Life release

"Life release" refers to the Buddhist tradition of saving animals from slaughter as a compassionate act. There are guidelines you need to follow during life release practices.

Releasing aquatic animals can sometimes be harmful. It can impact the animal being released or the native animals already in the waterways.

It's illegal to release fish into any public water, rivers, lakes or ponds. You need a permit to release any fish in the ACT.

Species that won’t survive a life release

Not all fish are appropriate for life release. Many fish sold in Canberra’s fish markets and restaurants won't survive a life release.

• Non-native and saltwater fish as these species won't survive outside of their natural ecosystem.
• Most freshwater fish as these species are at risk if the water is too cold, too warm, has the wrong water quality or is missing their main food source.
• Native fish that have been raised in captivity are unlikely to survive because they haven't learnt to source food or escape from predators.

Fish that do survive in the wild can harm other native fish and animals. These include species threatened with extinction. Life released fish may:

• have diseases that can spread to wild native fish
• eat, fight, or take the breeding spots of native fish
• become pests that we'll need to control.

Species suitable for life release

Golden Perch and Murray Cod are the only 2 species you can release in Canberra's lakes. These fish species are both native to the ACT and are likely to survive and breed. Young fish less than 15 cm long are more likely to survive than older fish.

Accredited suppliers

You can release fish into ACT waters if it’s sourced from an accredited hatchery under the NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) Hatchery Quality Assurance Scheme (HQAS). This ensures fish have the best chance of survival and helps to keep Canberra's lakes and ponds healthy. These hatcheries also supply fish for restaurants.

Currently, the only accredited hatchery for this region is Uarah Fisheries, in Grong Grong, NSW.

Apply for a permit

If you'd like to release fish you have sourced yourself, you can apply for a free permit if the fish:

• meet the suitable species criteria
• are from a HQAS accredited supplier
• will be released into an approved waterway.

Apply for a permit to release your fish. If approved, you'll be told where you can release the fish in the ACT.

You'll need additional permits to release fish into:

• Lake Burley Griffin – contact the National Capital Authority (NCA) for a permit
• Googong Reservoir and the Queanbeyan River – apply for an additional permit from the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Releasing fish without a permit is illegal. If you release fish illegally, you may be fined up to $5,000, sentenced to a 6-month imprisonment, or both.

Contact