TROUT ASSOCIATION here are 10 privately owned commercial salmonid the ���ames licked at his hatchery. The house next door burnt hatcheries in the Shire of Murrindindi. The trout and down, as did the garage over the road. Mitch lost about 30 salmon industry has thrived by making use of the cold tonnes of trout as the water turned the colour of ���coke���. waters of the Goulburn River tailrace below Lake Eildon and Mitch said, ���It was a blood scary night, and although we have lost all the ���sh, we are just lucky to be alive.��� the numerous tributaries of the Goulburn River. In an amazing story of human spirit, Mitch explained that The industry in Murrindindi Shire produces about 1500 tonnes of rainbow trout per annum. These ���sh are processed the next three days were spent picking up thousands of dead and value added into a range of products: whole gilled and ���sh from his ponds. People who had lost their own houses gutted trout, trout ���llets, various forms of smoked trout, came in and helped him remove the ���sh and bury them in a big pit. This iconic trout pates, and dips and caviar. These farm in the heart of Buxton is products are then distributed and much loved by the community sold all around Australia and are and Mitch is determined to exported into Asia. rebuild his business. ���It���s gonna The signi���cance of trout to the be a hard slog ahead, but we are Shire of Murrindindi should not determined to come back bigger be underestimated. The synergies and better than ever,��� Mitch said. that exist between the trout Other trout and salmon farms aquaculture industry, the tourism in the region that weren���t burnt industry which is based largely ���I knew it was over when the fish in out in the ���res, had their own on trout ���shing, and the research the river were all dying��� desperate battles keeping ���sh centre at Snobs Creek Hatchery, alive. Power throughout the are unique. However, on February 7, 2009, our industry was devastated region was lost and water temperatures were at record highs. by the huge bush���re that swept across the region. Already Mark Fox at Yarra Valley Salmon lost tonnes of salmon stock. under strain from a prolonged dry spell of many years, For the next 10 days after the ���re, Mark had to contend with and then a record heat wave, the ���res are hopefully the the ���re creeping ever closer to his farm. Unfortunately, the rebuilding process cannot get started culmination of nature���s fury. Of 10 trout farms in the Shire, four have lost virtually all of just yet, as the catchments have all been burnt out to such an their stock due to the ���res. These four farms had ���re pass all extent, that the ���rst rains could see the rivers again turn black about them. Paul Cox at Wilhelmina Trout Farm lost about with ash. There is no vegetation to hold anything in place 100 tonnes of trout as they were overcome by contaminated and a signi���cant rain event could cause havoc. The industry water ���lled with ash and ���re debris. The Murrindindi River is hoping for gentle rains that will allow new life to begin. The trout industry does anticipate supply problems going virtually stopped ���owing into the farm as burnt trees and trash formed ���beaver dams���. Paul tells of the great anguish he forward.We hope to meet as an industry when the immediate felt trying to save his house and processing plant, while trying threat has passed to evaluate exactly where we stand and what to keep his trout alive. All through the night he worked but is the most appropriate course of action. We do hope that our customer base, suppliers, and was eventually overwhelmed by the ���lthy water. ���I knew it government, stand by our industry and support us through was over when the ���sh in the river were all dying,��� he said. At Buxton Trout Farm, Mitch McRae had a number of this trying time. Thank you for your many messages of people sheltering in his house with towels over their heads as support. T 8 ��� NZ AQUACULTURE ��� MARCH/APRIL 2013