Download Threatened fish of the Lachlan

Biodiversity
1
Threatened fish of the Lachlan
In the Lachlan catchment, 23 species of native fish
and 6 species of introduced fish have been recorded;
7 of these recorded native species are listed as
threatened in NSW waters. Historical records show
that all of these species were once present throughout
the entire catchment. Threatening processes such as
habitat degradation and removal, the loss of aquatic
plants, and competition and predation from introduced
species have resulted in the severe decline of these
species.
Olive Perchlet
(Ambassis agassizii)
(Western pop)
Listed as Endangered under
the Fisheries Management
Act 1994. A small fish (6Olive Perchlet
© Gunther Schmida
8cm) with an oval-shaped
body and a moderately large mouth, very large eyes
and a forked tail; they are usually semi-transparent.
Inhabits vegetated edges of waterways swamps and
lakes that have woody habitat, aquatic vegetation and
little or no flow.
Purple Spotted
Gudgeon
colour along the back, with distinguishing markings
and yellow fins. Found at the bottom of slow moving
waterways and billabongs with aquatic vegetation
and deep habitat.
Murray Hardyhead
(Craterocephalus
fluviatilis)
Listed as Endangered under
the Fisheries Management
Murray Hardyhead
Act 1994. A small fish (7cm)
© Gunther Schmida
that can be silver to dark
gold in colour. Eyes and gill covers are bright silver,
and the scales are almost circular and barely overlap.
Found in the margins of lakes, wetlands and billabongs
and prefers open water with shallow slow flowing or
still habitats with sand or silt bases.
Protecting threatened fish species - what
can you do?
•
Maintain and improve the native riparian vegetation
along water courses, lakes and billabongs.
•
Leave large woody debris in rivers and streams.
•
Be responsible and aware when hook and line
fishing, especially in areas important to the survival
of threatened fish.
•
Never introduce fish to waterways outside their
natural range.
(Mogurnda adspersa)
(western pop)
Listed as Endangered under
Purple Spotted Gudgeon
the Fisheries Management
© Gunther Schmida
Act 1994. Small (7-12cm)
and robust fish with a rounded head, a relatively small
mouth and a rounded tail; generally dark chocolate in
www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au
Biodiversity
2
Threatened fish of the Lachlan
Macquarie Perch
(Macquaria australasica)
Listed as Vulnerable under
the Fisheries Management
Act 1994. A large (up to 45cm),
elongated, oval-shaped fish
Macquarie Perch
© Pat Tully
with large eyes and a rounded
tail. Macquarie perch from the Murray-Darling Basin
are black, silver-grey, blue-grey or green-brown in
colour, with a paler underside. A quiet, nocturnal species
found in the upper reaches of the Lachlan catchment.
Prefers areas with complex habitat including woody
debris, pebbles/stones and deep rock pools.
Silver Perch
(Bidyanus bidyanus)
Listed as Vulnerable under
the Fisheries Management
Act 1994.
A moderate
to large (30-40cm), oval
Silver Perch
© Pat Tully
shaped fish with a small
head that can become beak-like in larger individuals.
The colour can be grey, greenish, gold or silvery with
a white belly. Found in lowland waterways with slow
flowing, turgid waterways.
Murray Cod
(Maccullochella peelii
peelii)
Listed as Vulnerable under
the Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation
Murray Cod
© DPI
Act 1999. The largest
Australian freshwater fish (up to 1.8 m) with a broad,
depressed head, a rounded snout and a concave
forehead. Olive-green with small brown spots and
creamy white belly. Generally associated with deep
holes in rivers, prefers waterways with rocks, stumps,
fallen trees or undercut banks.
References:
1. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/species-protection/
conservation/what-current/endangered-populations
2. Lintermans, M. 2007, Fishes of the Murray Darling Basin:
An Introductory Guide, Murray Darling Basin Commission,
Canberra
Southern Pygmy
Perch
3. NSW DPI, 2006, The Identification, Assessment and
Prioritisation of Threatening Processes to the Aquatic
Environment of the Lower Lachlan Catchment. Report to the
Lachlan CMA. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Sydney,
NSW.
Listed as Vulnerable under
the Fisheries Management
Act 1994. A small fish (6.58.5cm), with a small mouth,
reaching to just below the
4. Images are from the relevant Department of Primary Industries
web-pages, and are copyright to the stated owner.
(Nannoperca australis)
Southern Pygmy Perch
© Jack Hannan
eye, and a rounded tail. Colour varies greatly depending
upon where the fish live, with the base colour ranging
from pale cream to green-brown. There are often
irregular markings on the sides, but these are also
very variable. Prefers slow-flowing or still waters, with
dense aquatic vegetation
www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au