Historical widespread removal of snags in the Murray Darling Basin has contributed significantly to the decline of native fish populations across the entire region. OzFish Leeton Chapter and its army of recreational anglers has a goal to restore them back.
50 large wood habitats
installed
15km of riverbank
restored
More than 160 hours
of volunteer time donated
OzFish is building a foundation for the future of healthy waters and healthy fish on the strength of whole communities committed to making fishing better. Work commenced on the Murrumbidgee River in March 2021 and each new project builds upon the last utilising sound science to inform the next stage.
2022
In 2022, OzFish Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) Chapter, based in Leeton built on previous habitat restoration work and returned a 12km stretch of the Murrumbidgee River into healthy fish habitat by controlling invasive willow trees, installing 15 large woody habitats and restocking the river with Murray cod from Murray Cod Australia. OzFish’s work in 2022 is an excellent example of the Murray-Darling Healthy Rivers Program. Controlling of invasive trees, re-snagging the river, and restocking native fish is creating a healthy and thriving habitat,
2021
In a first for Leeton, essential fish habitat in the Murrumbidgee River was installed in 2021 providing vital habitat for native fish. Volunteers from OzFish Leeton Chapter and Murrumbidgee Landcare worked together to raise funds and plan and install eight giant snags and several smaller ones. Local volunteers pulled together to reinstall the woody habitat and reinvigorate the local ecosystem and is made possible by the OzFish-Landcare NSW partnership with funding support from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts, BCF and the Leeton Bidgee Classic.
The Murrumbidgee River
Historical widespread removal of snags in the Murray Darling Basin has contributed significantly to the decline of native fish populations across the entire region.
The OzFish MIA Chapter volunteers are eager to see more native fish in the Murrumbidgee River. In addition to restocking programs, have been actively promoting sustainable fishing to ensure their vision is achieved. Now, with the help of OzFish have gone one step further and improved their local native fish habitat by installing woody structures that will benefit native fish in the Bidgee.
The installation of large woody habitat into the Murrumbidgee River not only means better fishing opportunities created for recreational anglers, but it also means vital homes for fish, breeding grounds and a food source.
OzFish is a community working together with all levels of government, businesses, and other like-minded groups to create a brighter future for fishing. By collaborating in this way we ensure greater impact to protect the species and habitats that sustain and inspire us.
Some of our project partners over the years who have contributed to restoring the Murrumbidgee River include:
