Macquarie perch Macquaria australasica
Threatened non-recreational species Ovens River NECMA
Key health indicators
| Survey year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Recent recruitment | YES | SOME | YES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple size classes | YES | YES | YES |
| Mature fish present | NO | SOME | NO |
Monitoring Results
| Monitoring year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish per 1km of waterway | 13.55 | 11.74 | 7.34 |
| Largest fish by length (cm) | 30 | 35.4 | 31.3 |
| Largest fish by weight (g) | 356 | 589 | 396 |
| % of the catch that is legal size | N/A ^ | N/A ^ | N/A ^ |
^ This metric does not apply to this species.
Interpretation
Key Result: There has been a decline in Macquarie perch abundance over the three-year period 2017-2019, with 2017 most likely having higher abundances due to previous translocations. No translocations occurred in 2018 or 2019. Genetic analysis from 2018 samples indicated that the Macquarie perch were a mix of fish that were stocked, translocated, and the result of natural breeding in the Ovens River. The fish that resulted from natural breeding within the Ovens River had ancestors that were translocated fish from Lake Dartmouth (ARI unpublished data).
Stocking: In 2016, 6,400 juveniles and 64 adult Macquarie perch were stocked into the Ovens River, while in 2017, 8,300 juveniles were stocked along with 675 translocated fish. Translocated fish ranged from young-of-year to adults. In early 2018, 15,000 juveniles were stocked along with eight adults while 7,500 juveniles were stocked in early 2019. No translocations occurred in 2018 or early 2019.