UC and ACTEW team up to make houses for fish

Native over introduced species any day.

SkinnyBob said :

Macquarie Perch make for a really interesting debate…..

I think that it is quite simple. Why the hell would any species be introduced simply for the pleasure of people that want to hunt and kill them? Should be be releasing pigs and foxes and deer into the bush too? Everything possible should be done to eradicate these feral species.

Macquarie Perch make for a really interesting debate. They are very much the reason that no Trout are stocked in the ACT, and the reason that Brown Trout cannot be stocked into any streams flowing into the Queanbeyan river or throughout the Braidwood region. Trout and Macquarie Perch have co-existed for 100’s of years in rivers around the region but over the last decade Trout have become the villan that upset the poor Macquarie Perch. In relaity there isn’t much reliable science to support that Trout impact Macquarie Perch at all. The last study on the impact of Trout on Macquarie Perch in the Cotter catchment showed no impact and was quietly released in New Zealand… hmmm. So the politically correct thing is to support the native Macquarie Perch and banish the poor Trout despite the sport if offers and the long historical links Trout have in the region. I think it wrong – I support Trout and I want the local streams to return to the incredible trout fishing my Father and Grand Father experienced! I am keen to hear the views of others….

Nothing unusual. Volunteer environmental groups have been doing this sort of stuff for years, that is, creating artificial habitat for endangered fish, crustacians, etc.

Throw in some woody debris and you’ve got cod habitat.

Still, credit to ACTEW and UC for doing it.

Yes but Macquarie Perch can be very picky about where they live (just like a lot of Canberrans).
And dealing with the rising and falling of water levels in a dam environment creates some very specific problems.

..so when can we start fishing then? Macquarie Perch taste great!

neanderthalsis said :

Is this part of the ACT Govt affordable housing plan?

With lovely views of the lake…..

Is this part of the ACT Govt affordable housing plan?

Good work by all involved. I assume that the variable water levels will also affect the rock houses, and that they are building them at various depths around the lake shore?

At least ACTEW are trying to do the right thing. There was a time not that long ago when large projects like this would take place with no thought at all for enviromental considerations.