Summary 1. Floodplain wetlands are productive components of lowland rivers and thought to be important habitat nurseries for many fish species. Fish assemblages inhabiting floodplain vary considerably through space time largely shaped by wetting/drying cycles, although there is little understanding how aspects flooding (e.g. magnitude, timing, duration, frequency) influence the assemblages. As a consequence, decisions on managers aimed at restoring native often based limited knowledge. 2....

Abstract Movement through streams is critical for the maintenance of diadromous fish populations. Numerous passage improvement techniques exist, and knowledge their effectiveness required to conserve target species. An existing 70‐m pipe culvert was considered a barrier success young‐of‐year (YOY) Galaxias spp. as result high water velocity (0.9 m/s). Water in reduced by installing concrete weir downstream culvert. A lateral ridge rock‐ramp fishway installed provide over weir, baffles were...

Abstract Monitoring fish movement can test the effectiveness of environmental flow releases when they are used to trigger spawning behaviour. Environmental have been enhance Australian grayling ( Prototroctes maraena ) in regulated rivers south‐eastern Australia and resource managers require knowledge on conservation this threatened species. was monitored Thomson River, using acoustic telemetry determine whether species undergoes a migration, where migrate timing relation releases. Drift...

Summary Flow alteration has reduced connectivity between many of the world's rivers and their floodplains, causing changes in riverine productivity isolation floodplain wetlands. Environmental water is being increasingly used to help restore wetland habitats biota, including fish. However, some these managed deliveries occur into discrete wetlands via artificial structures or at unseasonal times may not deliver expected gains fish production. In Murray River, south‐eastern Australia, we...

Detailed understanding of flow-ecology requirements for aquatic biota underpins the use environmental flows as an effective restoration tool in regulated rivers. However, flow recommendations are often overly simplistic and insufficient to provide necessary these biota. This is due failure gain integrate information on individual species ecology and, by using coarse generalisations, about responses. To inform more delivery flows, we investigated spawning responses threatened Australian...

Summary Environmental rehabilitation budgets are often limited, and management actions need to be prioritised achieve the best outcomes. Prioritisation can done when evidence informs decision‐making process. We acoustically tagged twenty Golden Perch ( M acquaria ambigua ) in Loddon River, Australia, tracked their movements gain an understanding on requirements for fish passage at a major regulating structure, Box Creek regulator. The of these were monitored through network receivers located...

River regulation has degraded aquatic biodiversity globally, and the effects can be pronounced for diadromous species, whose life history processes depend on flow conditions, such as cues adult migration, spawning, attracting recruits into coastal rivers promoting upstream dispersal. Environmental flows are being used to mitigate of river regulation, understanding their effectiveness is required improve management practices. This study examined targeted environmental dispersal three...

Abstract Anthropogenic alterations to river flow regimes threaten freshwater biodiversity globally, with potentially disproportionate impacts on species that rely cues trigger critical life history processes, such as migration for diadromous fishes. This study investigates the influence of discharge abundance juvenile fish moving into rivers by four temperate catadromous or amphidromous (common galaxias Galaxias maculatus , spotted truttaceus climbing brevipinnis and threatened Australian...

Understanding connectivity is crucial for the effective conservation and management of biota. However, measuring directly challenging it often inferred based on assumptions surrounding dispersal potential, such as environmental history species life traits. Genetic tools are underutilised, yet can infer reliably. Here, we characterise compare genetic diversity three diadromous Australian fish species: common galaxias (Galaxias maculatus), tupong (Pseudaphritis urvillii) grayling (Prototroctes...

Outcomes from restoration and reintroduction programs can be enhanced by understanding the habitat use of animals, how likely they are to move why? River blackfish native southeastern Australia where their range abundance have declined. We reintroduced 27 river into two sites, one rehabilitation had been undertaken (with more vegetation, instream woody habitat, undercut banks) an unmanipulated control site. monitored fish for 9 months after release assess site occupancy, use, drivers...

Many diadromous species are threatened globally. Management actions to conserve these need be based on a quantitative understanding of their life history requirements. The transition between marine and freshwater habitats is critical component the cycle fishes, but poorly understood for many species. We investigated recruitment patterns juvenile Australian grayling (Prototroctes maraena), nationally amphidromous fish, entering environments in four streams south-east Australia across 3years...

To determine the more efficient stocking strategy for lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in Lake Simcoe, Ontario, we compared growth and survival of fish stocked as fall fingerlings spring yearlings. Paired lots were April October from 1986 to 1991 year-classes. Survival two rearing practices indexed relative abundance length 6-year-old captured with trap nets during spawning runs 1992 1997. No difference or between at 6 months age those 12 was detected. This contradicts results reported...

Successful monitoring of fish eggs or larvae facilitates the assessment management actions (e.g. environmental flow releases) on spawning success. Paired sets drift nets (one at surface and one bottom) were used six sites in Thomson River to determine whether we can improve our ability monitor success Australian grayling, Prototroctes maraena. Over 900 P. maraena captured, with 90% being captured set bottom. All but two sites, which had faster rates a substrate small gravel rather than fine...

The common occurrence of dams is a major threat to riverine fish communities globally and remediation technique for fragmented fishway construction. Demonstrating the effectiveness this on impacted species required rationalise or improve management practices. This study investigates effects installation complex catadromous galaxias (Galaxias maculatus) population at catchment scale. We used electrofishing in before-after-control-impact design investigate rock-ramp vertical-slot species....

Abstract Publication is an important stage in the research process, but determining impact of published on environmental outcomes a complex challenge that seldom undertaken. In 2016, study used acoustic telemetry techniques and drift sampling to demonstrate flow releases triggered downstream spawning migrations by threatened fish species, Australian grayling ( Prototroctes maraena ). The provided support for use these types mitigate some effects river regulation fishes. impacts this its...