The Action Plan for Australian freshwater fishes
R. Wager and P. Jackson
Environment Australia, June 1993
ISBN 0 6421 6818 0
Recovery outlines
Preamble
Selection of species
The brief for the preparation of this Action Plan indicated that Recovery Outlines should be prepared for the twenty most threatened Australian freshwater fishes. Recovery Outlines were prepared for twenty four species.
Recovery Outlines were prepared for all species listed as 'Extinct (in the wild)', 'Endangered' or 'Vulnerable'. Recovery Outlines were also prepared for four species listed as 'Poorly Known'. These species are believed to be more likely to become extinct through the action of threatening process than other species listed as 'Poorly Known', which have distributions in remote locations and are believed to be more likely to be listed as 'Rare'. However, this should be investigated. A Recovery Outline was also prepared for one species listed on the ASFB listing (as Vulnerable), but down-listed in this Action Plan to 'Rare' due to successful recovery actions.
In addition, a Recovery Outline was prepared for the Murray-Darling stock of the purple spotted gudgeon (Mogurnda adspersa). Fishes currently recognised as M. adspersa have a wide, although locally restricted, distribution, and the species as a whole has been listed as 'Rare'. This categorisation was based on the fact that most populations have not declined in abundance or distribution, even though some populations have been severely depleted (Murray-Darling stock). Recent electrophoretic investigations by the South Australian Department of Fisheries indicates that the species comprises several distinct stocks. Populations from different drainages on the east coast are genetically variable and may warrant action individually. Populations from the Murray-Darling drainage appear to be one stock, and will be described as a separate taxon in the near future. Accordingly the conservation status will be upgraded to 'Endangered'.
The prepared Recovery Outlines cover all species considered threatened on the ASFB listing in addition to one species listed as restricted.
Species survival status
In the following Species Recovery Outlines three systems of conservation status categorisation are listed under the Species survival status heading:
- The Action plan status uses categories defined in Chapter 3.
- The Australian Society for Fish Biology status categories are defined in Appendix 3.
- The Proposed new IUCN criteria status uses categories proposed by Mace and Lande (1991).
This scheme is outlined and discussed in Appendix 5. As examples, three species are categorised in detail. In the Species Recovery Outlines species are categorised if possible, and the criteria used in obtaining the status noted in brackets. This scheme could not be used for some species due to a lack of information.
Costing
Costs of the actions required were based on the following assumptions: standard salaries for a biologist ($37 000 plus 17.5% on costs) $43 500, standard salary for a technician ($25 500 plus 17.5% on costs) $30 000; vehicle hire $70 per day, camping allowance $50 per day. No allowance was made for inflation or variation of expenses between States or Territories.
For each Recovery Outline the 'total cost' shown is exclusive of annual monitoring costs which are shown separately where applicable. Total costs, combining Recovery Outline costs and annual monitoring costs, are shown in Table 5 (Summary of Species Recovery Outline Funding requirements).