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Black Pygmy Mussel Project Info Night
November 11, 2021 @ 5:45 pm - 7:30 pm AWST
Most avid anglers who regularly fish the Swan-Canning Estuary understands the importance habitat plays in supporting health populations of Black bream and their associated prey, meaning food such as shellfish and river prawns.
OzFish Perth Chapter, The Nature Conservancy and Murdoch University have recently announced a new project where recreational fishers will be directly involved with testing new habitat ideas to increase populations of native Black Pygmy Mussels (Xenostrobus securis).
Black Pygmy Mussels provide a rich food source for bream, particularly during post spawn movement of fish back upstream into more brackish water where pygmy mussels are only found. These small shellfish are very important for the ecological health of the Swan River by making habitats more complex and by filtering out nutrients from the sediments.
By restoring Black Pygmy Mussel populations, we are helping our iconic Black bream while assisting researchers to develop ways to improve the overall health of the Swan and Canning system.
OzFish is supporting The Nature Conservancy to construct up to 20 Pygmy mussel test sites in the Swan Canning system. OzFish members and volunteers will be involved in different stages of the project including site selection, habitat construction and ongoing monitoring of fish and mussel populations.
If you are prepared to get a bit muddy and are interested in being part of a practical project aimed at improving the health of our local waterways and increasing Black bream populations, come along to our Information Night to kick off the Black Pygmy Mussel Project!