Successful Translocation of River Blackfish
A HELPING HAND HAS BEEN GIVEN TO RIVER BLACKFISH TO HELP THEM COLONISE A NEWLY REHABILITATED SECTION OF THE TARWIN RIVER.
River blackfish are being given a helping hand in the Tarwin River to overcome the fish’s problematic biological adaptation. While some fantastic habitat rehabilitation work by the West Gippsland CMA and the local community has been undertaken, river blackfish’s biology restricts their ability to naturally expand their range back into these areas.
Not only do river blackfish eggs stick to where they are laid, when the larvae hatch they remain stuck to the egg case until they can start feeding by themselves. While this adaptation is evolutionary important to the species in preventing their young from being washed downstream, it most unhelpful in assisting the fish to move back into parts of the river that are now suitable to hold river blackfish.
This project was able to prove that river blackfish could be caught elsewhere in the river system and successfully released into rehabilitated sections of the river. Next step is to work out whether the river blackfish are really happy in the new sections of the river and begin naturally reproducing.
To find out more click here http://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/news/latest-news/river-blackfish-find-new-homes