Moving fish out of harm's way

3 April 2013

Not if the fish are first moved out to alternative accommodation, according to Boffa Miskell freshwater ecologist, Eddie Sides.

Eddie says, “Many infrastructure and subdivision projects involve a myriad of development activities that affect waterways, such as installing new or temporary road culverts, constructing stormwater diversion weirs or reinforcing streambeds to protect subsurface tunnelling.

“Given that about two-thirds of native fish species are at-risk or threatened, moving fish out of harm’s way is an easy, lowcost and low-risk way to achieve a great outcome for both the project and the environment,” Eddie recommends. Recently, at Long Bay, where Todd Property Group is developing a new urban community, Boffa Miskell ecologists moved over 250 fish - bullies, inanga (whitebait) and longfin eel - from a 30-metre-long section of stream. The fish, which occurred at a density of over 10 fish per square metre and included two at-risk species, would not have survived the damming, dewatering and excavation of their home habitat when a temporary stream crossing was constructed.

As Eddie explains, “We were able to capture a high proportion of the fish quickly and efficiently and move them a short distance to a suitable release habitat within the same stream.”