Priorities Action Statement - Actions for Eastern Freshwater Cod

Recovery Actions

Collate and review existing information

• Prepare strategic habitat protection/restoration plan (High priority).

Community and stakeholder liaison, awareness and education

• Enhance advisory activities (High priority).
• Encourage community involvement in the implementation of the recovery plan (High priority).

Compliance / enforcement

• Reduce or prevent fishing induced mortality (High priority).
• Reduce impacts of fishing on pre-spawning fish (High priority).
• Maximise compliance with fishing regulations (High priority).

Habitat protection

• Ensure the security of the existing population of Eastern Freshwater Cod (High priority).

Habitat rehabilitation

• Ensure that the risk of degradation of existing Eastern Freshwater Cod habitat is minimized (High priority).
• Identify, protect and enhance potential habitats in other areas within the previous natural range of Eastern Freshwater Cod with a view to re-establishing viable populations (High priority).
• Identify suitable sites to re-establish Eastern Freshwater Cod populations (Medium priority).

Research / monitoring

• Biology, ecology, distribution and habitat requirements (High priority).
• Undertake long term monitoring (High priority).
• Evaluate genetic status (High priority).

Survey / mapping

• Survey existing habitat in the Mann-Nymboida River sub-catchment and determine the key habitat requirements for Eastern Freshwater Cod (High priority).

Stocking / translocation

• Minimise risk from impact of genetically unsuitable Eastern Freshwater Cod (High priority).
• Maintain strict genetic management protocols for the breeding of Eastern Freshwater Cod (High priority).
• Optimise strategic conservation stocking program (High priority).
• Identify suitable sites to re-establish Eastern Freshwater Cod populations (Medium priority).

*(NB: the PAS actions for Eastern Freshwater Cod are taken from the approved NSW recovery plan for the species).