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Department of Primary Industries

Yarrawonga Fishway Trap


Fishway monitoring and research

To evaluate the effectiveness of newly constructed fishways and ensure compliance with the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (FMA), DPIRD Fisheries needs to ensure that specific monitoring and reporting requirements are addressed. Part of this requirement is to demonstrate that newly constructed fish passage infrastructure is passing the full range of species and size classes as per the agreed fishway design criteria.

Fishways must meet Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) requirements to ensure effective ongoing operation and compliance with s218 of the FMA.

Monitoring objectives

Operational and hydraulic objectives

Operational questions that require assessment include:

  • Is the fishway and weir / regulator being operated as per the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manual?
  • Do fishway and weir hydraulics (e.g. head differentials, water velocity, and water turbulence) meet design criteria throughout the fishway?
  • Are suitable attraction flows throughout the water column being provided to the fishway entrance and immediately downstream?

Biological objectives

It’s important to identify key biological questions related to fishway effectiveness which include:

  • What migratory native fish are present below the fishway?
  • Are migratory native fish able to effectively locate and enter the fishway entrance(s)?
  • Once in the fishway, are migratory native fish effectively ascending the fishway?
  • Are migratory native fish effectively exiting the fishway?
  • Is the fishway passing the target size range and species of native fish over the designed flow range?

These questions may be addressed through direct trapping of the fishway entrance and exits, trapping or electrofishing in the upstream and downstream waters surrounding the fishway, or by tagging fish using Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT) tags. PIT tags are inserted into the body cavity of captured fish. Fish are then released and a reader system within the fishway and at its entrance and exit records whether a fish has entered, moved through and exited a fishway.





A large cod is being held to show comparable size

Monitoring methodology

There are three types of fishway monitoring methods required to ensure effective ongoing operation and that ongoing compliance with s218 of the FMA is met. These include operational, hydraulic and biological monitoring, where activities within each methodology are implemented at different stages over the course of construction and the operation of a fishway. Construction monitoring is essential to ensure that a suitable fishway has been installed that meets FMA s218 obligations. Ongoing operational monitoring ensures that free fish passage is not obstructed and that necessary operational options are implemented when required.



 Fishway assessment and monitoring procedure methodology
Monitoring type Operational monitoring + Hydraulic monitoring + Biological monitoring
Monitoring technique Structural operation status logging   Fishway and weir / regulator discharge and hydraulic sampling   PIT tagging / fishway trapping / fish community sampling
Construction monitoring Dry and wet commissioning fishway design checks   Wet commissioning fishway design checks   Wet commissioning two fish migration seasons (Aug - Apr)
Operational monitoring
(ongoing) 		Weir and fishway gate operations reporting and three yearly reviews   Discharge, weir pool height, headwater level / tailwater level relationships reporting and three yearly reviews 

Lock 8 fishway exit trap being lifted as part of a fishway monitoring program. Fish captured are mostly Golden Perch / Yellowbelly.

Quick links

NSW Fishway assessment and monitoring procedure

Media and publications

Other monitoring and research

Connect with us

fish.passage@dpi.nsw.gov.au