5.6: Flow impacts on estuarine finfish of the Gulf of Carpentaria

Leader:

Ian Halliday

Abstract

<p>Our current knowledge suggests that flows of freshwater into estuaries play a significant role in determining the numbers of fish that live there.  This project aims to increase our detailed understanding of how freshwater flows affect some key estuarine species.  This is crucial if we are to manage water resources in a manner that minimizes negative impacts on estuaries.</p>

Outcomes

Decisions made about river management not only affect the rivers themselves but also the estuaries they flow into. This project will provide water resource managers with a better understanding of how river flows influence estuarine fisheries so those needs can be taken into account in Water Resource Plans and other related planning instruments.

For fishing-related industries the project will ultimately help support sustainable fisheries by assisting in the valuations of the ecological assets of estuaries and freshwater related processes. This project will provide a greater understanding of factors important to maintaining the fishery resource.

Where is the research happening?

The geographic scope of the project is the Gulf of Carpentaria and western Northern Territory coast. Data collection and analysis of available data will occur in key catchments adjoining the gulf. These include the Roper and Daly rivers in the Northern Territory and the Flinders and Mitchell rivers in Queensland.

Who's involved

The project is lead by researchers from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries. They will be working with researchers from the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry Fisheries and Mines and Griffith University. The project also has a steering committee made up of Queensland and Northern Territory water and fisheries managers.

Commercial, recreational and community fishers from within the study catchments will be approached to take specimens from their catch over the three years of the study.