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Mallacoota has long been known as a place for fishing, either commercial or recreational. Since the 1880s the Top and Bottom Lakes of Mallacoota Inlet have been fished commercially. First, it was by fishing boats from Lakes Entrance and large quantities of fish were removed. There is now greater control over the taking of fish and only eight local people have licences to take fish commercially from the Bottom Lake. Seine nets are mainly used. Hauling in the seine net and its catch, most of which will go to the Melbourne Fish Market. Fish in the boat, ready for the market. |
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Fishing on the Bottom Lake, with pelicans ready to pounce. This is the type of boat used by the commercial fishers in the lake. Large fishing boat used in the Bottom Lake. It was initially used in the ocean as well, but the shallowing of the entrance to Mallacoota Inlet has prevented this. |
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Long-nosed flounder, is frequently found on the sand and silty bottom of the estuary. Dusky flathead, is a keenly sought species by recreational fishers. This common fish prefers the sandy and silty bottom of the Mallacoota Inlet and grows to 1.5 metres in length. A common estuarine species of Australia's east and west coasts is the Southern Australian garfish. Moving in schools nearer the surface of the lake, they are caught in large numbers by commercial fishers at varying times of the year. Yellowtail, is common in schools off Australia's southern coast and used mainly as bait for larger fish. |
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Sand mullet, are largely ignored by the majority of anglers in the Mallacoota region, but yellow-eye and sea mullet constitute a large proportion of the commercial. Yellow-eye mullet, are found in the sand, gravel and mud flats, feeding off microscopic plants in the mud and sand. Snapper, are caught mainly in the Bottom Lake. Juvenile snapper are usually taken undersize by anglers who confuse them with bream. Black bream, is a species common to the estuaries of southern Australia and is the most sought after. The species forms the major catch component of the Top Lake and grows to around 55cm in length. |
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Australian salmon, moving in schools, are usually referred to as salmon trout. Tailor, is the third most keenly sought species by anglers and is seasonally abundant in Mallacoota's lakes. Feeding in schools on smaller fish species, they are mainly taken from the Bottom Lake. Silver trevally, are usually found in schools throughout the lakes and are mainly taken by commercial nets. Although at times abundant, it is usually the smaller juveniles that inhabit the estuary. Luderick, are taken in significant quantities by commercial fishers only at Mallacoota and commonly inhabit the weedy estuarine bottom and reefs of the lakes. |
