Breeding life back into the Barka
Discover how the Menindee community and Barkindji people united in the care of native fish species.
As thousands of native fish lay perishing along the banks of the Darling River in February 2019, vigilant members of the Menindee community discovered a glimmer of hope. Downstream from the township, below Weir 32, 20 large Murray Cod were stranded in isolated pools. The fish were still alive, significantly stressed and at high risk of dying.
DPI staff from the Narrandera Fisheries Centre were dispatched to assess the scene. Concerned locals, fishers and Aboriginal elders gathered in anticipation as it was determined the fish would be rescued in nets one-by-one, placed into fish tanks on specialist trucks and transported to the Narrandera Fisheries Centre to recover.
Over the course of the month, 17 Golden Perch and 24 Silver Perch were also retrieved.
Amidst the devastation of the large-scale loss of fish, the rescues sparked optimism for the survival of native fish species and unified the Menindee community in their care.
Breeding life back into the Barka.
A priceless resource, DPI were committed to preserving each of the native fish species impacted. Once boasting full health, a breeding program was established to rehabilitate the dwindling fish populations.
Over 2019 and early 2020, 136,000 fingerlings were harvested from the 10 pairs of Murray Cod rescued in February 2019. The ongoing drought resulted in unsuitable conditions in the Darling River, occasioning the fingerlings to be restocked across the southern half of the basin.
However by late 2020 favourable conditions had returned to the Darling River and additional 250,000 Murray Cod fingerlings were thriving at the Fisheries Centre. On 7 December 2020, DPI and members of the Menindee and Barkindji communities released 60,000 fingerlings into the waters of the Barka.
Watch as Narrandera Fisheries Centre Manager Matt McLellan provides an insight into the fish rescue and breeding program.
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