DURING a routine survey to see how fish are faring in the Ovens River, scientists from the Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) detected small Macquarie perch, a species once considered locally extinct there.
These findings are an encouraging sign in the recovery of this threatened species.
The Macquarie perch is listed as a threatened under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, and nationally endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
It’s now looking like the Macquarie perch may live to swim another day in the Ovens River, thanks to a stocking program of fingerlings produced by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) and sub adults being translocated from Lake Dartmouth.
The Ovens River is a “Demonstration Reach”, where government agencies and the community have been working together to carry out multiple works to rehabilitate the river and its fish. Murray cod, trout cod and Macquarie perch are all benefitting from this great work of many partners working together.
The local community, North East Catchment Management Authority, DELWP ARI, VFA and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority are all playing a role in protecting and enhancing the fish community in this beautiful river.
Learn more about how we can protect the Macquarie Perch HERE.
