Iconic fish species including Jungle Perch, Barramundi, Mangrove Jack and Tarpon will have a better chance of survival and growing their populations in the Murray and Lower Herbert Basins thanks to a new $5 million project announced by Federal Environment Minister, Sussan Ley.

The project, to be delivered by Terrain NRM, will focus on improving the condition of upstream wetland and nursery areas and on removing barriers that stop juvenile fish moving from spawning areas in the estuaries to nursery areas upstream.

Terrain NRM CEO Stewart Christie said the coastal areas south of Tully to Hinchinbrook include nationally significant wetlands and pockets of endangered coastal ecosystems that are home to an array of bird species as well as fish.

“While both the Murray and Lower Herbert catchments are relatively intact, they are at risk from weeds, feral pigs and other threats, and these need to be managed effectively to maintain the health and condition of these valuable ecosystems.

“We will be working with a large number of partners in the delivery of this project including farmers, landholders, traditional owners, Local Government and local community organisations. The first few months will involve detailed planning and consultation with scientists as well as Traditional Owners and landholders with knowledge of the local landscape.

“Some of the activities that we’ll be undertaking include managing weeds and feral pigs, addressing fish barriers, improving management of drains and farm creeks and getting the community involved in activities such as ‘Adopt a Creek’ or ‘Adopt a Wetland’.”

The Wet Tropics has the highest diversity of fish in Australia with over 80 recorded species. While the habits of many species are not well known it’s estimated that up to 50 per cent of these species need to move between freshwater and estuarine environments for spawning and larval development.

A dream of getting Mabi rainforest off the ‘endangered’ list is a step closer for Tablelands residents.

Barron Catchment Care volunteers are planting more rainforest trees – this time 2000 of them in state forest previously used for pine plantations.

The group’s acting coordinator Sheryl Fitch said it was exciting to see the trees growing so strongly.

“They were planted in April and some are already waist-height,’’ she said.

“Months ago, there was head-height guinea grass, lantana and tobacco bush there. This started out as a pretty daunting project with the land the way it was and with coronavirus, but somehow we’ve managed to beat the odds.”

When a community tree planting was cancelled because of coronavirus restrictions, the group dug into project funding to engage NQ Land Management Services for the spraying and planting work. The project is part of a larger ‘Rebuilding Rainforest Resilience’ program supported by Terrain NRM through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

Terrain’s Tony O’Malley said only four per cent of original Mabi forest remained.

“It’s a critically endangered rainforest ecological community that’s only found on the Tablelands in North Queensland, mainly in Curtain Figtree National Park and Wongabel State Forest. What is left is highly fragmented and just under half of it is on freehold land.”