Sooty Grunter

In the past the MIFSG had a fish breeding facility at the Fresh Water Lagoon near Lake Moondarra and a fish hatchery at the residence of Jan & Rita Van Ryt in Mt Isa.  In the future the Hatchery Project will be the main stay of the breeding program. The Hatchery Project is to be located at the "Outback at Isa" block on the corner of Arline and Mullan Street, Mount Isa.

Local Sooty Grunter Breeding Program

The MISFG breeding program was initially assisted each year with a $1000 subsidy from the DPI. This has been increased to $2000.

Essentially the breeding program is in three parts:

1) Catching broodstock in Lake Julius.

2) A spawning hatchery.

3) The growout facility at "Outback at Isa".

The following series of photos show how Sooty Grunter fingerlings were hatched and bred at the clear water lagoon site. Firstly, brood stock are caught.  Lake Julius is the first choice for catching Sooty Grunter brood stock as this lake flows over quite regularly and it is more likely to catch Sooty Grunter ready for breeding here.

Injecting hormones into a female Sooty Grunter to allow harvesting of eggs.	Tank used for keeping for brood stock. All water must be specially treated to remove chlorine.
The glass tank is used for hatching fertilised eggs.	View into tank while eggs are hatching.
Releasing brood stock back into the lake.	MIFSG fish breeding facility at the fresh water lagoon at Lake Moondarra. These tanks were used for rearing hatchlings to fingerling size before release.
Looking across a section of the lagoon towards the fish breeding facility.	View across the fresh water lagoon.
The above photos show fingerlings being released into Lake Moondarra.

Mount Isa Mines Ltd generously allowed the MIFSG to build the fish breeding facility adjacent to the fresh water lagoon. Mount Isa Mines also provided power to the site. The concrete floor and shed structure was kindly donated and built by Schmider Engineering.