Fish habitat work continues across NSW

The State Government today announced 14 new projects across NSW to improve fish habitat, which will boost recreational angling and also repair environmental damage.

The projects cover a range of popular fishing spots, including around Brewarrina, Condobolin, Wagga Wagga, the Hawkesbury and the Parramatta River.

This freshwater fish habitat work worth more than $110,000 will be funded by recreational anglers, through their licence fee – another example of anglers’ money working for them.

In total, the 14 projects will rehabilitate about 70 hectares of floodplain and freshwater wetlands; improve fish passage along 200km of river, re-snag 17km of river and improve more than 40km of river through weed removal and restoring vegetation.

Fish populations are a good indication of the general health of our waterways; so improving the ability of our fish to survive, breed and migrate is important for all aquatic biodiversity.

Unfortunately, habitat has been removed or damaged over many decades which has resulted in less fish, poorer water quality, erosion and weed infestations.

The Recreational Fishing Freshwater trust, which distributes funds raised from recreational fishing licences, had set aside $300,000 over three years to rehabilitate freshwater fish habitats.

Today’s announcement is the third and final allocation from that three-year commitment.

Freshwater fish such as silver perch, golden perch, Murray cod, eastern freshwater cod, freshwater catfish and Australian bass will benefit directly from this rehabilitation work. 

The Government also recognises the contribution of community groups, individuals, councils and other agencies, which are matching the recreational angling funding dollar-for-dollar.

Recreational angling is the backbone of many of these communities, stimulating the local economy and bringing jobs and investment to the local area.

For more details on the funding allocations under the Freshwater Habitat Grant Program, see the table below.


Applicant

Title

Location

Proposal Summary

Funds Awarded

Nidgery Weir Trust

Bogan River Fish Passage Enhancement

Bogan Catchment near Brewarrina

Enhance fish passage past Nidgery Weir using a rock ramp fishway. 150km of unimpeded fish passage will be created.

$8,600.00

Greening Australia

South Creek riparian revegetation and resnagging

Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment

Restore vegetation following the removal of a weir, including re-snagging along 7km of South Creek.

$10,000.00

Murrumbidgee Wetlands Working Group

Murrumbidgee River Billabong (Twynams Lagoon) rehabilitation

Murrumbidgee Catchment west of Hay

Reinstate a wetting and drying cycle to a permanently inundated Billabong of 6.5ha. To improve vegetation including water-stressed river redgum populations.

$10,000.00

Conservation volunteers Australia

Old Man Creek Habitat Rehabilitation

Murrumbidgee Catchment west of Wagga Wagga

Restoration of fish habitat along Old Man Creek.  Works are to include resnagging to provide habitat and encourage natural scouring of silted pools; as well as revegetation along river banks.

$10,000.00

PF & BJ Conallin Farming Enterprises

Habitat Rehabilitation of the Wakool and Edwards Rivers

Lachlan and Murrumbidgee catchments near Deniliquin

Rehabilitate vegetation, manage weeds, restore fencing, restore natural river snags; covering a total area of 30ha.

$8,000.00

Molong fishing Club/Cabonne Shire Council

Molong Creek habitat rehabilitation

Macquarie River Catchment near Molong

Re-snagging with large woody debris and weed removal along approximately 1.5 km of Molong Creek including some public access areas.

$5,500.00

Mid-Lachlan and Wallamundry Creek Water Users

Goobang, Bumbuggin and Little Lachlan Creeks willow removal

Lachlan Catchment near Condobolin

Willow maintenance and revegetation along river banks of sites which were funded previously under Round 2 of the Freshwater Fish Habitat Grant Program.

$5,000.00

Wetland Care Australia

West Coraki wetland rehabilitation

Richmond Catchment near Coraki

Provide fish passage and restore natural flooding between the wetland and the freshwater section of the estuary, covering more than 68ha.

$10,000.00

NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers

Freshwater Fisher - special publication

Will be distributed throughout NSW

Publish and distribute a special edition of a NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers Magazine which promotes community involvement in fish habitat repair work.  This project will help promote aquatic habitat rehabilitation as a tool for boosting native fish populations. It will also help recreational fishing groups become involved in these kinds of projects. The magazine will be distributed across the State.

$2,980.00

Byron Shire Council

Brunswick River fish passage remediation

Brunswick Catchment in Mullumbimby

Remove an old causeway and replace it with a bridge at a high priority location on the Brunswick River.  Approximately 25km of unimpeded fish passage within the Brunswick River will be created.

$10,000.00

Glen Innes Severn shire

Severn River fish passage remediation

Border Rivers Catchment near Deepwater

Create more than 33km of unimpeded fish passage within the Severn River by removing a defunct pipe crossing and replacing it with a boxed culvert. More than 5km of riverbank will also be cleared of weeds.

$10,000.00

Parramatta City Council

Parramatta River fish passage remediation

Parramatta river catchment, Sydney

Provide fish passage at Kiosk Weir within the Parramatta River.  This is one of four fishways proposed for the Parramatta River, which will open up an extra 5km of river in total to fish passage, as they move from freshwater to saltwater.

$5,000.00

Wentworth Shire council

Thegoa lagoon fish passage enhancement

River Murray catchment near Wentworth

Construct fish passage at the western end of Thegoa lagoon, which will allow fish and water flows back into the Lagoon.  Previous funding has looked at design options and this funding will allow on-ground works to begin.

$5,000.00

Narrandera Fishing and Bowling club

Lake Talbot Research

Murrumbidgee River catchment near Narrandera

Investigate the number and types of fish lost each year when Lake Talbot is drained at the end of the irrigation season and assist with proper screening mechanisms. Public access and recreational fishing will also be improved.

$10,000.00