Native fish group swings into action after fishway talks
Several talks illustrating the abundance of native fish moving through the Walaman culvert fishway at Enoggera Creek Bennett Road have helped create a movement of its own as freshwater fish enthusiasts in Brisbane have participated in a recent fish survey in Brisbane’s inner western catchments. Present interest in the environmental effects of the Brisbane floods, and an exchange of invitations between the Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network (CWCN) and the Australia New Guinea Fishes Association (ANGFA Qld) have led to talks to each of these groups by Environmental Engineer Ross Kapitzke. Subsequent to this, a number of ANGFA members lent their experience to a fish survey conducted by CWCN in Cubberla Creek on Sunday 13 February. The Cubberla Creek results were encouraging to participants, and although showing reduced abundance and diversity of native fish compared with Enoggera Creek, helped members understand the significance of aquatic habitat and fauna connectivity conditions for Brisbane waterways. In his talk to ANGFA on Friday 11 February, Ross spoke about fish migration barriers in Brisbane waterways, their impacts on fauna connectivity, and mitigation measures to overcome these barriers. Participation of ANGFA members in the Cubberla survey, and the improved results for these inner western Brisbane catchments are a good sign both for native freshwater fish communities, and for continuing collaboration between communities in Brisbane interested in freshwater fish.
Download the handout for Ross’s presentation to the ANGFA Qld meeting