The Narrandera Fisheries Centre (NFC), 6 km east of Narrandera, was opened in 1962 as a research centre to study the breeding biology and ecology of inland aquatic systems. Since then, NFC has been the centre of inland freshwater fisheries research in New South Wales, and has also developed into a productive hatchery, providing fingerlings of four native fish species (Murray cod, Trout cod, Golden perch and Silver perch) to improve freshwater recreational fisheries and conservation initiatives.
The Centre fulfils a number of roles including breeding, conservation, environmental surveys, NSW rivers management, aquaculture, reporting on illegal activities and community education. It aims to raise public awareness of the state of native fish populations.
The Centre also performs important scientific research into all native and alien species of fish in the Murray-Darling Basin. These species range from popular recreational species such as Murray cod, golden perch and silver perch, to small forage species like Murray rainbow fish, Australian smelt and the endangered purple spotted gudgeon.
NFC is a small, multi-disciplinary facility containing staff from Fisheries Research, Corporate Services, Aquaculture and Indigenous Fisheries and Charles Sturt University. We also host vocational placement and university researchers from time to time.
