150 Murray crayfish were released in Barham on Friday after many of the iconic species were relocated during the 2022 and early 2023 blackwater events. During the flood event, blackwater poured out of forests that had already had long periods of inundation with environmental water, contributing to poor water quality within the river system.
In response, OzFish Unlimited, volunteers, farmers, landholders and state government agencies from New South Wales and Victoria conducted a dedicated rescue operation. Over 1,400 crayfish and hundreds of native fish were temporarily relocated to aquaculture sites before being released near Tocumwal.
With conditions in the river stabilised and deemed safe by leading scientists and freshwater ecologists, OzFish, in collaboration with Landcare NSW, Edward-Wakool Angling Association, the Joint Indigenous Group (JIG), Western Murray Land Improvement Group, and NSW DPI Fisheries have staged re-releases in Swan Hill, Moulamein and Barham.
Braeden Lampard, OzFish Program Manager – Murray-Darling Basin, expressed his gratitude for the volunteers’ hard work during the rescue mission. “Volunteers are fundamental to OzFish, and without their help, we wouldn’t have been able to rescue these iconic species. The re-release is not just about putting crayfish back into the river; it’s about acknowledging the community effort and dedication that went into saving them, highlighting the importance of environmental stewardship and collaboration.
“The rescue mission was a testament to the mateship amongst recreational fishers, agencies and the community’s resilience. Volunteers worked tirelessly under challenging conditions, travelling up to 500km a day to save distressed aquatic species.”
Dr John Conallin delivered the fish to Barham and was also involved in the catch at Tocumwal.
“We caught 265 crays,” said Dr Conallin.
“So, they were all caught in two days. We started fishing at 11 and finished up at about the same time the next day.
“There is some really strong populations up there and in addition to that there is some sampling that will occur in the Murray across a broader area to establish crayfish populations.”
Crayfishing in our local stretch of the Murray received a five-year moratorium in 2010, that still remains 14 years on. It’s hoped that a science-based approach can provide the data and allow informed policy decisions on crayfishing regulation.
Roger Knight of Western Murray Land Improvement Group said there’s a generation of kids who have missed out on learning to catch crays.
“People don’t go out the bush in winter like they used to,” said Roger.
“Murray crayfishing provided that reason.
“Families and friends used to get together, have a communal fire/barbecue and camp oven.
“It’s not the same anymore, we have lost that cultural and social activity.
“Fish are hard to catch in cold weather, but people used to venture out for a cray.
“It would be great to see the season opened again – even if it was catch and release, citizen science. Get the kids off the phones and immersed in nature, and have fun at the same time.”
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 11 July 2024.
