A new online resource for the community to record evidence of pest fish in their local area was launched by Minister for the Environment, Simon Corbell, today.
“Anyone with a smart phone or mobile device can use FeralFishScan to record pest fish in their local waterways,” Mr Corbell said.
Information collected will support science-based river and catchment restoration programs.
“FeralFishScan is initially being trialled in the upper Murrumbidgee with a view to launching it nationally next year,” Mr Corbell said.
“When this happens, the ACT region will act as a showcase for how citizen science can be used to combat the spread of pest fish in our waterways.
“At present the data collected applies to the five key feral fish species present in the upper Murrumbidgee. Carp is one of these species and there is a lot of interest from the community to do something about this pest.
“FeralFishScan was developed and tested through a range of cross-border partners from both within government and from the community and recognises the need to take a whole-of-catchment approach to problems such as feral fish.”
The Feral Fish Scan software was developed by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre as part of their national FeralScan initiative feralscan.org.au and comes with an interactive mapping facility to display the community-collected data.
See FeralFishScan at www.feralscan.org.au/feralfishscan/default.aspx?page=feralfish_homepage&version=143
(Simon Corbell Media Release)
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