{"id":8532,"date":"2024-01-22T01:07:31","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T01:07:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/fish-barriers-impacting-fnqs-fish-stocks-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-02-14T00:46:48","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T00:46:48","slug":"fishways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/fishways\/","title":{"rendered":"New fishways help species to breed up"},"content":{"rendered":"[mk_page_section bg_image=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/murrayfish5.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” enable_3d=”true” min_height=”500″ js_vertical_centered=”true” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” section_id=”donate” el_class=”donate-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”70px”][mk_fancy_title font_family=”none” align=”center”]FISH HOMES AND HIGHWAYS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”67″][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789112768{padding-right: 36px !important;padding-left: 0px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_left”][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”15″ visibility=”visible-sm”][mk_padding_divider visibility=”visible-tl”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” el_class=”terrain-title-2″]NEW FISHWAYS TO BOOST POPULATIONS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider size=”60″ visibility=”hidden-nb”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″ visibility=”visible-nb”][vc_column_text el_class=”sub-head” css=”.vc_custom_1705886012659{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]22 JANUARY 2024[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”5″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1705885955039{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]A fishway close to Ingham\u2019s town centre is the newest addition in a project that\u2019s helping more than 100 species of fish \u2013 including barramundi, mangrove jack and jungle perch \u2013 to breed up in Wet Tropics waterways.<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM and Catchment Solutions recently completed the 250 metre fishway at Gedges Crossing which will help fish to move through a weir. The structure is one of five fishways that have recently been built and one of 18 projects removing barriers to fish in the Murray and Herbert river catchments between Tully and Ingham.<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM\u2019s Deb Bass said other solutions have included bed-level creek crossings to replace causeways, culvert modifications and the removal of several creek crossings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve also been working on invasive weed and feral pig control in these areas, and revegetation in an area where fish passage works were completed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis newest fishway is a curved rock ramp that\u2019s at the side of Gedges Crossing on Pump Station Road, and is designed for lower flow conditions when smaller fish can\u2019t get over the weir.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s opening up more than 50km of upstream habitat to many different fish species.<\/p>\n

\u201cFishways slow the water and create resting pools. The idea is juvenile fish can move upstream a couple of metres, then take a rest, then move up further and rest and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Terrain NRM has partnered with Catchment Solutions and OzFish Unlimited on the Fish Homes and Highways project, which is funded by the Australian Government\u2019s Reef Trust program.<\/p>\n

All the fishways were constructed in the dry season and the last one was completed just weeks before Cyclone Jasper crossed the Far North Queensland coast, bringing flooding rain.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d already seen hundreds of empire gudgeons and shrimp species using the fishway at Lagoon Creek, moving up with the tide,\u201d Deb said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOzFish Unlimited will be monitoring the fishways over the next six months to see the number and type of native fish moving through them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The construction phase followed extensive surveying in the Herbert and Murray River catchments. More than 3500 potential fish barriers were identified, leading to short-listing and on-ground inspections of over 300 sites to prioritise work based on the landscape, landholder willingness, accessibility, cost and development approvals.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1563789122720{padding-right: 0px !important;padding-left: 34px !important;}” el_class=”great_header_right”][mk_padding_divider size=”206″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=SBCwZQ4Wjfw&t=1s”][mk_padding_divider size=”50″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1705886515122{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\"\"<\/p>\n

The design phase was also comprehensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cRocks need to be large enough to withstand flood events and to be placed precisely to create the right flow conditions. Each fishway is built to purpose. They\u2019re engineered and approved. Some have an S-bend, others are a straight line and some are longer to achieve the right gradient.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wet Tropics has the highest diversity of fish in Australia, with over 80 recorded species. Up to 50 per cent of them need to move between salt and freshwater habitats to complete their lifecycles, spawning in the estuaries and maturing into adults in freshwater wetlands.<\/p>\n

\u201cBarriers like weirs, drains and culverts, as well as aquatic weeds, are a threat to fish populations and diversity,\u201d Deb said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFree passage is critical to allow these fish to breed, spread upstream, find waterholes in drier times, repopulate areas after dry periods, and access food and different habitats.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section el_class=”grean-btn-sec” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”47″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_button dimension=”outline” url=”https:\/\/terrain.org.au\/what-we-do\/biodiversity\/coastal-ecosystems\/” align=”right” el_class=”green-btn” outline_skin=”custom” outline_active_color=”#175137″ outline_active_text_color=”#ffffff” outline_hover_bg_color=”#175137″ outline_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Read More[\/mk_button][mk_padding_divider size=”100″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][mk_page_section section_id=”great-1-blog” sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column][mk_padding_divider size=”105″ visibility=”hidden-sm”][mk_fancy_title size=”28″ letter_spacing=”4″ margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”none” align=”right” el_class=”terrain-title”]RELATED NEWS[\/mk_fancy_title][mk_padding_divider visibility=”hidden-sm”][\/vc_column][\/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”post_grid_filter_1″][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”grid_greate_3″ css=”.vc_custom_1598408950187{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\n

\t\t

\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Liquid\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t

\r\n\t\t\tLiquid compost sprayer trials<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Soil<\/a> Template 1<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\" admin@terrain<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \"\" October 20, 2025 <\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
Working with farmers to trial a new type of sprayer for this region...<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Climate\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t

\r\n\t\t\tClimate Smart Funding for Wet Tropics farmers<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Soil<\/a> Template 1<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\" admin@terrain<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \"\" August 3, 2025 <\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
New trials, demonstration sites, workshops...<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>
\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Soil\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t

\r\n\t\t\tSoil Health workshops<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
Soil<\/a> Template 1<\/a><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\" admin@terrain<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t \"\" July 3, 2025 <\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t
Great to see farmers from across the industries...<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t1<\/span>\n2<\/a>\n3<\/a>\n…<\/span>\n19<\/a>\nNext \u00bb<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\n[\/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”15″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true” fullwidth_content=”false” id=”innerpage_footer_1″ el_class=”innerpage_footer_2″][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text el_class=”innerpage_mailchimp” css=”.vc_custom_1563877416570{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]\t\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t