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Australian Native Fish

Many native fish species within the Murray-Darling Basin have declined dramatically in distribution and abundance. Declines in the population of fish species often occur suddenly. There is potential for the extinction of some species in the future. There is a need to take urgent action to reverse this trend of endangerment, for both individual species and fish communities as a whole. Research undertaken through the Native Fish Strategy has focused on identifying critical habitat for native species, and threats to the sustainability of their populations, so that we can take action to recover them. Areas of high conservation value have been identified with this work informing environmental water plans and other regional conservation activities. Here are some examples and informative videos on our native fish species:

Galaxias Rostratus
Big Murray cod. Photo credit: Jamin Forbes

Forecasting of future fish population trends and the implementation of actions to reverse trends towards endangerment is an area for ongoing work.  While it is important that specific legislative requirements are provided to manage species under threat, it is also important to recognise that appropriate management arrangements for all fish need to be implemented. Further, it is easier and more economical to maintain healthy populations than it is to restore depleted populations.

Native fish stories

Victoria’s zombie fish are back from the dead, and there are plans underway to return the species to its former range throughout the Murray Corridor. But first, let’s meet this zombie fish! The southern purple-spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa - pictured above) is a small, colourful, and native floodplain specialist fish. Once widespread in wetlands, lakes,
An aerial photograph of Lake Eildon Spillway on an overcast day.
Native fish in Australia are hardy, having adapted over millennia to live in one of the driest continents on Earth. However, research shows that even the hardiest of native fish species aren’t immune to the effects of human changes to natural environments. River regulation, in particular, alters aquatic ecosystems significantly, changing the natural environment and