About Narooma Aquaculture
Narooma Aquaculture is a family-run aquaculture hatchery based on the NSW South Coast, owned and operated by Bruce Lawson. We specialise in the production of high-quality native fish fingerlings, including Australian Bass, Estuary Perch and Dusky Flathead, for restocking into local and interstate waterways.
With over 25 years of experience in aquaculture, Narooma Aquaculture is committed to producing resilient, healthy fish that support both current and future recreational fishing. Our work strengthens native fish populations and contributes to the long-term sustainability of NSW’s aquatic ecosystems.
Narooma Aquaculture works closely with a range of stakeholders, including NSW and Victorian Fisheries, local councils, fishing clubs and community groups. These partnerships support collaborative approaches to fish stocking, fisheries enhancement and sustainable waterway management.
In 2021, Narooma Aquaculture expanded its production to include Dusky Flathead, building on its established Australian Bass and Estuary Perch programs. This expansion was undertaken in partnership with NSW and Victorian Fisheries to develop a successful breeding program aimed at bolstering natural fish stocks and enhancing recreational fishing opportunities. Over the past five years, this program has delivered strong outcomes for fisheries and regional communities.
Narooma Aquaculture supplies Australian Bass and Estuary Perch fingerlings to the general public for farm dams and impoundments, as well as to local councils, fishing clubs and government agencies, including NSW and Victorian Fisheries and Catchment Management Authorities.
Narooma Aquaculture is the only hatchery in Australia successful in producing commercial quantities of Estuary Perch and Dusky Flathead fingerlings.
We actively participate in the Dollar-For-Dollar Native Fish Stocking Program funded by NSW Industries and Investment. This program enables funding to local fishing clubs for the stocking of native fish species into public waterways. Funds used in this program originate from fishing licence fees and so is a perfect example of your money at work.
Passionate about the fishing industry ourselves, Narooma Aquaculture is committed to minimising the impact on the local and broader environment whilst improving recreational fishing opportunities. As we increase the scale of our operation, we are moving towards net-zero carbon emission production whilst still maintaining our stringent biosecurity standards and fingerling output.
Our Mission
Narooma Aquaculture is committed to supplying quality fingerlings for the rehabilitation of native fish stocks in lakes and rivers in NSW and Victoria, adding to the commercial value of our waterways and increasing and restoring the richness of natural biodiversity. This work is undertaken in cooperation with NSW and Victorian Catchment Management Authorities, NSW and Victorian Fisheries Departments, and NSW Industry and Investment. We also supply fish to local fishing clubs, increasing commercial value and fishing opportunities within local communities.
Narooma Aquaculture has stocked close to one million native Australian Bass fingerlings into the Snowy River in association with NSW and Victorian Catchment Management Authorities and the Victorian Fisheries Authority, reviving the species from facing local extinction. Tens of thousands of Australian Bass have been stocked into Brogo Dam near Bega, and into Flat Rock Dam and Danjera Dam west of Nowra in association with local fishing clubs. Approximately two million Australian Bass fingerlings have been stocked into the Gippsland Lakes in association with the Victorian Fisheries Authority. Thousands of Australian Bass have been stocked into private farm dams throughout the district, almost two million native Estuary Perch into Victorian waters in association with the Victorian Fisheries Authority, and around 20,000 Estuary Perch into Brogo Dam in association with the NSW Fisheries Authority. Initial stockings of 50,000 Dusky Flathead into Victorian and NSW waters have also been undertaken.
Quality Assurance
We are have proudly and successfully provided high quality and disease free fingerlings since 1999 and continue to strive for highly conditioned fingerlings through our participation and compliance to the Quality Assurance Scheme and Biosecurity Program set by Industry and Investment NSW.
Our fish are thoroughly examined for signs of parasites and diseases and water quality is tested daily to ensure our fingerlings are healthy and safe for dispatch. The general health of the system is monitored several times a day. Australian Bass Samples are also shipped to and tested by Industry and Investment NSW for Nodavirus. We have procedures in place that can be employed in the event of a problem to ensure complete biosecurity and isolatinon until the fingerlings are again in full health.
All fish are quarantined on entry and dispatch to prevent any introduction of disease, parasite or foreign material and plants to the farm and/or environment. Water entering the hatchery is contained in holding ponds or settlement tanks as part of our biosecurity framework.
