Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L01040:body:0:p17
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2017L01040
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 48535–51592

river reaches, especially in floodplain and estuarine areas (Horwitz 1994).
Restoration of agricultural areas in key locations for giant freshwater crayfish, particularly through rehabilitation and protection of riparian areas and reintroduction of course woody debris into streams, should be a high priority for the conservation of the species. Funding opportunities for such activities may be available through a range of Commonwealth programmes or local NRM grant schemes.

4.2.2 Modifications to water flow
A study by Pracejus (2016) found that the presence of giant freshwater crayfish appeared to be linked to the amount of water in a river. The author theorised that while crayfish may be able to tolerate intermittent water flows to some extent, higher abundances of crayfish would be expected in permanent streams (Pracejus 2016).
In forestry areas, hydrology and flow dynamics within streams immediately downstream of forestry (clearfelling) activities typically showed signs of modification (Davies & Nelson 1994; Growns & Davis 1994). Impacts of forestry operations on hydrological processes can include reductions in base flows and increases in high flows and flow flashiness, all of which can affect bank stability, channel morphology and stream heterogeneity (McIntosh 2004).
In agricultural areas, land conversion and crop intensification coupled with rising temperatures have led to increased water extraction rates for irrigation purposes in some areas. Such practices exacerbate impacts already faced by aquatic species, including giant freshwater crayfish, as development may also result in a loss of connectivity between areas of suitable habitat (Richman et al. 2015).

A report by the National Water Commission (2012), which assessed water stress in Australian catchments and aquifers, found that while Tasmanian river basins are generally less impacted than other catchments across Australia, some river basins (such as the Mersey and Pipers–Ringarooma river basins) are heavily impacted by hydro-electric schemes and, to a lesser degree, by water extraction for irrigated agriculture and urban water use (NWC 2012).

The giant freshwater crayfish is also threatened by reduced flows in streams and rivers associated with drought conditions (DoEE 2015), as well as excessive flows associated with extreme weather events. Anecdotal reports indicate that low environmental flows caused the death of giant freshwater crayfish in several catchments in the north-west and north‑east of Tasmania in 2006–2007 (DoEE 2015). Of particular concern is a lack of contingency planning by authorities in preparation for reduced environmental flows in areas utilised by land owners for irrigation of crops (Eastman & Eastman 2007).

4.2.3 Illegal fishing
Fishing of the giant freshwater crayfish was prohibited, through an amendment to the Inland Fisheries Act (1995), on 1 January 1998; however, the impacts of ongoing illegal fishing continue to threaten the species. The full implications of fishing on the population dynamics of the species are