Locally extinct fish have been returned to a catchment in the Macquarie River by the Department of Primary Industries’ Fisheries team (NSW DPI) more than 70 years after the species was last recorded in the catchment.
Minister for Agriculture, Adam Marshall said NSW DPI released 7,500 juvenile Macquarie Perch back into the catchment at Winburndale Dam last week.
Mr Marshall said the Macquarie Perch species was named after the river it had been released back into.
“After a 70-year hiatus from the local waterway, it is very special to see more than 7,500 of these Macquarie Perch return home,” Mr Marshall said.
“We are very excited to be reintroducing this species here after they were bred at the NSW Government’s flagship fish hatchery at Narrandera,” he said.
“It is our hope these fingerlings will grow up to establish a new population here and once again become abundant in the Macquarie River catchment from which they derive their name.”
Mr Marshall said the project was funded under the State’s $10 million Native Fish Rescue Program.
The Minister said the large scale ‘Noah’s Ark’ Program aimed to conserve native fish after the devastating drought
“This stocking is one of many across the State this season that has seen us deliver on our promise to do everything we can to keep these species healthy and sustainable well into the future,” he said.
