Signs have been erected to provide visitors to Yea River and Hughes Creek and anglers important information about the endangered Macquarie perch.
The signs have been erected as part of the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority’s (GB CMA) Hooray for the Yea and Hughes Creek Projects, and GB CMA River Health Officer Kirsten Roszak said they are an important part of educating the community about the Macquarie perch population in these waterways.
“We have placed two signs in high visitor use access points on the Yea River, and two in popular visitor access points on the Hughes Creek,” Ms Roszak said.
“The signs have important information about threats to the Macquarie perch, their ecology, their preferred habitat, and other interesting facts about the species.
“The signs will also help anglers identify Macquarie perch if they are caught.”
Sign locations include Devlins Bridge in Glenburn, Yea Wetlands, Old Avenel Bridge and Hughes Creek Road.
Ms Roszak encouraged anglers to report tagged fish to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) to assist with current scientific research underway in the Goulburn Broken Catchment. Contact details for ARI are provided on the signs.
Anglers are reminded that taking Macquarie perch from waterways within the Goulburn Broken catchment is prohibited, and it is important to remember to return the fish to the waterway as soon as possible.
The Macquarie perch was once abundant and widespread across Victoria and New South Wales but has declined dramatically since the 1970’s, with remaining populations relatively small and isolated. The species is currently listed nationally as Endangered (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) and listed as a threatened species under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
Four similar signs were placed at key visitor access points on the King Parrot Creek previously, and Ms Roszak said it was disappointing that two of these were recently vandalised and required expensive repairs.
“These signs are an asset that the local community are very proud of, and seeing them damaged is really upsetting,” She said.
The Hooray for the Yea and Hughes Creek Projects are run as part of the Goulburn Broken CMA’s On-ground Works Program with funding from the State Government. Funding is still available to landholders for riparian protection including stock exclusion fencing, revegetation and weed control.
For more information on the Hooray for the Yea and Hughes Creek Projects, or to find out how you can be involved, please contact Kirsten Roszak or Christine Glassford at the Yea office of the Goulburn Broken CMA on 5797 4400.