Fish friendly crossings are waterway crossings which are designed to minimise impacts on native fish. Waterway crossings such as bridges, roads, causeways, and culverts provide access for road vehicles, rail, pedestrians and stock movement. However, such structures can impact on the free passage of fish if they are not designed to cater for migrating fish.

Just as waterways vary in their size and shape, so too do waterway crossings. Not surprisingly, the potential impact of these crossings on fish passage can vary as much as the structures themselves. Even ‘fish friendly’ crossings can impact on fish, therefore a primary objective of strategic planning should be to minimise the number of crossings. All new crossings should be designed to minimise impacts on fish. In addition, existing crossings should be removed or rehabilitated to allow fish passage.

Two examples of road crossings with poor fish passage for migrating fish

Fish friendly crossing projects

In 2003, NSW DPI was successful in obtaining funding from the NSW Environmental Trust and the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority to identify, prioritise and remediate problem road crossings. The projects have established partnerships with local councils to create databases of problem causeways and road crossings that are barriers to fish passage. A number of demonstration projects are being progressed to highlight best practice techniques in remediation of road crossings to improve fish passage.

Reducing the impact of road crossings on environmental flows, water quality and fish passage in coastal NSW.

This project was carried out by the NSW DPI and funded by the NSW Environmental Trust Program.

• Reducing the impact of road crossings on aquatic habitat in coastal waterways - Hawkesbury-Nepean, NSW  1.6 mb
  
• Reducing the impact of road crossings on aquatic habitat in coastal waterways - Hunter/Central Rivers, NSW  1.5 mb
  
• Reducing the impact of road crossings on aquatic habitat in coastal waterways - Northern Rivers, NSW  7.3 mb
  
• Reducing the impact of road crossings on aquatic habitat in coastal waterways - Southern Rivers, NSW  1.9 mb
  
• Policies and guidelines for fish friendly road crossings
  

Bringing Back The Fish

NSW DPI is continuing with efforts to bring fish back to the State’s coastal catchments through improving access to high quality habitats. Funded by the five coastal Catchment Management Authorities, NSW DPI will target the removal and remediation of high priority barriers to migrating fish from Eden in the south to Tweed Heads in the north.

Bringing Back the Fish aims to enhance aquatic ecosystems in coastal NSW by restoring stream connectivity and rehabilitating aquatic habitats. High priority instream barriers in each coastal CMA region will be targeted for modification to provide fish passage. Rehabilitation of a key aquatic habitat will also be undertaken in each region. Moreover, key stakeholders including recreational and commercial fishermen, local councils, State government departments, and water management authorities will be approached to develop partnerships and transfer knowledge across the region about fish friendly crossings.