Current projects on Olive Perchlet

Conservation stocking

DPI have commenced a conservation stocking program for the endangered western population of the Olive Perchlet. In 2019, several hundred of these small freshwater fish were rescued from drying pools and and relocated to the DPI hatcheries at Narrandera and Grafton where they are now part of a captive breeding program.

Stocking commenced in April 2021, where over 7,000 captive bred Olive Perchlet juveniles were released into the upper Macquarie River catchment as a first step towards recovery of this iconic fish.

Twelve months on, and a further 25,000 Olive Perchlet were released in March 2022.

The aim of this restocking program is to establish a new population in the Macquarie Catchment. The stocked fish will be monitored over time to determine the success of the program.

Olive Perchlet fingerlings being released Olive Perchlet fingerlings prior to release

Olive Perchlet habitat

Captive-bred Olive Perchlet were also restocked back into the Gwydir River Valley in Northern NSW in June 2021 in an effort to support a number of populations across their former range. Over the coming years, Olive Perchlet will continue to be part of a conservation stocking program to increase the distribution and abundance of the western population, key to their long-term recovery.

Olive Perchlet stocking into the Gwydir Valley (Photo: L. Tosetto)

See Olive Perchlet for more information about the species.