Phase 1 - Fish Passage Assessment

A fish barrier is any obstacle that prevents fish movement either upstream or downstream and includes dams, weirs, floodgates, roads, bridges, causeways, culverts, bunds, tide gates and drop structures.These structures can form a physical, hydraulic or behavioural barrier to fish movement.  Waterways completely blocked by weeds,  where the dissolved oxygen of the water is reduced to zero can also form a barrier.  

Most fish need to move between habitat areas. Restrictions in fish movement can have significant impacts including affects on spawning migration, dispersal, gene flow and feeding. The congregation of fish in the vicinity of barriers can result in disease and predation. For those species which rely on upstream and downstream migration, fish barriers can result in local extinction.

Burdekin Dry Tropics Natural Resource Management and Alluvium Consulting are working together to undertake fish passage and assessment throughout the Burdekin Dry Tropics region. The key objectives of the project are as follows:

• To identify, map and collate relevant information on all ecologically significant fish barriers in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region;
• To examine the feasibility and risks associated with a removal or modification program for priority fish barriers;
• To determine the efficacy of barrier removal or modification in the protection of native fish species; and
• To prioritise fish barriers for removal or modification and to establish planning level cost estimates.
  

Phase 2 - Fish Passage Restoration

On ground works will be undertaken to restore fish movement through the priority barriers identified by the assessment study  in Phase 1.    

An agreed methodology for the identification, prioritisation and feasibility assessment of all ecological significant fish barriers in the Burdekin region was accepted by Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM from Alluvium Consulting.
A geographical information (GIS) based tool to assist in the identification and prioritisation process of fish passages is operational.
Community consultation is underway with meetings in Charters Towers, (6 August 2007)  Townsville (30 August 2007), Ayr and Bowen.   A draft  of the "Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM Region Fish Passage Study" will be available for community consultation in the near future.

Freshwater Fish of the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM Region

In 2007, Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM (BDTNRM) commissioned a study titled “Freshwater Fish Passages in the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM Region”. As part of that study the diversity and distribution of freshwater fish species was examined. The information for this report is from that study and is intended to provide an overview of the diversity and distribution of freshwater fish species in the Region. A recommended reading list is provided for readers wanting more detailed descriptions and information about individual species. Please click on the PDF file to download the report.

To click to download the latest version of the Freshwater Fish of the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM Region (PDF)

Project Identification Number: SWW3007

References

Allen, G R., Midgley, S H., Allen, M. (2002) FRESHWATER FISHES OF AUSTRALIA

Western Australian Museum . http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/18/pid/3139.htm

Burrows, D.W. (July 2002) Fish Stocking and the Distribution and Potential Impact of Translocated Fishes in Streams of  the Wet Tropics Region, Northern Queensland, Report to the Wet Tropics Management Authority, ACTFR Report No. 02/04. http://www.wettropics.gov.au/res/res_fish.html

Burrows, D., Veitch, V., Loong, D., Perna, C. & Butler, B. (June 2006) Monitoring of the Health and Fish Passage Issues of Healey’s Lagoon Following Removal of an Extensive Mat of Floating Aquatic Weeds. ACTFR Report No. 06/11. http://www.actfr.jcu.edu.au/idc/groups/public/documents/technical_report/jcudev_015427.pdf

Coterell, E. (1998) Fisheries Guidelines for the Design of Stream Crossings, Fisheries Group, Queensland Department of Primary Industries. http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/pdf/fishweb/fhg001.pdf

Environment Australia (2001) A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia. Third Edition, Environment Australia, Canberra. http://www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/environmental/wetlands/pubs/directory-prelims.pdf

Lymburner, L & Dowe, J. (2006) ACTFR Report No. 06/21 “A Component of the Coastal Catchments Initiative Report: Assessing the condition or riparian vegetation in the Burdekin Region catchment using satellite imagery and field surveys”. Australian Centre for Tropical freshwater Research, Townsville. http://www.actfr.jcu.edu.au/idc/groups/public/documents/technical_report/jcudev_015431.pdf

Perna, C. (November 2003) Fish Habitat Assessment and Rehabilitation in the Burdekin Delta Distributary Streams, ACTFR Report No. 03/22. http://www.actfr.jcu.edu.au/idc/groups/public/documents/technical_report/jcudev_015450.pdf

Pusey, B. J. (2005) Appendix H – Burdekin WRP - Freshwater Fish of the Burdekin River and Associated Drainages: Biodiversity, Distribution, Flow-related Ecology and Current Condition , River Research Pty. Ltd.

Pusey, B. Kennard, M. Arthington, A. (2004) Freshwater Fishes of North-eastern Australia, CSIRO Publishing. http://www.publish.csiro.au/

Veitch, V. & Sawynok, B. (January 2005) Freshwater Wetlands and Fish: Importance of Freshwater Wetlands to Marine Fisheries Resources in the Great Barrier Reef, Sunfish Queensland Inc. http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/key_issues/water_quality/wetlands

Veitch, V. & Burrows, D. (November 2006) Fish Passage Issues of Healey’s Lagoon Following Investigation of Water Quality Issues Impacting on Fish Migration, ACTFR Report No. 06/22. http://www.actfr.jcu.edu.au/idc/groups/public/documents/technical_report/jcudev_015432.pdf

Willett, D., Erler, D. & Knibb, W (March 2002) INFLUENCE OF NATIVE FISH ON WATER QUALITY AND WEED GROWTH IN CANE FARM IRRIGATION CHANNELS: A PILOT SCALE STUDY, prepared for the South Burdekin Water Board by Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre. http://www.clw.csiro.au/lbi/publications/FinFish_Final_Report.pdf

Unmack, P.J., 2001. Biogeography of Australian freshwater fishes. Journal of Biogeography 28: 1053–1089.

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2699.2001.00615.x?prevSearch=allfield%3A%28Biogeography+of+Australian+freshwater+fishes%29