*********** The Murray-Darling Basin Fish Pages are current under review **********
Murray-Darling Basin Fish ManagementNative fish species in the Murray-Darling Basin have suffered serious decline in both distribution and abundance since European settlement. There are a variety of factors contributing to this, including predation and competition from exotic fish, water and thermal pollution, and general habitat deterioration. It has also long been recognised that a major factor is the construction and operation of dams and weirs. Fish regeneration and carp management is a high priority in the work of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. To address the pressures on native fish the Commission has revised and extended the Fish Management Plan for the River Murray and re-issued it in 2004 as the Native Fish Strategy 2003-013 [PDF 1.8Mb] for the Basin. This Strategy integrates instream habitat planning, management and research across the Basin. The Strategy provides guidance for investing funds (but not a source of funds), assigning priorities, responsibilities and evaluation procedures for fish research and development programs, on-ground implementation programs, construction programs for fishways, and community education and awareness programs. In response to growing community concern, the Carp Control Coordinating Group has been established by the Commission through the Natural Heritage Trust's FishRehab Program. This group will work in parallel with the development of the Native Fish Strategy 2003-013 [PDF 1.8Mb]. They will coordinate a national response to the carp issue through two key objectives:
The work of the Carp Control Coordinating Group is recognised as extremely important and will be integral to achieving the objective of 'increased controls on exotic fish' under the overall Fish Management Strategy. If you would like more information on the Fish Management Project,
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NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT