The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries officers have worked alongside volunteer anglers to save hundreds of fish from drought-stricken areas of the Macquarie River in north-west NSW.
Minister for Agriculture, Adam Marshall hailed the extensive rescue operation a success, with more than 220 large-bodied native fish saved.
“This is a fantastic result with more than 20 Murray Cod and 60 Golden Perch moved to hatcheries and other species relocated upstream to sections of the river that offer longer-term water security,” Mr Marshall said.
“We’ve now relocated more than 1,600 fish from all corners of the state since September, ensuring the survival of our key native species through this unprecedented drought,” he said.
“With summer just around the corner, unfortunately we won’t be able remove every fish from every drying pool, but that won’t stop our teams from undertaking as many rescue operations as possible.”
Mr Marshall said that over the past week DPI Fisheries staff worked alongside 19 local volunteer anglers from the Inland Waterways OzFish group to identify the most at-risk sections of the Macquarie River.
“This is the perfect example of what can be achieved when we work hand-in-hand with the community, as we battle through one of the worst droughts on record,” Mr Marshall said.
