Helping our native fish navigate the Murrumbidgee - Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate - Environment

Helping our native fish navigate the Murrumbidgee

Helping fish navigate the Murrumbidgee

The Tharwa Fish Habitat Project rehabilitated part of the river to help native fish thrive. The area had been degraded since the 1800s by land clearing, erosion, competition from non-native fish, and water extraction.

A Review of Current Knowledge

The fish fauna of the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment is relatively depauperate with only 12 native finfish species recorded, of which two species (Shortfinned Eel and Freshwater Catfish) are present as a result of translocation from other drainages. The Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment also has nine alien finfish species present although only seven have established reproducing population, with Atlantic Salmon and Brook Char being maintained by stocking.

The distribution, abundance and general ecology of these native and alien finfish species (as well as the large crustacean Murray River Crayfish) is presented, along with information on conservation status (National and local), species declines, and potential threats. A summary of stocking locations is also provided where applicable.

An annotated bibliography of fish investigations carried out in the Upper Murrumbidgee Catchment has been compiled and is presented as an Appendix, along with a glossary of terms used.

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