Environmental Projects

The Service provides advice on a range of environmental issues relating to inland fisheries management, including artificial in-stream barriers (dams, weirs and culverts), habitat destruction and restoration, ecological studies, and water quality degradation and assessment.  A main focus is to provide specific and technical advice to other government agencies, the private sector and community groups regarding fisheries management requirements. Specific technical advice is given to Rivercare, Landcare and other community groups in relation to fish, fisheries and fish habitat.

Degradation of freshwater habitat

As a result of poor land and waterway practices over the last century, many of the states waterways and river fisheries are now in a degraded state. .
Examples of the degradation of  waterways includes:

• habitat loss both within the waterways and along the edges (riparian zones);
• alterations in natural flow regimes;
• contaminants entering waterways;
• erosion of riverbanks and scouring of river beds;
• instream barriers have been erected; and
• introduction of non-native plant species.

By adopting sound land and river use practices, land managers can reduce the impact on the environment and specifically, freshwater habitats. Such practices include:

• leaving an adequate natural buffer strip along the rivers edge (riparian zone);
• leaving snags within the rivers, or realigning them if necessary;
• ensuring streambanks remain intact to minimising erosion;
• not introducing any fish into the river;
• fencing stock out of the rivers;
• planting appropriate native vegetation along rivers; and
• reducing or eliminate contaminants entering the rivers.

Many fish and invertebrates are very sensitive to the degradation that has taken place around them. Examples include:

• removing riparian and instream habitat, which removes fish shelter, spawning material and food sources;
• changing water flows which can de-water preferred habitat also making fish more susceptible to predation;
• contaminants directly killing fish and invertebrates;
• erosion adds sediments that can smother eggs and kill some species;
• erecting instream barriers can reduce fish movements and eliminate migrations; and
• introduced plants can ‘choke’ waterways.