Murray catchment now more fish friendly

The Murray Catchment is now more fish friendly thanks to work by the Murray Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

Fish are now able to migrate between previously isolated habitats because several structures blocking their passage have been removed as part of the Murray Catchment Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project.

The Murray CMA provided $50 000 and NSW DPI $21 000 through in-kind resources such as project management for the restoration.

NSW DPI Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation Conservation Management Officer Jenny Fredrickson said native fish in the Murray-Darling Basin such as Murray cod, golden and silver perch migrate to feed, spawn and take shelter.

‘Structures such as dams, weirs, culverts, levee banks and road crossings can prevent fish moving between habitats to complete their lifecycles. By modifying or removing these structures we can reinstate opportunities for fish migration and give fish a helping hand,’ she said.

In December last year, the restoration project called for expressions of interest from landholders, local government, community groups, individuals and recreational fishing groups for projects to help restore fish passage.

‘These groups played a key role in identifying sites that were suitable for rehabilitation,’ Ms Fredrickson said.

‘Once we had identified and assessed a number of sites in the catchment, we chose several sites that were important for native fish and also of interest to the local community.’

The three sites chosen were Norman’s Lagoon at Albury, Smith’s Lagoon at Moulamein, and a wetland on the Murray River at Moama.

A fourth site at Wonga Wetlands, West Albury, has also been chosen for additional rehabilitation works, which will occur in the near future.

Ms Fredrickson said fish passage had been restored to Norman’s Lagoon, a billabong located between East Albury and the Murray River. A road crossing at the site was modified and now allows the passage of fish between the Murray River and the lagoon.

‘The lagoon is an important habitat area of high ecological value,’ she said.

‘The threatened southern pygmy perch, rare flat-headed galaxias and a rare water plant, the watershield, occur within Norman’s Lagoon.

‘The lagoon fills with water from the Murray River when the river flow reaches 18,000 megalitres a day. However, water flow and fish passage were restricted by the small pipe in the culvert that provides vehicle access over the lagoon.

‘The Murray CMA, NSW DPI and Albury City Council worked together to replace this culvert with a more fish-friendly box culvert.

‘The new crossing has been designed to provide flow and light and therefore allow fish to migrate between the Murray River and Norman’s Lagoon.’

Ms Fredrickson said fish could now also swim between Smith’s Lagoon and the Edward River at Moulamein, thanks to the removal of a block bank across the lagoon entrance.

‘The bank, originally installed as part of a pumping licence, was partially breached, but the structure remained a barrier to fish passage,’ she said.

‘The Murray CMA and NSW DPI removed the remaining sections of the bank and restored the lagoon entrance to allow the natural migration of several native fish species and their larvae.’

Ms Fredrickson said the removal of a block bank at a third site near Moama had restored flow and fish passage to a natural wetland.

‘The block bank was constructed across the entrance of the five-hectare wetland preventing flow from the Murray River Murray and restricting fish passage.

‘The Murray CMA and NSW DPI removed the block bank so that high river flows can enter the wetland,’ she said.

Media contact: Sarah Chester on 02 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669.

Photos available.