ASFB 2018 Fish Passage in streams of the Gulf of Carpentaria, unique life histories driven by highly variable flow regimes (#56)
Throughout streams of the Gulf of Carpentaria (GOC) the passage of migratory fish is critical to the ongoing maintenance of fish populations. The highly irregular nature of flows within these systems creates a diverse range of permanent and intermittent fish habitats. Fish populations need free movement within and between these habitats, with adults needing to reach suitable spawning habitats, often in the sea, and juveniles needing to disperse into nursery habitats to grow or to recolonise previously dry habitats. The construction of several fishways on tidal barriers within streams of the GOC has provided an opportunity to examine the migratory behavior of many species that have previously been poorly studied. Results from fishway sampling has demonstrated that a wide range of species previously thought to be non-migratory are undertaking migrations within these systems, often as both juveniles and adults. These results link the diverse flow regimes of these intermittent streams to the migration requirements of the local fish communities and highlights the highly important role fish passage remediation at barriers plays to maintaining fish communities in these systems.
