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The Species Profile and Threats Database pages linked to this recovery plan is obtainable from:
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/sprat.pl

The Commonwealth of Australia has made all reasonable efforts to identify content supplied by third parties using the following format ‘© Copyright, [name of third party] ’.

Images credits

Cover page: Cover page: Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) Luke Pearce, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

Disclaimer

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.

General Acknowledgements

The Department of the Environment and Energy is grateful to the organisations and individuals who contributed to or provided information for the preparation of this recovery plan and were or are still involved in implementing conservation and management actions that benefit Macquarie perch.

In particular, the Department acknowledges the considerable input of the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries who provided much of the information contained within this recovery plan. Additionally, the Department acknowledges the effort provided by researchers and conservation experts, including academics, Non-Government Organisations, Australian Government and State Government staff, and members of the public, who contributed to and provided advice on the recovery plan’s preparation. Particularly, this extends to the participants of the workshop held to discuss and review the recovery plan and actions required.

Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Country

The Australian Government acknowledges Australia’s Traditional Owners and pays respect to Elders past and present. We acknowledge the deep spiritual, cultural and customary connections of Traditional Owners to the Australian land and sea country, including the Macquarie perch.

Contents

Figures & Tables

1 Summary

Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica)

2 Introduction

3 Species Information

3.1 Names

3.2 Conservation status

3.3 Stock structure

3.4 Description

4 Biology and Ecology

4.1 Age and growth

4.2 Habitat

4.3 Reproductive biology

4.4 Behaviour

4.5 Diet

5 Distribution and Populations

5.1 Historical distribution

5.2 Present natural distribution

5.3 Translocated populations

5.4 Stocked populations

6 Decline and Threats

6.1 Decline

6.2 Threats

6.2.1 Habitat degradation

6.2.2 Introduced fish species

6.2.3 Barriers to fish movement

6.2.4 Altered flow and thermal regimes

6.2.5 Disease and parasites

6.2.6 Illegal/Incidental capture

6.2.7 Chemical water pollution

6.2.8 Climate change

7 Current Management Practices

8 Recovery Objectives and Strategies

8.1 Recovery plan objective

8.2 Recovery plan strategies

9 Actions to Achieve the Objective

Strategy 1 – Conserve existing Macquarie perch populations (including historically translocated populations in Cataract Reservoir and the Mongarlowe and Yarra rivers)

Strategy 2 – Protect and restore Macquarie perch habitat

Strategy 3 – Understand and address threats to Macquarie perch populations and habitats

Strategy 4 – Establish additional Macquarie perch populations within the species’ natural range.

Strategy 5 – Improve understanding of the biology and ecology of the Macquarie perch, and its distribution and abundance

Strategy 6 – Increase participation by community groups in Macquarie perch conservation

10 Duration and Cost of the Recovery Process

11 Effects on other Native Species and Biodiversity Benefits

12 Social, Economic and Cultural considerations

13 Affected Interests

14 Consultation

15 References

Figures & Tables

Figure 1: Typical adult Macquarie perch from the Murray-Darling Basin

Figure 2: Typical adult Macquarie perch from the Hawkesbury-Nepean system

Figure 3: Current and historical distribution of Macquarie perch in south-eastern Australia

Table 1: Major physical fish barriers by catchment within the current distributional range of Macquarie perch

Table 2: Strategy 1 Actions

Table 3: Strategy 2 Actions

Table 4: Strategy 3 Actions

Table 5: Strategy 4 Actions

Table 6: Strategy 5 Actions

Table 7: Strategy 6 Actions

Table 8: High priority recovery actions (Priority 1 as identified in Section 9) and estimated costs in ($000’s)

1 Summary

Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica)

Habitat critical for survival:

Habitat critical to the survival of the Macquarie perch is described as:

• all areas within the species’ range which are characterised by flowing runs or riffles and small complex rock piles;
• the current area of occupancy of the species (including historically translocated populations in Cataract Reservoir and the Mongarlowe River in New South Wales and the Yarra River in Victoria);
• any newly discovered locations within the species’ natural range which hold populations that extend the area of occupancy for the species;
• unoccupied habitat within the species’ natural range into which the species could disperse, be stocked or be translocated.

Recovery plan objective and strategies:

The overarching objective of this recovery plan is to:

Ensure the recovery and ongoing viability of Macquarie perch populations throughout the species’ range (including historically translocated populations in Cataract Reservoir and the Mongarlowe and Yarra rivers).

The recovery plan sets out six recovery strategies that build toward this overarching objective:

1.       Conserve existing Macquarie perch populations (including historically translocated populations in Cataract Reservoir and the Mongarlowe and Yarra rivers).
2.       Protect and restore Macquarie perch habitat.
3.       Understand and address threats to Macquarie perch populations and habitats.
4.       Establish additional Macquarie perch populations within the species’ natural range.
5.       Improve understanding of the biology and ecology of the Macquarie perch and its distribution and abundance.
6.       Increase participation by community groups in Macquarie perch conservation.

Recovery team:

Recovery teams provide advice and assist in coordinating actions described in recovery plans. They include representatives from organisations with a direct interest in the recovery of the species, including those involved in funding and those participating in actions that support the recovery of the species. The Macquarie Perch Recovery Team has the responsibility of providing advice, and coordinating and directing the implementation of the recovery actions outlined in this recovery plan. The membership of the recovery team may include individuals with relevant responsibility and expertise from Department of the Environment and Energy (DoEE), relevant state governments, as well as experts from research institutions and consultancies, and private researchers; membership may change over time.

Criteria for success:

This recovery plan will be deemed successful if, within 10 years, most of the following have been achieved:

• Populations of Macquarie perch have increased in size and/or distribution at each known location.
• Self-sustaining populations of Macquarie perch have been established at locations in its natural range where it once historically occurred but no longer occurs.
• A long-term population monitoring strategy has been implemented and is ongoing for the Macquarie perch in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria.
• There is improvement in understanding of what threat mitigation is required to recover the Macquarie perch.
• There is implementation of threat mitigation measures to protect known Macquarie perch populations.
• Macquarie perch can be reliably bred in closed-life cycle hatcheries, which are supplemented with broodstock from the wild, as appropriate, to maintain genetic diversity.
• Genetic diversity of the Macquarie perch increases or remains the same.

Criteria for failure:

This recovery plan will be deemed to have failed if; within 10 years, the following have occurred:

• The number of populations of Macquarie perch has decreased.
• No strategy for population monitoring has been developed or conducted for the species and population trends are not known in any or all of the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales or Victoria.
• Little understanding of threat mitigation has been achieved to recover the Macquarie perch.
• Little advancement in the implementation of a wide-range of threat mitigation measures (above current levels or activities) has occurred to protect known Macquarie perch populations.
• Little advancement in success of closed-life cycle breeding within hatcheries.
• The conservation status of the Macquarie perch has declined during the life of the plan.
• Genetic diversity of Macquarie perch decreases.

2 Introduction

This document constitutes the Australian National Recovery Plan for the Macquarie Perch (Macquaria australasica). The plan considers the conservation requirements of the species across its range and identifies the actions to be taken to ensure the species’ long-term viability in nature, and the parties that will undertake those actions. This is the first National Recovery Plan for Macquarie perch.

The Macquarie perch is a moderate sized, large eyed, secretive freshwater fish native to the cooler middle-upper reaches of the Murray-Darling Basin (Butcher 1967; Lake 1978; Lintermans 2007). The species was originally described from specimens collect

This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.