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Beche De Mer
(Sea Cucumber)

The Murray Cod is Australia's best known and most sought after freshwater fish.   It can grow to weights of up to 45kg, although fish of this size are rare today.

This famous Australian freshwater fish is nearly always known as Murray cod, or simply as "cod" or "Murray". However, it is unrelated to the true cod family of the Northern Hemisphere, and is actually a more distant member of the perch group, which also contains the golden perch and Australian bass. In modern times, the use of the Aboriginal word "goodoo" has become popular in some circles when referring to Murray cod.

The Murray Cod is big, robust and barrel shaped with a huge mouth and small eyes set well forward on the head.  It is not a particularly good fighting fish, in fact is is quite lazy.  It is olive green to yellow/green or grey/green on the back fading to yellowish on the flanks and creamy yellow or white on the belly.  The back is overlaid with darker green or brown mottlings and reticulations which often extend well down the flanks.  The eyes are brown.

The second dorsal and caudal fins usually have white margins and sometimes such margin is also found on the ventral fin.  These fin tip colours are particularly striking on fish from clearer, faster flowing streams.

The Murray Cod is found in the entire Murray/Darling river systems, with the exception of the alpine and sub-alpine headwaters.  Cod have also been introduced into many dams and some eastern flowing (coastal) drainage's.  They are found in habitats ranging from shallow, fast-running streams with gravel beds to deep, turbid and slow flowing western rivers.  They also thrive in dams.  Even in quick flowing streams, Murray Cod tend to be found in deep holes, slicks and back eddies.  They favour deep water, cover and a ready access to food.

Highly valued for recreational, commercial and conservation purposes, the murray cod (Maccullochella peeli) is the largest freshwater fish found in Australia. Its natural distribution extends throughout the Murray Darling Basin, ranging west of the divide from southeast Queensland, through New South Wales, into Victoria and South Australia.

Until recently, there was a small but lucrative commercial fishery for murray cod and premium prices were often paid for fish at the markets. However, as a result of declining wild stocks the murray cod fisheries in New South Wales and Victoria have since closed, and the remaining fishery in South Australia will cease in July 2003. The growout of murray cod is supplementing, and will eventually replace, the diminishing wild fishery in markets.

In New South Wales, murray cod have also been introduced into many dams and some eastern flowing (coastal) drainages.
The translocation of western drainage species such as murray cod, golden perch, silver perch and catfish into the eastern drainages, however, may have the potential to cause significant ecological damage. Specifically, the translocation of murray cod may threaten the endangered eastern freshwater cod in the Clarence and Richmond river systems.

Murray Cod Fishing:

Murray Cod will take live yabbies, grubs, shrimp or small live fish (see bait for freshwater fish)   They will also respond to a wide variety of lures, deep diving plugs, metal spoons and bladed spinners.

Anglers have come to appreciate the sporting qualities of these fine fish and they are more often sought on medium or even lightweight tackle baited with live yabbies, bardi grubs, shrimp or small, live fish. Murray cod respond actively to lures, especially if visibility through the water exceeds 30 centimetres or so. Deep-diving plugs, metal spoons, spinnerbaits and bladed spinners all work well. A slow, steady retrieve or walking-pace troll is best.

Eating Qualities:

Murray cod are regarded as one of our best outback table fish. The flavour of smaller fish is excellent, especially those taken from clearer streams. However, they tend to be rather oily or fatty at weights over about 15 or 20 kg, and fish from very dirty water may have a muddy taint to their flesh. In deference to their increasing scarcity, many sport fishermen release most of their catch, keeping only the occasional fish for the table. In many areas there is a closed season to protect spawning cod; usually from September until the end of November.

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