In this section:
Fish Ecology
The Fish Ecology subprogram provides research and advice across government, NGOs and the community regarding the ecology of freshwater and estuarine fishes in southern Australia. The primary objective of the program is to undertake applied research on the ecology of freshwater and estuarine fishes that is relevant to natural resource management. Click here to download the Fish Ecology Subprogram capability statement (1.1Mb .pdf).
Overview
The subprogram conducts a broad range of research projects relating to fish movement and migration, the facilitation of fish passage, flow related ecology and the habitat requirements of freshwater and estuarine fishes.
A key current project is the Murray River Fishway Assessment Project, a collaborative tri-state project that is quantitatively assessing the performance and long-term ecological benefits of constructing fishways on all weirs and barrages between Lake Hume and the sea. This research program has strong links with researchers in all Australian states, USA, UK and France. Other current projects involve novel research on the movement of adult and juvenile fish using radio telemetry and passive integrated transponder (PIT) techniques and the investigation of larval fish as an indicator of spawning.
Through these projects we work in close association with Primary Industries and Resources, South Australia (PIRSA, Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC), Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH), South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board (SAMDBNRMB) and the Murray Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) to facilitate fish passage and the delivery of environmental flows to the Chowilla and Coorong/Lower Lakes Significant Ecological Assets.
Research Projects
2004 – Present: Investigation of fish ecology in the Chowilla Anabranch system, including distribution and abundance, and migration and recruitment ecology (funded by SAMDBNRMB/MDBC).
2006 – Present: Fish recruitment and movement in the Coorong and lower lakes of the Murray River in response to freshwater inflows (funded by SAMDBNRMB/MDBC).
2001 – Present: Sea to Hume Dam Fish Passage Project. A collaborative (SA, VIC and NSW) research project investigating the performance and ecological response to newly constructed fishways on the Murray River (funded by MDBC).
Recent Publications
Stuart, I.G., Zampatti, B.P. and Baumgartner, L.J. (2008) Can a low-gradient vertical slot fishway provide passage for a lowland river fish community. Marine and Freshwater Research 59: 332-346.
Leigh, S.J., Zampatti, B.P. and Nicol, J.M. (2008) Spatial and temporal variation in larval fish assemblage structure in the Chowilla Anabranch system: with reference to water physico-chemistry and stream hydrology. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2008/000051-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 286.
Jennings, P.R., Zampatti, B.P. and Bice, C.M. (2008) Fish movement and recruitment in the Coorong and Lower Lakes. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No.. SARDI Research Report Series No..
Zampatti, B.P., Bice, C.M, Stuart, I.G. and Baumgartner, L.J. (2008) Using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags to assess fish passage in a large lowland River. In: The Sea to Hume Dam: Restoring Fish Passage in the Murray River (Ed J. Barrett). pp 78-89. Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.
Staff
Sandra Leigh, Research Officer
Chris Bice (PDF 218.7 KB), Research Officer
Ian Magraith, Senior Technical Officer
Paul Jennings, Senior Technical Officer
Contact
Mr Brenton Zampatti (PDF 107.6 KB),
Subprogram Leader
Tel: (08) 8207 5491 Fax: (08) 8207 5481
PO Box 120 Henley Beach SA 5022
E-mail: brenton.zampatti@sa.gov.au
