Priorities Action Statement - Actions for Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish

Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish - a prickly character - Note the large overall size and spines on the clawsFitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish - a prickly character - Note the large overall size and spines on the claws
© Justin Stanger

Recovery Actions

Advice to consent and determining authorities

  • Provide information on the distribution of the Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish to local councils and determining authorities to ensure appropriate consideration during development assessment processes (High priority).

Collate and review existing information

  • Compile existing information on Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish and identify knowledge gaps for the purpose of targeting future research activities (High priority).
  • Collate data on the historical distribution of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish including anecdotal and indigenous knowledge (Low priority).

Community and stakeholder liaison, awareness and education

  • Implement education initiatives to improve awareness of the status of the Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish and ways to minimise impacts on the species by preparing and distributing appropriate advisory material (High priority).
  • Install signs and/or interpretive displays at appropriate locations to assist with identification and awareness of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish (High priority).
  • Encourage community reporting of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish via the NSW DPI Threatened and Pest Species Sightings Program online form (Medium priority).
  • Foster long-term, two-way knowledge transfer and capacity building to enhance the role of indigenous ecological knowledge in the recovery of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish (Low priority).

Compliance / enforcement

  • Maximise compliance activities at identified important sites (High priority).

Enhance, modify or implement NRM planning processes to minimise adverse impacts on threatened species

  • Negotiate with relevant authorities to encourage the identification, assessment, and modification of natural resource management plans and policies to minimise impacts on Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish habitats and water quality (Low priority).

Habitat protection

  • Protect the few remaining sites with the potential to support the species and address key threats such as habitat modification (Medium priority).

Habitat rehabilitation

  • Undertake work to identify, restore and protect known and potential Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish habitats and address key threats such as habitat degradation and loss (High priority).
  • Actively seek funds through grant schemes or other sources to implement riparian vegetation and water quality improvement projects in priority areas (High priority).
  • Undertake priority rehabilitation, restoration and enhancement work at key sites known to support Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish populations (High priority).

Pest eradication and control

  • Investigate and implement integrated management of introduced species in and adjacent to identified Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish habitats and take action to prevent the spread of introduced species into these habitats (High priority).

Research / monitoring

  • Conduct research on the biology and ecology of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish, particularly the species' ecological role, environmental tolerances, factors influencing population dynamics, age and growth, life cycle and diet (High priority).
  • Determine the nature of interactions and impact of Cherax destructor on the Fitzroy Falls spiny crayfish population (High priority).
  • Undertake research to identify, prioritise and improve understanding of the threatening processes and causes of decline of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish (High priority).
  • Actively seek grants or investor partnerships to fund research and monitoring programs for Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish (High priority).
  • Obtain and analyse genetic material from remnant populations of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish to identify genetic units to inform conservation breeding or translocation (High priority).
  • Monitor populations of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish over time to assess trends in abundance and distribution and to identify emerging threatening processes (Medium priority).
  • Undertake research to determine the viability of Cherax destructor exclusion devices (Medium priority).
  • Actively encourage community involvement in aspects of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish recovery including for example, research and monitoring programs (Low priority).

Stocking / translocation

  • Undertake emergency rescues of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish in response to droughts, oil spills/ pollution, detection of biosecurity threats (e.g. disease or pests), or to avoid other detrimental impacts (High priority).
  • Implement the NSW Freshwater Fish Stocking Fishery Management Strategy to prevent significant impacts from stocking on Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish populations (High priority).

Survey / mapping

  • Conduct targeted surveys to determine the current distribution and abundance of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish (High priority).
  • Collect data on the presence/absence of Fitzroy Falls Spiny Crayfish during incidental surveys (Medium priority).
  • Conduct targeted sampling at stocked sites to assess the status of stocked populations including growth and recruitment rates (Low priority).