Landholders neighbouring the Coppabella Creek, north of Jingellic, have played a key role in the recovery of an endangered small-bodied native fish.
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The participation of farmers in reducing livestock impacts on the waterway, controlling weeds and revegetating riparian areas is a wonderful example of landholders working towards successful environmental outcomes.
The southern pygmy perch population in the creek is one of the few that are left in southern Australia and one of only three in NSW.
It suffered a massive decline as a result of the 2010 floods in the area but, thanks to a long-term conservation program, has risen substantially since 2017.
Since the floods, a concerted program by Murray Local land Services (and our former incarnation, the Murray Catchment Management Authority) has endeavoured to improve and protect the habitat of this tiny native fish.
To do so, we've worked alongside agencies and organisations such as Forestry Corporation NSW, NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries, the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment - Biodiversity and Conservation, Snowy Mountains Forests and PF Olsen Australia.
One of the main threats to the southern pygmy perch is the loss of aquatic plant habitat, due largely to the presence of European carp.
As a result, a key part of the program has been to repair an existing barrier to prevent carp entering the perch habitat. This action, plus the habitat improvement works mentioned above, has been crucial in the recovery of the fish.
The southern pygmy perch was once widely distributed in the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray river systems, but its numbers have declined significantly since European settlement and it is now listed as endangered.
Luke Pearce, from the NSW DPI Fisheries, says the increase in abundance and distribution of the fish in Coppabella Creek was testament to the work undertaken in the system.
"I have no doubt that if it were not for the investment and work undertaken over the past 10 years, this population would be, at best, in a much poorer state with a very limited distribution and at worst, completely gone," Mr Pearce said.
That it is increasing in both population and distribution is a great reward for years of hard work.
For the latest news and updates visit the Murray Local Land Services website at https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/regions/murray.
Susanne Watkins, Senior Land Services Officer - NRM