24 MAY 2021 | Recreational Fishers Taking The Lead On Improving Richmond River’s Water Quality
After 50 years of problems and three years of research, plans to improve the Tuckean Swamp, the single largest contributor of poor water quality in the Richmond River, are about to be released. The latest research has recommended limiting drainage of the floodplain’s lowest lying areas, those less than 1m above sea level, that are regularly inundated. These low-lying areas are known to be responsible for the majority of low oxygen (blackwater) and acidic water conditions. This poor water has effectively nullified the fish and prawn habitat nursery in the area. The next steps, will be understanding the costs and benefits of any actions and this work will commence next month. OzFish Unlimited, Australia’s national recreational fishing conservation charity are spearheading the project, working with Councils, State Government agencies, indigenous groups and The Nature Conservancy to pave the way to secure the improvements.