The 2014 spawning run has started at Liawenee Canal, Great Lake. Good autumn rainfalls and mild temperatures have combined to provide an encouraging start to the annual migration of brown trout. IFS hatchery staff stripped 300 female trout of 200,000 ova.

The fertilised eggs have been carefully transported to the New Norfolk hatchery and laid down in upwelling incubators. A constant temperature of 10 ° C will result in a projected hatching in 40 days. Hatchery staff report that whilst the average size of trout in this years’ run is slightly smaller than in previous years the condition of both fish and ova is excellent.

This years’ spawning run is even more significant as it is marks 150 continuous years of trout spawning in Tasmania. The first successful hatching of ova in 1864 occurred at the Salmon Ponds after the ova were transported by ship from England.

Favourable conditions should result in an excellent display of spawning trout for IFS’ Trout Weekend on the 17^th and 18^th May.