Reef Catchments and growers in the Mackay Whitsunday region are part of Project Catalyst – a leading sugar innovation program. Watch this video to find out more. This video features numerous interviews with growers who discuss questions such as new innovation including drones, succession plans, and the importance of technology. This Project Catalyst 2018 Forum was held in Townsville and was attended by growers from all over Queensland. The forum provided growers with the chance to mix with others and to discuss common problems and innovations.
Archives for May 2018
31,000 fish all in a day’s work
Tens of thousands of fish have been recorded flowing through constructed fishways in Mackay.
Fisheries ecologists say the soaring numbers are proof the fishways are playing a vital role in providing clear passage through a formerly disconnected aquatic ecosystem.
Recent monitoring (funded by local NRM Reef Catchments and the Australian Government) show huge numbers of fish streaming through the underwater environment.
The fish count is above published figures for previous fishway monitoring in the Murray and Burnett rivers, prompting researchers to ask if it could be among the highest recorded in Australia.
“The results have shown unbelievable numbers of fish migrating through the system,” said fisheries ecologist Matt Moore, from Catchment Solutions (fisheries research consultancy contracted to deliver the monitoring).
“We thought our initial catch was pretty good, with 3,653 fish recorded successfully ascending the fishway at the Mackay Gooseponds wetlands.
“However, this was trumped the following day at the same site with over 18,000 fish captured in four hours in the morning, and over 13,000 fish in the afternoon – bringing the total to over 31,000 in 8 hours.
“This is by far the most fish we have ever recorded in any local fishway, and would be up there with the highest ever recorded in Australia that we know of – fishways in the Murray River have recorded up to 4,415 fish per day and in the Burnett River 4,500 fish per day.
“These are exciting results that demonstrate the importance of facilitating connectivity past fish barriers, particularly the first barrier located upstream from the estuary, even on small ordered streams.”
Thanks to the fishway, the Mackay Gooseponds constructed wetlands (located in the Mackay urban area) is now better connected to Janes Creek and the wider Pioneer River Basin.
Some of the species recorded included juvenile barramundi, red scat, crescent perch, sea mullet and empire gudgeon – all valuable environmental and socio-economic species.
Significantly, further monitoring at Boundary Creek wetlands captured 43 barramundi fingerlings, including the smallest barramundi ever monitored locally at 30 mm.
“These little guys must have moved out of their coastline habitats behind the mangroves and then migrated upstream to the wetland via the fishway,” Mr Moore said.
“This is extremely significant because small fish possess weaker swimming abilities than larger fish… at 30mm they have only just started swimming, as opposed to hitching a ride with the currents and tides prior to this”.
“This demonstrates that the fishways provide suitable conditions for weaker swimming juvenile fish species. This is great news for Queensland’s most important commercial inshore net fish species.”
Reef Catchments general manager Katrina Dent said it was essential organisations like Reef Catchments could continue to fund environmental monitoring.
“These are fantastic results that really contribute to our knowledge of the aquatic ecosystem, both in Mackay and nationally.
“Reef Catchments is pleased to have helped drive this research. These are the kind of figures we need to continue to secure funding to construct more fishways in priority areas.”
This project was supported by Reef Catchments and delivered by Catchment Solutions, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.
Conservation dog sniffs out a pest!
It’s not everyday you employ an English Springer Spaniel to tackle the big jobs.
But that’s just what Reef Catchments has done, in a win-win for the environment and local landholders.
Rocky, a specially trained conservation detector dog, has assisted Reef Catchments, Queensland National Parks, and local property owners (Mackay region) to locate fox dens throughout the Slade Point and Cape Palmerston areas.
Reef Catchments Officer, Cass Hayward said while they kept a low profile, foxes were a significant threat to the many species in our region.
“Foxes are smart, and they’re difficult to manage. They are known to prey on native birds and mammals, turtle eggs, and human rubbish, anything they can get their paws on! Knowing where they den gives us the best possible chance to trap and remove the animals,” Ms Hayward said.
In just one day throughout Slade Point headland Rocky found 13 fox dens, all with multiple entrances. He also visited Cape Palmerston National Park, where rangers had noticed fox prints along the beaches.
“At the moment, we don’t think there is high density of foxes in the region. However, armed with detailed information about den locations, land managers can now carry out more effective trapping programs to protect local wildlife,” Ms Hayward said.
It’s not just foxes this clever canine can find – Rocky can locate a wide range of animals in a landscape, including dingoes and wild dogs, rabbits and even cats.
Rocky’s handler Tom Garrett (Queensland Murray-Darling Committee) said Rocky had assisted farmers, landholders and conservationists throughout his career, with an impressive list of achievements to his name.
“Farmers have enlisted Rocky’s help if livestock is predated, and conservation groups if native animals are declining. If a landholder has already taken control action (e.g. baited or trapped), Rocky will be able to check the impact by detecting if lairs, warrens and dens remain active,” Mr Garrett said.
“This provides a measure of success. During the 90’s in Mon Repos, Bundaberg, up to 70% of turtle populations were being lost to fox predation. Since bringing Rocky on board to help find dens, they now report no predation in that area at all.”
Rocky has also recently detected at the Mt Etna bat caves near Rockhampton, home to the endangered ghost bat (Macroderma gigas).
“There are plenty of signs of foxes in the area, but not in the bat cave itself. What you often see is foxes eat all the other food and small mammals that would generally support our natives, which can also knock populations down,” Mr Garrett said.
He said foxes could often be present in areas people didn’t suspect, including urban and peri-urban environments, as they only require a den in the breeding season and otherwise freely move about.
Ms Hayward said the success of the project in the Mackay region had been thanks to the willingness of local landholders, QLD National Parks, QLD Bulk Ports and the Mackay Regional Council.
“Without their assistance and permission for Rocky to detect on their land, we wouldn’t have been able to gain this level of insight into local fox activity,” she said.
For more information, please contact Cass Hayward at Reef Catchments on cass.hayward@reefcatchments.com or (07) 4968 4206.
If you are interested in engaging Rocky, please contact Tom Garrett from the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee or 0427 291 155.
This project was supported by Reef Catchments, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.