Murray cod
Maccullochella peelii peelii

Officers DPI Fisheries

This is a regulated fish. See Recreational fishing rules in Queensland - Freshwater for the current regulations.

Description

Murray cod are the largest Australian native freshwater fishes, and are reported to grow to 180cm (113kg). They are sexually mature at 3 years of age. At this time they are around 37-38cm in length. Murray cod have a mottled appearance. They are green along the back and sides with darker green-olive mottling, shading to a creamy white belly. Murray cod and Mary River cod are closely related and very similar in appearance.

Habitat/distribution

The natural distribution of Murray cod is the Murray-Darling river systems, west of the Great Dividing Range. They have been translocated within their natural range and have also been introduced to other areas on the eastern coastline such as the Mary and Dawson Rivers of Southern Queensland and the Clarence and Richmond Rivers of northern New South Wales. They can also be found in the Cooper Creek system in central Australia. Murray cod can be found in clear rocky streams or in slow-flowing, turbid water where in-stream snags, logs and stumps provide protection and spawning sites. They have decreased in abundance across their natural range and are now considered rare in many Victorian tributaries. They have been successfully introduced to many lakes and dams.

Further information

Department of Primary Industries. (2002). Fish Guide. Saltwater, Freshwater and Noxious Species. The Great Outdoors Publications, Brisbane.

Grant, E.M. (2002). Grant's Guide To Fishes. E.M. Grant Pty Limited, Brisbane.

Holloway, M. and Hamlyn, A. (2001). Freshwater Fishing in Queensland: a guide to stocked waters. (2nd edition) Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane.

Merrick, J.R. and Schmida G.E. (1984). Australian Freshwater Fishes: Biology and Management. Griffin Press Limited, South Australia.

Note: Some information in this publication may change from time to time (especially size and in-possession limits). You should contact your nearest Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol or the DPI&F Call Centre (13 25 23) for latest fisheries regulations and information.

This DPI Note is also published on the DPI&F's PrimeNotes CD-ROM.

Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.

File No: f00033
Last updated: 18 December 2003