Presentation 2A: Small-bodied threatened fish, yabbies and turtles
The Living Murray 20th anniversary celebration - Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth (CLLMM)
Wednesday 28 February 2024, Goolwa
Dr Scotte Wedderburn
Fish Ecologist
University of Adelaide
Scotte is an ecologist and a member of the Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Scientific Advisory Group.
For the past 25 years, Scotte has focused his research on the study of small-bodied fishes and their habitats in the lower River Murray, Coorong and Lower Lakes, and has undertaken annual monitoring of threatened fishes in the Lower Lakes since 2008.
He has also conducted several ecological investigations for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority through The Living Murray program and has worked with the Ngarrindjeri community as part of fish, thukabi (turtle) and kaltuwari (yabby) monitoring projects throughout the past 10 years.
The 20th anniversary celebration of The Living Murray program
In 2003, The Living Murray (TLM) was created in response to the declining ecological state of the River Murray, with the aim of restoring and sustaining the 6 TLM icon sites. The icon sites were selected due to their high ecological and economic value, as well as their cultural and heritage significance to Traditional Owners. All icon sites are regionally, nationally and internationally significant and are recognised under international agreements such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The 6 icon sites include:
• Barmah-Millewa Forest (NSW)
• Gunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota Forests (Vic)
• Hattah Lakes (Vic)
• Chowilla Floodplains and Lindsay-Wallpolla-Mulcra Islands (SA/Vic)
• Lower Lakes, Coorong and Murray Mouth (SA)
• River Murray Channel (SA)
TLM was an important precursor to the Basin Plan and has laid a strong foundation for the restoration of the Basin’s wetlands, floodplains and rivers. TLM’s robust ecological monitoring program also informs water planning and delivery decisions.
Over the past 20 years, the health of the River Murray icon sites has improved through the operation of infrastructure, the recovery and delivery of almost 500 GL of water for the environment, and improved river management.
TLM is a collaboration between the Australian Government, Basin states (South Australian, Victorian and New South Wales governments) and First Nations, coordinated by the Mur-ray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA).
For more information, visit environment.sa.gov.au/TLM