2012 and June 2013. Overall, the expected outcomes of Commonwealth environmental watering actions were largely achieved. With respect to native fish reproduction and larval and juvenile recruitment, the following outcomes were achieved: Overall, the total abundance and biomass of native fish increased significantly after the delivery of Commonwealth environmental water, due to recruitment by some small-bodied native species (carp gudgeon and Australian smelt) and immigration of large bodied fish, in particular Golden perch. Wetland fish communities were dominated by small-bodied native fish species, which outnumbered exotic fish species such as carp, goldfish and gambusia by more than 100 to one. There was no evidence of significant carp recruitment in the Murrumbidgee River main channel following the delivery of Commonwealth environmental water. Twenty-seven Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), six trout cod (Macchullochella macquariensis), five golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) and two silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) were implanted with acoustic tags to examine spawning related movement before, during and after delivery of the 2012-13 Commonwealth environmental fresh in the Murrumbidgee River. Movement behaviours of tagged Murray cod were consistent with spawning related movements during Commonwealth environmental water delivery (which also coincided with the known spawning season of this species). Improved longitudinal connectivity provided by Commonwealth environmental water coincided with reach scale movements by tagged silver perch, throughout the mid-Murrumbidgee River. Larval fish communities were surveyed weekly in the Murrumbidgee River and Old Man Creek to assess fish spawning responses to Commonwealth environmental watering from September to December 2012. 519 cod larvae (Maccullochella spp.) were captured, with a peak in abundance coinciding with the Commonwealth environmental water delivery period. River blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus), Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni) and carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris spp.) larvae were also collected during the sampling period in small numbers, as well as juvenile carp gudgeon and juvenile Australian smelt. Very few exotic fish larvae were collected. With respect to the Commonwealth environmental watering objective “support habitat requirements of native fish in the Murrumbidgee River” peaks in nutrients,
2012 and June 2013. Overall, the expected outcomes of Commonwealth environmental watering actions were largely achieved. With respect to native fish reproduction and larval and juvenile recruitment, the following outcomes were achieved: Overall, the total abundance and biomass of native fish increased significantly after the delivery of Commonwealth environmental water, due to recruitment by some small-bodied native species (carp gudgeon and Australian smelt) and immigration of large bodied fish, in particular Golden perch. Wetland fish communities were dominated by small-bodied native fish species, which outnumbered exotic fish species such as carp, goldfish and gambusia by more than 100 to one. There was no evidence of significant carp recruitment in the Murrumbidgee River main channel following the delivery of Commonwealth environmental water. Twenty-seven Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), six trout cod (Macchullochella macquariensis), five golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) and two silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) were implanted with acoustic tags to examine spawning related movement before, during and after delivery of the 2012-13 Commonwealth environmental fresh in the Murrumbidgee River. Movement behaviours of tagged Murray cod were consistent with spawning related movements during Commonwealth environmental water delivery (which also coincided with the known spawning season of this species). Improved longitudinal connectivity provided by Commonwealth environmental water coincided with reach scale movements by tagged silver perch, throughout the mid-Murrumbidgee River. Larval fish communities were surveyed weekly in the Murrumbidgee River and Old Man Creek to assess fish spawning responses to Commonwealth environmental watering from September to December 2012. 519 cod larvae (Maccullochella spp.) were captured, with a peak in abundance coinciding with the Commonwealth environmental water delivery period. River blackfish (Gadopsis marmoratus), Australian smelt (Retropinna semoni) and carp gudgeon (Hypseleotris spp.) larvae were also collected during the sampling period in small numbers, as well as juvenile carp gudgeon and juvenile Australian smelt. Very few exotic fish larvae were collected. With respect to the Commonwealth environmental watering objective “support habitat requirements of native fish in the Murrumbidgee River” peaks in nutrients,
ecological-response-monitoring-murrumbidgee-12-13.docx