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Working to save our native fish
The region's floods over the past couple of weeks have pushed a lot of nutrients and rotting vegetation off farmland and dry floodplains and into our rivers.
The result is low dissolved oxygen levels, making it hard for fish and Murray crays to survive.
Our teams have been measuring oxygen levels in our rivers and rescuing native fish and crays, with the help of the Victorian Fisheries Authority, the Arthur Rylah Institute, and contractors Austral.
So far, about 500 Murray cod, golden perch, silver perch, and trout cod have been rescued from Gunbower and Pyramid creeks.
Where possible, they have been taken to a fishery and will return to the Gunbower system when oxygen levels improve. Others have been rehoused in healthier waterways in our catchment, such as the Campaspe River.
We expect low oxygen levels to continue for a while yet, especially as the warmer weather arrives, and as the floods make their way through the region.
In the meantime, we encourage you to report fish deaths to the EPA pollution hotline on 1300 372 842.