QLD government to study fish ecosystems

Hundreds of noxious fish have been caught in creeks across southern Queensland, with repeated rain events muddying waters and leading to an explosion in fish numbers.

Although floods earlier in the year have been favourable for native fish populations, it has also caused a boom in carp.

It has sparked recreational fishers and the state government to restore Dogwood Creek, a major breeding area for native species located about 400 kilometres west of Brisbane, and get to work collecting data to track fish numbers.

The problem has gradually grown worse over several years, according to fishing enthusiast and Miles District Fishing Club president Peter Delaforce.

“It’s a huge difference,” he said.

“On a weekend where you’d get 10 to 15 native fish, you could get 100 to 200 carp.”

Native species which call south-west Queensland home include Murray cod, eel-tail catfish and golden perch — better known as yellow belly.

Mr Delaforce said Dogwood Creek feeds into larger rivers and the Murray Darling Basin and has been the most affected by severe weather.

“There’s a few spots across Karingal Reserve near Miles that have four to five metres of wash-out [erosion],” he said.

“The rain has also dumped a lot of run-off from the local land which has made the water muddy and murky.”

Key points:

• Severe weather and soil erosion has led to populations of carp booming in Southern Queensland
• Local fishers in Miles have planted more than a thousand trees to help bolster creek beds
• Queensland’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has begun surveys of a popular native fish breeding ground

Source
ABC News