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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 76(2)

The importance of off-river areas for fish in the mid- and lower Lachlan catchment of the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia: three case studies

Adam Kerezsy https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3108-1304 A B *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Dr Fish Contracting, Lake Cargelligo, NSW 2672, Australia.

B Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia.

* Correspondence to: kerezsy@hotmail.com

Handling Editor: Gerry Closs

Marine and Freshwater Research 76, MF24215 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF24215
Submitted: 8 October 2024  Accepted: 6 January 2025  Published: 24 January 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

There is increasing concern regarding the integrity of freshwater ecosystems at a global scale, and Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin is an area where the impacts of river regulation and invasive species are well-known and documented. However, broad-scale assessments have generally occurred in main-channel habitats.

Aims

The study considers endangered species and fish communities in off-river habitats in a specific Murray–Darling Basin catchment (the Lachlan) and aims to demonstrate that these wetlands and creeks may be important ecological areas in lowland river catchments.

Methods

The data are drawn from a large number of studies conducted since 2017; however, the fish-sampling methodology has remained constant throughout (large and small fyke nets set overnight).

Key results

Populations of endangered species such as olive perchlet (Ambassis agassizii) and freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus) persist at certain off-river locations within the Lachlan catchment, and large water storages appear to provide suitable habitat for sustaining resident populations of a broader range of native species.

Conclusion

Off-river areas play important roles within inland riverine systems, and research within and management of these often isolated habitats may pay ecological dividends, especially given the overall decline of freshwater systems worldwide.

Keywords: Ambassis, floodplains, Lachlan River, Murray–Darling Basin, Plotosidae, refuges, river regulation, threatened fish.

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