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News and events
| Native Fish Awareness Week, 5 - 12 of November 2011 |
Habitat makes fish happen! is the theme for this year's Native Fish week running from the 5-12 of November 2011 across the Murray-Darling Basin.
Focusing on recreational fishing; the week aims to raise awareness of the importance of habitat in rehabilitating the Murray-Darling basin's rivers and native fish. Recreational fishers are invited to get involved in a series of events including fish research forums, fishing competitions and community activities.
Native Fish Awareness Week will also see the release of Talking Fish, a new collection of stories, and images about what "fishing used to be like" across the Murray-Darling Basin. The 'Katarapko Talking Fish' booklet has many stories and adventures from local groups, including fishers, Aboriginal communities, tourists and land holders, on how they have developed unique relationships with the River and Katarapko Creek. The 'Katarapko Talking Fish' booklet is available for download here.
To find out more about Native Fish Awareness Week and how to take part visit www.nativefishweek.com.au |
| Katfish Reach Steering Committee wins 2011 SA Premier's NRM Award |
The 2011 Premier's Natural Resource Management (NRM) Awards ceremony was held in Adelaide on Wednesday 26 October to recognise the contribution made by volunteers to the sustainable management of South Australia's natural resources. The ceremony was hosted by the Hon MP, Paul Caica, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation.
The Katfish Reach Steering Committee was short listed as a finalist for the Premier's NRM Awards, and on the night was the winner of the 'Integrated Project' category. It was an unexpected surprise for the Committee, but the recognition for their efforts and contributions was gratefully received.
A citation was given at the awards night to inform the audience of the project and recognise the achievements of the Katfish Reach Steering Committee. A copy of this citation is provided below:
'Katfish Reach is a community environmental rehabilitation project that encompasses the Katarapko and Eckert Creek area in the Riverland region. The area has been identified as a priority floodplain for environmental flows and broad scale rehabilitation works for native fish. This project is a Demonstration Reach for native fish under the Murray-Darling Basin Authority Native Fish Strategy. |
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To support the development and implementation of the Katfish Reach project, a Steering Committee was established in 2007 from members of the community, business and professional sectors. The Steering Committee has taken an active and vital role in the Katfish Reach project, undertaking consultation with the community, preparation of project management plans and delivery of community awareness activities'. |
| Significant Funding for Katfish Reach |
On 24 March 2011, Federal Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Tony Burke and State Minister for the River Murray Paul Caica announced Murray Futures funding for the Riverine Recovery Project Early Works activities which included Katfish Reach. Infrastructure will be upgraded to manage the habitat of the vulnerable Murray Hardyhead, improve the Katarapko Island Drainage Basin and enhance floodplain flow and fish passage connectivity.
In June 2011 Ministers Burke and Caica signed an agreement to jointly fund a plan to establish a New Functional River through the Murray Futures Riverine Recovery Project which included additional funding for the Katfish Reach. Over the next four years the six major instream fish and flow barriers throughout the Katarapko and Eckert Creeks will be replaced to facilitate fish passage, and improve in-stream hydrological connectivity.
Between the two Murray Futures Riverine Recovery Projects it is expected that over $8m will be spent at Katfish Reach.
For more information on the propsed actions for katfish Reach to be funded under the Murray Futures Riverine Recovery Project, visit The Katfish Reach Project page. |
| Inundated Murray River Wetland Teeming with Wildlife |
Recent ecological monitoring by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has found inundated wetlands and floodplains within the Murray River National Park to be teeming with native fish species.
Nine native fish species – including freshwater catfish, dwarf-flatheaded gudgeon, unspecked hardyhead and Murray-Darling rainbowfish – have been captured from floodplain and wetland habitats of the Katfish Reach during the recent flood event.
According to DENR wetland ecologist, Lara Suitor, the recent high river is an essential process of the river floodplain ecosystem and has been particularly beneficial for native fish species.
"The Katfish Reach rehabilitation project has been identified as a priority floodplain project for environmental flows and broad-scale rehabilitation for native fish," Ms Suitor said.
"Native fish populations in the Basin's rivers have declined, with experts estimating that current levels have dropped to about 10 per cent compared to pre-European settlement."
Encompassing 9000 hectares, Katfish Reach, located south-west of Berri, is a demonstration site under the Native Fish Strategy of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
"The goal of the Native Fish Strategy is to rehabilitate native fish communities in the Murray-Darling Basin back to 60 per cent of their estimated pre-European-settlement levels," Ms Suitor added.
"Removal of barriers to fish movement and increasing waterway spring flows, promotion of environmental flows to improve floodplain health and securing nationally threatened Murray hardyhead fish populations are some of the initiatives within the Katfish Reach project."
Katfish Reach is a project at Katarapko and Eckert creeks within the Murray River National Park and the River Murray-South East NatureLink corridor, and is supported by the Katfish Reach Steering Committee, which has representatives from Department for Water, PIRSA, SARDI, MDBA, Berri Barmera Local Action Planning Group (LAP) and the Loxton to Bookpurnong LAP and local community members. |
Before and after photos of inundation at Carpark Lagoons (Photo: DENR)
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Discovery of Introduced Aquarium Fish in Katfish Reach |
Lara Suitor, Wetland Ecologist at Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Erin Lenon, Chowilla Ecologist at Department for Water (DfW), recently discovered the fish species Oriental weatherloach on the Katarapko Floodplain in the Katfish Reach area.
The Oriental weatherloach is a fish native to eastern and central Asia. It was imported into Australia in the 1960s and became a popular aquarium fish. It was first detected as a breeding population in the wild in Victoria in 1984. Since then, the fish had not been recorded in South Australia.
It is believed that higher flows of the River Murray coming down from Victoria in recent months have washed the fish into South Australia. A total of five Oriental weatherloach were caught in fish nets in Katfish Reach, ranging in size from 83mm to 110mm.
The Oriental weatherloach is a hardy fish, able to survive in a range of habitats with varying water quality and temperature. Little is known of the impacts of the Oriental weatherloach in natural waterways, however it is assumed that the fish will be a food competitor and potential predator of the eggs of native fish and frog species. The weatherloach also carries a range of parasites not previously recorded in Australia.
The weatherloach caught in Katfish Reach have been sent to the Adelaide Museum for preservation of historical records. DENR staff are continuing their fish monitoring in Katfish Reach to determine the extent of the weatherloach in the area, and its abundance.
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Oriental weatherloach (top and bottom), caught in fyke nets in the Katfish Reach area (Photo: DENR)
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Australia Day Award 2011 for 'A Day on the Kat' |
The Katfish Reach 'A Day on the Kat' was the recipient of the Berri Barmera Council Community Event of the Year at the Australia Day ceremony. The event was recognised for its contribution to raising environmental awareness in the community, in particular for native fish and surrounding habitat.
Kevin Smith, Chair of the Katfish Reach Steering Group, accepted the award at the Australia Day ceremony, which was held adjacent to Lake Bonney in Barmera. Mr Smith took the opportunity to highlight the success of 'A Day on the Kat', and also the Katfish Reach project. |
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Kevin Smith (on the left) accepting the Australia Day Award 2011 for 'A Day on the Kat', recipient of Community Event of the Year (Photo courtesy of The Murray Pioneer).
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With the increased flow of water into South Australia, the Katfish Reach area has experienced an estimated 68,000ML/day inundation on the floodplain. This increased flow is a well-overdue relief for the native fauna and flora in the area, with perfect timing for tree growth, fish migration and waterbird breeding. It is expected that flooding will reach 85,000mL/day in February 2011.
Lara Suitor, Wetlands Ecologist with Department of Environment and Natural Resources, conducted an interview with Riverland ABC radio recently, highlighting the wonderful changes and sights that can be experienced in the Katfish Reach area due to floodplain inundation.
A copy of the radio interview can be downloaded here:
Flooding in Katarapko interview |
Flooding of Katfish Reach at 65,000 mL/day, which is the equivalent flooding with the proposed regulator for the Katfish Reach project (Photo: DENR)
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The Katfish Reach sign in flood waters at the Log Crossing (Photo: DENR). |
New structures for Ngak Indau wetland |
The Ngak Indau wetland has recently seen a significant upgrade of its outlet structure due to funding received from the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. A new inlet structure was also installed by SA Water through a Living Murray grant to increase water flow and improve fish passage.
During the 2009 filling of the wetland the existing outlet structure was undermined thus destroying its ability to hold water within the wetland. A new outlet structure was required to enable the floodplain vegetation surrounding the wetland to be flooded at pool level.
The new outlet structure was completed in June 2010, and has increased the area of inundation from 10Ha to 21.4 Ha when environmental water becomes available. The long term benefits of the new outlet structure for the wetland includes:
• Improve the health of existing riparian and aquatic vegetation
• Provide conditions favourable for regeneration
• Improve the quality of the surface water when inundated
• Provide conditions favourable for waterbirds, native fish and amphibians |
Construction of the Ngak Indau wetland outlet structure (Photo: DENR).
Completed Ngauk Indau wetland outlet structure (Photo: DENR). |
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'A Day on the Kat' was held on Sunday 16 May 2010 to promote and educate the community on Katarapko as a priority floodplain for environmental flows and rehabilitation works for native fish.
Canoe and walking trails commenced at the junction of The Splash and Katarapko Creek with participants enjoying a cooked breakfast, provided by the Rotary Club of Berri, around a warm campfire before their departure.
Over 100 canoeists and walkers followed Katarapko Creek downstream, enjoying the peaceful surrounds and nature calls of the Kat. Groups stopped at four stations along the way and learned about native fish in the Kat and how they are monitored. Participants were encouraged to look and explore river bugs and crustaceans through microscopes and specimen trays. A highlight for some was a close encounter with a Murray-Darling Carpet Python which is local to the area, and getting their hands messy making catfish nests. |
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Participants of 'A Day on the Kat' learning about fish trapping and monitoring (Photo: DENR).
Canoeist enjoying the sights along katarapko Creek (Photo: DENR).
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