Abstract
The Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) is Australia’s food bowl, contributing 40% of agricultural production and supporting a population of over 4 million people. Historically, the MDB supported a unique native fish community with significant cultural, subsistence, recreational, commercial and ecological values. Approximately one-quarter of the MDB’s native species are endemic. Changes to river flows and habitats have led to a >90% decline in native fish populations over the past 150 years, with almost half the species now of conservation concern. Commercial fisheries have collapsed, and important traditional cultural practices of First Nations People have been weakened. The past 20 years have seen significant advances in the scientific understanding of native fish ecology, the effects of human-related activities and the recovery measures needed. The science is well established, and some robust restoration-enabling policies have been initiated to underpin actions. What is now required is the political vision and commitment to support investment to drive long-term recovery. We present a summary of 30 priority activities urgently needed to restore MDB native fishes.
Highlights
Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) is one of the most regulated (Grill et al 2019) and at-risk river systems in the world (Wong et al 2007)
Almost half the MDB species are of conservation concern, and many have fragmented populations
The authors have distilled the key restoration messages identified to provide a brief, clear perspective to guide restoration actions for all MDB fishes that can expedite the recovery of their populations
Summary
Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) is one of the most regulated (Grill et al 2019) and at-risk river systems in the world (Wong et al 2007). Its rivers and catchments are mostly in poor ecological condition (Davies et al 2012), and native fish populations have declined by .90% over the past 150 years (Koehn and Lintermans 2012) Recent surveys indicate this decline is continuing (Murray–Darling Basin Authority 2020). The value of addressing additional threats through parallel restorative actions has been recognised (Koehn and Lintermans 2012; Baumgartner et al 2020) and many are included in the Native Fish Recovery Strategy (NFRS; Murray–Darling Basin Authority 2020). The authors have distilled the key restoration messages identified to provide a brief, clear perspective to guide restoration actions for all MDB fishes that can expedite the recovery of their populations This perspective is aimed at policy makers, water and fish managers, stakeholders, communities and governments and their agencies. Prevent the large-scale loss of fish (especially early life stages and small species) through pumps and irrigation diversion infrastructure
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