EACH year, the Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) undertakes many fish surveys across Victoria, which are summarised in Native Fish Report Cards. They are an accessible source of information on the fish populations in key waterways, focusing on species with recreational and conservation value.
The Native Fish Report Cards are brief overviews of the health of target fish populations, which present survey summaries and three key indicators. These indicators are: evidence of recent recruitment to the population, presence of multiple size classes and presence of mature fish. Yearly fish surveys, conducted by ARI, record the numbers of fish caught, length and weight of the largest fish caught.
Priority rivers and fish species were determined for each catchment management authority and the Melbourne Water region following extensive consultation. The report cards are updated each year.
Read the report cards here: www.ari.vic.gov.au/research/field-techniques-and-monitoring/native-fish-report-card-program
