The original text, written by Mark Lintermans and published by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority in 2007, was the first book of its kind, exclusively documenting the fishes of Australia’s largest river system.
Mark Lintermans is a freshwater fisheries ecologist with over 40 years of experience in fish research, management and policy development. His research focuses on the management and ecology of threatened freshwater fish and crayfish, and strategic intervention and mitigation to deal with aquatic threats.
Lintermans’ second edition of Fishes of the Murray–Darling Basin, published by the Australian River Restoration Centre, has been fully revised, incorporating new ecological information on existing and additional species accounts. The number of freshwater fish now known to occur in the Basin has increased from 57 species in the first edition to 63 species in the second edition.
One of these new species, the critically endangered stocky galaxias, was found to only occur in approximately 3 km of stream in Kosciuszko National Park. Since the release of the second edition of the book, the species has taken part in a successful captive breeding program which has seen a new population of more than 120 stocky galaxias released back into the Snowy Mountains.
The text contains detailed information on the identification, habitats, biology, and distribution of the Murray–Darling Basin’s native fish, and the current issues threating the Basin’s fish and aquatic ecosystems. The book is a guide for anyone interested or involved in the native life within our rivers and is a great resource to learn about the many unique species that inhabit the Basin’s waterways – from the iconic Murray cod to smaller species such as the galaxias, gudgeon, hardyhead and pygmy perch.
To complement the new edition of the book, a Fishes of the Murray–Darling Basin companion website has been developed. Immerse yourself in the world of the Murray–Darling Basin through this new resource and learn about key topics such as threats to native fish, native fish recovery, First Nations’ connections, and fish identification.
We supported this project with funds from the Native Fish Recovery Strategy, and also provided data mapping and scientific observations of native species.
The Native Fish Recovery Strategy is an Australian Government initiative developed in partnership with Basin state governments, First Nations, scientists and the wider community to complement water recovery and contribute to the environmental objectives of the Basin Plan, by providing greater benefits for native fish than water recovery alone. While the Strategy does not have regulatory or legislative power, it influences and contributes to a range of processes to aid native fish recovery – for example, supporting objectives set out under the Water Act 2007, threatened species legislation, the Basin Plan and State policies and laws.
Native fish education and awareness is one of many key actions of the Strategy, and the revision of Fishes of the Murray–Darling and development of its companion website is a great example of the kind of projects being undertaken to build community knowledge and contribute to the vital legacy of the Basin’s native fish.
This week is National Science Week! From 12 to 20 August, we are celebrating our involvement and contribution to the science of the Murray–Darling Basin. Learn more about our science and research activity.