Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00106:body:0:p44
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00106
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Gilligan et al., 2005), such as the Macquarie perch. Instream barriers can prevent fish moving between spawning and feeding areas as well as interrupting gene flow and fragmenting fish populations (Lintermans 2013c; NSW DPI 2013a). The fragmented range of Macquarie perch makes the species particularly vulnerable to local extinctions (Morrongiello et al., 2011), especially considering the loss of genetic diversity in the remaining populations (Faulks et al., 2011; Nguyen et al., 2012; Pavlova et al., 2017a; 2017b). Recent genetic research is suggesting that smaller remaining Macquarie perch populations in the Murray-Darling Basin are likely to face inbreeding depression without management intervention (Pavlova et al., 2017a). The three historically translocated populations, in Cataract Reservoir and in the Mongarlowe and Yarra rivers, are of important conservation value given that these contain genetic diversity no longer present in their Murray-Darling Basin sources (Pavlova et al., 2017a; Pavlova pers. comm., 2017). These populations represent important populations for use in future translocations.
The unimpeded passage of fish throughout streams is considered crucial for migration, re-colonisation, general movement and habitat selection (Koehn & O'Connor 1990b; MDBC 2004). It is also crucial for maintaining large effective population sizes, preventing loss of genetic diversity and promoting species ability to adapt to novel environments, including water flows, thermal regimes and climate change (Pavlova et al., 2017a). A large number of major barriers to fish movement exist in the Murray-Darling Basin (Table 1), with many more smaller barriers also known in catchments where Macquarie perch occur.
Table 1: Major physical fish barriers by catchment within the current distributional range of Macquarie perch
River catchment    Dam
Macquarie          Chifley, Burrendong dams
Lachlan            Wyangala Dam
Murrumbidgee       Tantangara, Cotter, Bendora, Corin, Scrivener, Captain's Flat, Googong, Yass, Burrinjuck, Talbingo and Blowering dams
upper Murray       Khancoban Pondage and Hume dams
Mitta Mitta        Dartmouth Dam
Ovens              Buffalo Dam
Broken             Nillahcootie and Benalla dams
Goulburn           Eildon Weir
Hawkesbury-Nepean  Cataract, Nepean, Avon and Warragamba dams
Shoalhaven         Tallowa Dam

Until 2001, the one viable population of Macquarie perch in the Australian Capital Territory found in the Cotter River catchment was restricted from accessing habitats more than 6 km upstream of the Cotter Reservoir by a road crossing (Vanitys Crossing) (Broadhurst et al., 2013). In 2001, a rock-ramp fishway was constructed at Vanitys Crossing to allow Macquarie perch to migrate upstream (Ebner & Lintermans 2007; Ebner et al., 2008; Broadhurst et al., 2013). Subsequent research found that a road culvert was also likely impassable Macquarie perch (Starrs et al., 2011), and a second fishway was constructed at this road crossing, approximately 8 km upstream of Vanitys Crossing.
The construction of Googong Dam in 1978 is considered to have caused the extirpation of the Macquarie perch from the lower Queanbeyan River (i.e.