Native fish survey - Clarence galaxias

Inland Fisheries Service staff member Storm Eastley undertaking elecro-fishing as a part of the 2018 Clarence Galaxias survey.
Inland Fisheries Service staff member Storm Eastley undertaking elecro-fishing as a part of the 2018 Clarence Galaxias survey.

Anglers know about trout, salmon and blackfish. What about the other native fish that occur in our freshwater systems?

One of the most common groups of native fish are the galaxid family (Galaxiidae).  Tasmania has 15 species from this family with 11 listed as threatened.  We monitor the most at risk including the Clarence galaxias (Galaxias johnstoni).  


Clarence galaxias occur in in the area between Bronte Park and Derwent Bridge. You can find them in a few headwater lagoons and marshes that are free from brown trout.

We recently surveyed four waters in this area. Numbers of galaxias sampled were low in Clarence Lagoon and Wentworth Hills. At Dyes Marsh no Clarence galaxias found. Small river trout had pushed up stream and entered the marsh that may have affected the Clarence galaxias population.

At the last site of Tibbs Plains, water levels in the marsh were low and we did not find any galaxiids. 

We plan to monitor for the Clarence galaxias again March 2019.

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