Today is National Threatened Species Day.

This provides a great opportunity to reflect on the make-up of Lutruwita / Tasmania’s unique freshwater fish fauna. Inland waterways in the State are inhabited by 27 native fish species, of which 13 species (nearly half, 48 per cent) are considered threatened (i.e. listed under State and/or national threatened species legislation). Most of these threatened species – all except Australian grayling – belong to the family Galaxiidae and are relatively small in size, typically growing to <150 mm in length.

The presence of these threatened fish species in Lutruwita / Tasmania is due to the geology and climate history of the State, with many species have evolved in only a small number of waterbodies, such as the Pedder galaxias in Lake Pedder, and saddled galaxias in Arthurs Lake and Woods Lake.

The IFS has a long history of monitoring, studying and managing threatened fish species in the State. Some of this work through the 1990s and 2000s was undertaken in accordance with consecutive Recovery Plans that focused on species which, at the time, needed critical management actions. More recently, the IFS has incorporated long-term monitoring of populations of threatened fish into its routine work and uses (and shares) the results of the monitoring to support the management of fish species, fisheries and waterways. Balancing productive recreational fisheries and healthy populations of threatened fish species is a key part of IFS’s approach to fisheries management.

The IFS also collaborates with other organisations (e.g. CSIRO, Forest Practices Authority, NRE Tas, NRM South and University of Tasmania) to continue to enhance knowledge about threatened fish species Lutruwita / Tasmania. Through these collaborations, the IFS and its partners seek to address current and emerging management issues, such as increasing demand for water resources, barriers to fish passage, degradation of freshwater habitats, climate change effects and impacts from pest fish species.

Anglers and people who recreate in and around waterways can help look after threatened fish species by:

• Not moving fish species between waterways
• Looking after freshwater habitats
• Cleaning and drying fishing gear between uses in different waterways
• Not disturbing threatened fish species