Sooty Grunter

The MIFSG has 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.  The fish hatchery, when operating requires attention at various times during the day, hence is more convenient when located in town.

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 in Jan and Rita Van Ryt's back yard.

3) The growout facility at Lake Moondarra.

Year	Number Released
2000	300
1999	1000
1998	15,000
1997	3,000
1996	6,000
1995	8,000
1994	10,000
1993	600

The following series of photos show how Sooty Grunter fingerlings are hatched and bred. 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 are 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 has generously allowed the MIFSG to build the fish breeding facility adjacent to the fresh water lagoon. Mount Isa Mines also provides power to the site. The concrete floor and shed structure was kindly donated and built by Schmider Engineering.