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Environment
Environment
Industry
PROJECT NUMBER • 1985-063
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

Analysis of fish pricing in New South Wales: relationships between prices at auction and retail and between prices at Sydney and regional centres

In this Miscellaneous Bulletin a research project funded by the Fishing Industry Research Committee is reported. The aim of this project was to derive price spreads for the major fish species marketed in Sydney. Weekly auction-retail price spreads for fifteen categories of fish and two categories of...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Environment
Environment
People
Environment
PROJECT NUMBER • 2013-006
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED

The impact of habitat loss and rehabilitation on recruitment to the NSW eastern king prawn fishery

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) presents new information exploring the linkages between estuarine habitats and exploited species. Establishing linkages between fisheries and the habitats that support them is essential to the effective management and repair of marine and...
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
People

Coastal floodplain management in eastern Australia: barriers to fish and invertebrate recruitment in acid sulphate soil catchments

Project number: 1998-215
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $601,379.00
Principal Investigator: Bob Creese
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Project start/end date: 29 Jun 1999 - 30 Sep 2004
Contact:
FRDC

Need

Fish habitat in coastal floodplains will continue to degrade unless practical guidelines for improvement of water quality and management of floodgates and other tidal barriers to allow passage of fish and invertebrates are developed. This is being increasingly recognised by many decision making agencies. However, landholders will not change current management practises unless as a minimum, there will be no adverse effects to their productivity. Guidelines for change must be developed in an integrated manner with a focus on land, water, agriculture and fisheries if all industry groups are to accept the changes.

Recent studies by NSW Fisheries (some funded by FRDC) show that a change in coastal floodplain and wetland habitats from freshwater to estuarine and recruitment of fish and invertebrates to these modified habitats can be achieved by increasing the degree of “leakiness” in the floodgate barriers (Gibbs et al. 1997). However, no data are available on the relationship between fish and invertebrate recruitment and the opening size or the frequency and timing of the opening of these floodgate barriers.

A second issue is the long term impact of chronic acid drainage, which does not cause major fish kills but which may have less obvious effects on the recruitment of migratory and catadromous fish such as Australian bass, striped mullet, freshwater herring, eels and school prawns. The life history, behaviour and demography of the catadromous Australian bass shows it is susceptible to such an impact (Harris 1983,1989). The Basscatch program (Harris 1989) has expanded in recent years and the population collapse through recruitment failure of Australian bass in NSW rivers such as the Hastings and Manning is partially attributed to acid drainage (Harris pers comm).

The management of floodgates and floodplains to allow passage of fish and invertebrates and the development of stable faunal communities in previously alienated habitat above the structures significantly enhances fish and invertebrate stocks. The consequent protection of fish habitats and fish and invertebrate species supports biodiversity conservation and the habitat restoration can assist in the development of management plans under the relevant Threatened Species Legislation.

Gibbs, P., McVea, T. and Louden, B. (1997). Utilisation of restored wetlands by fish and invertebrates. FRDC Project 95/150 Final Report (In Preparation).

Harris, J. H. (1983). The Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata. Ph. D. Thesis UNSW.

Harris, J. H. (1988). Demography of Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata (Perciformes, Percichthyidae), in the Sydney basin. Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 39: 355-369.

Harris, J. H. (1989). Basscatch - A co-operative fisheries project. Modern Fishing 80-83.

Objectives

1. To develop guidelines for floodgate / tidal barrier specifications and management based on: (a) The relationship between recruitment of migratory and non-migratory fish and invertebrate species and the opening size of, and the frequency and timing of the opening of tidal barriers. (b) The impacts of changed hydrological conditions on watertable and water flows in associated agricultural land.
2. To assess the behaviour of catadromous fish to the tidal flows through openings in barriers and the behavioural response of recruiting juveniles to low level (chronic) concentrations of acid sulphate soil drainage water.
3. To develop and implement an extension program on the outcomes of the project, and to communicate the above guidelines to agricultural industry groups, local government and other agencies with interests in management of land and water resources in coastal floodplains using demonstration study areas and supporting literature.

Final report

Author: Bob Creese
Final Report • 2004-10-06 • 6.36 MB
1998-215-DLD.pdf

Summary

Estuarine habitats, and in particular coastal floodplains and wetlands, provide essential nursery habitat for a large number of fish and prawn species, many of which are commercially and recreationally significant. Human activities on coastal land, such as those associated with grazing and intensive cropping or industrial and residential development, can have detrimental downstream effects. For fisheries production in the estuaries of northern NSW, two of these land-based activities, drainage of acid sulfate soils and the alienation of significant habitat areas, may have severe consequences.

These two issues were addressed in this research project, the findings from which will be used to restore degraded fish habitats and enhance access to them by fish, thereby improving fisheries in affected areas.  Ultimately, fishers, farmers and landholders will benefit from improved water quality in their drainage systems. The research findings will have specific implications for management of floodgates in those catchments studied and will be more generally applicable to acid sulfate soil catchments throughout NSW and Queensland.

Project products

Guide • 1.40 MB
Restoring the balance.pdf

Summary

Many coastal floodplains in Australia have an extensive network of floodgates, constructed drains and modified water courses. These are designed to mitigate the impacts of floods and large rainfall events. Floodgates prevent flood waters and tidal brackish water from inundating low areas of the floodplain. Constructed drains have converted prior wetlands into dryland farming areas. Whilst these developments have enhanced rural settlement and industries they have also caused unintended adverse impacts to fisheries, the ecology of estuaries and downstream water users.

The expanded drainage network has increased the generation and export of acidity from acid sulfate soils. Drainage systems can rapidly transfer acidity and deoxygenated water from backswamp areas to creeks and estuaries after rain. Floodgates and constructed drains have also blocked fish movement to upstream habitat areas and provide conditions that are conducive to the formation of poor water quality, particularly water with low dissolved oxygen.

These guidelines outline principles and strategies which can be employed to improve the environmental performance of coastal floodplain drainage systems, while retaining their benefits for agriculture. They have a particular focus on reducing drainage of acidity from areas with acid sulfate soils. The benefits, limitations and risks associated with management changes are described.

Study of the biology and fishery of balmain and smooth bugs (Ibacus spp.) in NSW

Project number: 1992-006
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $86,446.92
Principal Investigator: Steve J. Kennelly
Organisation: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW)
Project start/end date: 11 Oct 1992 - 31 Dec 1995
Contact:
FRDC

Objectives

1. To provide the first assessment of selected life history parameters of the species ibacus in NSW
2. To estimate the growth rates and sizes and ages of sexual maturity of Ibacus spp with a view to recommending an appropriate minimum legal size for NSW waters.
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