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Inland Fisheries Service
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Farm dam stocking

If you want to stock your own (private) farm dam with fish, you need our permission.

There are three categories of farm dam stocking, each with an application form (as below) and a fee.

  1. Exclusive (private) use
  2. Public use
  3. Junior angling and angling club activities

Farm dam stocking for exclusive fishing

This means exclusive to you and anyone you invite onto your property. Remember an angling licence is still required to fish this dam.

You’ll need to complete an application form and pay the application fee.

Additional cost are for the fish ($3 to $10 per fish depending on size) and for delivery from the fish farm (Inland Fisheries Service or Atkinson Aquaculture) to your dam, based on the distance ($1 per kilometre for the return trip). 

If your application is approved you will be able to stock your dam with (sterile) rainbow trout. You must buy the fish from a supplier (Inland Fisheries Service or Atkinson Aquaculture). The contacts for these will be shown at the bottom of the permit when you get it.

Note that fish will only be available during November each year.

All farm dams intended for private fishing have the following rules:

  • Angling season: From the first Saturday in August to Sunday nearest to the 30th April.
  • Daily bag limit: 12 fish, regardless of species.
  • Minimum size limit: 220 mm.
  • All anglers over 14 years of age must hold a current Inland Angling Licence.
  • No feeding of fish is permitted.
  • All legal angling methods are permitted (lure, bait or fly).

For information on availability and costs you can contact:

Inland Fisheries Service                             Leigh Atkinson

17 Back River Road                                  Natone Fishery

New Norfolk 7140                                  Natone (Burnie)

Ph. 03 6165 3814                                     Ph. 0428 318 603

Email: brett.mawbey@ifs.tas.gov.au             Email: leigh.atkinson37@gmail.com

Private dam stocking for public fishing

Assessment Criteria

The IFS currently waives the stocking application fee and provides fry or fingerlings free of charge to stock dams on private property with reasonable public access.

The following criteria must be met before the IFS will approve brown trout stocking into a farm dam for public fishing:

  • Size of water to be stocked: the preferred minimum size is 2.5 ha or 25,000 m2 surface area at full supply level.
  • A licence agreement must be obtained detailing access arrangements for a nominal period of 10 years.
  • There must be reasonable public access consisting of one or more of the following elements:
  • Unlocked gates providing direct vehicle access to the dam or to parking within easy walking distance of the dam (less than 500m). Vehicle access needs to be accompanied by current public liability insurance for $20 million, to be maintained by the property owner.
  • Foot access from a public road. A safe parking area must be available within easy walking distance of the dam (less than 500m).
  • Access by prior permission, i.e .either foot or vehicle access as described in 3.1 or 3.2. There must be signage displayed at the access point with landowner’s contact details prominently displayed including mobile phone number/s. All reasonable requests for access must be granted.
  • Safe public access including minimum access infrastructure required i.e. fence stiles, pedestrian gates, electric fence signs, insulators, etc.
  • Anglers Access signage including hazard warnings and conditions of entry will be provided and installed at IFS expense

The property owner will retain the right to restrict or suspend access due to farming operations.

Examples of private dams that currently meet the above criteria are Lamberts Dam and Rostrevor Reservoir.

Here is the current list of Private Dams for Public Fishing - North West Region.

PDF download: IFS Application - Consent to Stock a Private Farm Dam (public)

Private dam stocking for angling club activities including junior angling development

The IFS will consider applications for the stocking of private dams for an angling club’s junior angling development program or other angling club activity.

Angling clubs will need to maintain appropriate Public Liability insurance covering the proposed activities.

Dams do not need to meet the criteria for public fishing.

The landowner must provide written permission for the club to use the dam for the club activities.

PDF download: IFS Application - Consent to Stock a Private Farm Dam (junior angling and angling club)