The Macquarie Perch is a native fish in danger of becoming extinct. Photo: NSW Fisheries Facebook.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development (DPIRD) has launched eight new purpose-built aquaculture ponds for endangered Macquarie Perch breeding at Narrandera Fisheries Centre, funded by Snowy Hydro under the Snowy 2.0 Threatened Fish Management Plan.
The centre is a research and aquaculture facility located next to the Murrumbidgee River.
Macquarie Perch are oval-shaped native freshwater fish whose numbers have been in sharp decline since the mid-20th century.
“I could envision that within my lifetime they could disappear,” research scientist Dr Dean Gilligan warned five years ago.
Under a new plan, DPIRD Fisheries will expand captive breeding of Macquarie Perch to allow for the reintroduction of the species into protected habitats and to boost the genetic diversity of populations in the wild, including in the Murrumbidgee River below Tantangara Dam.
Senior Fisheries Manager Luke Pearce said the additional eight ponds were designed to build the department’s capacity for the expanded captive breeding program.
“Our goal is to build a more resilient Macquarie Perch population to help this endangered native fish recover and hopefully thrive into the future,” Mr Pearce said.
“In order to do that, the captive breeding program at Narrandera is critical so we can maintain and improve Macquarie Perch populations in the wild.
“These ponds will increase our production capacity by expanding our ability to house, maintain and grow Macquarie Perch in both indoor and outdoor ponds, in a controlled hatchery environment.
“There are very few Macquarie Perch populations persisting in the wild, so it’s important that we have the ability to improve and monitor the gene pool. These new ponds will increase our ability to do that.”
Snowy Hydro CEO Dennis Barnes said Snowy Hydro was pleased to support the work to recover Macquarie Perch.
“We are pleased to work collaboratively with NSW DPIRD Fisheries to carry out the associated monitoring and research that will improve the resilience of Macquarie Perch in both the catchments where Snowy 2.0 will operate and also across the state,” Mr Barnes said.
“Beyond delivering positive environmental outcomes, Snowy 2.0, with a design life of 150 years, will underpin Australia’s clean energy future by storing excess wind and solar power and delivering it to homes and businesses across the grid when it’s needed most.”
Macquarie Perch are listed as an endangered species so targeting them is illegal. If any Macquarie Perch are caught incidentally, they must be promptly returned to the water. Any incidental captures or sightings can be reported on the Threatened Species Reporting Form online, which will help DPIRD Fisheries to continue to manage the population.
