Monitoring the River Torrens for native fish
I recently completed sampling on the River Torrens that provided ongoing assessment of water quality improvements and the installation of fish ladders – restoration initiatives by the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board. Many of you will have opinions based on your own observations of the Torrens, but the river is slowly improving for native fish. Our monitoring highlighted broad recruitment of native species, expansion of the range of diadromous species (those that require connection between ocean and freshwater environments), and limited abundance of alien species (i.e. carp). The monitoring also assessed a recent fish kill in river and showed localised short-term impacts to the resident fish community.
The monitoring was featured on ABC 891 mornings (view here) and a copy of the report can be obtained here.
We will be out again in spring 2014 will provide further insight into the Torrens fish community.
Cheers
Nick
Nick Whiterod on-site for the ABC radio interview
