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Feral fish fight goes online

ANGLERS can now record evidence of pest fish in their local area with FeralFishScan, a new interactive website to support a whole of catchment approach to pest fish management in local waterways.

FeralFishScan was launched this week on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River by the ACT Minister for the Environment Simon Corbell. It is initially being trialled in the upper Murrumbidgee with a view to launching nationally in the future.

Dr Dean Gilligan, the Invasive Animals CRC (IACRC) Inland Water Pests Program Leader at the NSW Department of Primary Industries, said, “Anyone can use FeralFishScan to record where they see pest fish such as Carp, Redfin perch or Gambusia.”

“Pest fish cause enormous damage to aquatic ecosystems, compete with native fish species for food and habitat and impact on recreational fishing activities. We need to do all we can to combat their spread.”

“FeralFishScan data will be used to address knowledge gaps about the regional distribution, habitat preferences and populations of pest fish, as well as the impacts of pest fish on our river systems.”

“Information recorded by the community through FeralFishScan will be used to map pest fish hotspots, assist with catchment and river restoration activities and help identify opportunities for targeted pest fish control. Data will also help important research including the IACRC’s carp biocontrol project.”

“The community can have a vital role to play in pest fish management using this online tool,” Dr Gilligan said.

The website has been developed by the IACRC as part of the national FeralScan initiative, which is a community surveillance program used to gather evidence and impacts of pest species online to help better focus pest management control efforts.

Mobile device users can also access FeralFishScan enabling people to record evidence of pest fish while in the field.

FeralFishScan has been developed in a partnership between the IACRC, NSW Department of Primary Industries, ACT Government, Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch, Bush Heritage Australia, University of Canberra and the Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach.

For more information about FeralFishScan, visit www.feralfishscan.org.au.

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