Over the past year, Terrain NRM has been working with OzFish Unlimited, Catchment Solutions and Australasian Fish Passage Services to build six fishways between Tully and Crystal Creek near Paluma to remove barriers for juvenile fish. The project, funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust, has opened more than 100 kilometres of creek and river systems.
Fishways are a series of underwater stairs for fish with deep pools between each step for fish to rest. They are built by strategically placing rocks at a gradient that will slow water flow and are also able to withstand floods.
“Of the 80+ species of native fish we have in the Wet Tropics region, up to half need to move between salt and freshwater habitats to complete their lifecycles. Barriers like weirs, pipes, culvert crossings and weed chokes can stop these species from thriving.” said Terrain NRM’s Deb Bass.
