A fish monitoring project near Menindee is returning interesting results, thanks to recent floods.
The project focuses on the Kinchega Homestead Billabong in the Kinchega National Park, which is rich in Aboriginal Culture as well as pastoral heritage following settlement.
During recent summer floods, water from the Darling (Baaka) filled the billabong for the first time since 2012. As the floods passed, the billabong disconnected from the river and has been slowly receding.
New South Wales Fisheries ecologist and coordinator of the Native Fish Recovery Strategy for the Lower Darling, Iain Ellis, identified the billabong as a likely refuge for native fish, and potentially for threatened species.
Iain joined with MDBA Regional Engagement officer, Richard Unsworth, MDBA Native Fish Recovery Team member Shelley Thompson, members of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Menindee Barkindji rangers to determine which species of fish inhabited the billabong.
Fyke nets were set in three areas of the billabong. While the team expected the catch to be dominated by pest carp, they were excited to also find dozens of native golden perch (yellow belly), ranging from small juveniles to 40 centimetres long adults. Native bony bream and spangled perch were also recorded.
The team is planning a follow-up survey in spring which will involve students from the local school.
The Kinchega billabong fish monitoring project is part of the Native Fish Recovery Strategy which recognises native fish are one part of a larger living, connected system.
The Murray–Darling Basin is home to 51 native freshwater fish species and an additional 17 fish species live in the estuary (The Coorong). Most of these species are unique to the Basin and are not found anywhere else in the world. This legacy relies on healthy connected rivers for generations.