Journal article

Population demographics of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in the Darling River prior to a major fish kill: A guide for rehabilitation

BP Zampatti, BG Fanson, LJ Baumgartner, GL Butler, SG Brooks, DA Crook, K Doyle, AJ King, WM Koster, R Maas, A Sadekov, P Scott, A Strawbridge, JD Thiem, Z Tonkin, PJ Wilson, J Woodhead, R Woods

Marine and Freshwater Research | Published : 2022

Abstract

An understanding of population demographics and life history processes is integral to the rehabilitation of fish populations. In Australia's highly modified Murray-Darling Basin, native fish are imperilled and fish deaths in the Darling River in 2018-19 highlighted their vulnerability. Golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) is a long-lived percichthyid that was conspicuous in the fish kills. To guide population rehabilitation in the Darling River, pre-fish kill age structure, provenance and movement of golden perch were explored using otolith microstructure and chemistry (87Sr/86Sr). Across the Lower and Mid-Darling River, recruitment was episodic, with dominant cohorts associated with years chara..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australian Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

The Australian Research Council funded A. Sadekov through the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CE140100020 to Malcolm McCulloch). Aspects of this project were funded by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Office and the New South Wales Recreational Fishing Trust Fund.