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Fish Projects in the West Kimberley - collaborative studies by Murdoch University’s Centre for Fish & Fisheries Research, the Kimberley Land Council’s Land + Sea Unit and the Kimberley Language Resource Centre David Morgan 1 , Dean Thorburn 1 , Patsy Bedford 2 , Margaret Sefton 2 , Siobhan Casson 2 , Ismahl Croft 3 , Jean Fenton 3 , Hugh Wallace-Smith 3 , Mel Johnson 3 , Tom Vigilante 3 & Anna Mardling 3 1 Centre for Fish & Fisheries Research Murdoch University, South St Murdoch WA 2 Kimberley Language Resource Centre PMB 11, Halls Creek WA 3 Land + Sea Unit, Kimberley Land Council PO Box 377, Derby WA 46 Since 2001 Murdoch University’s Freshwater Fish Group in the Centre for Fish & Fisheries Research, the Kimberley Land Council’s Land + Sea Unit and the Kimberley Language Resource Centre have collaborated on a number of projects relating to the fishes in the West Kimberley. The majority of work has focussed on the Fitzroy River but has also included King Sound and the King Edward River. This collaborative approach has lead to an increased awareness not only in the diversity and uniqueness of Kimberley fishes, but also in terms of their importance to the traditional owners of the region. Much needed information has also been collated on the endangered fishes of the Kimberley and recent work has examined the distribution and cultural significance of fishes of the King Edward River. Information on specific projects is available at: wwwscieng.murdoch.edu. au/centres/fish/curres/Freshwater.html Collaborative projects include: 1. Fitzroy River Fish Project Fish fauna of the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia – including the Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Ngarinyin, Nyikina and Walmajarri Aboriginal names (funded by Natural Heritage Trust) 2. Sawfish Project Biology and cultural significance of the freshwater sawfish (Pristis microdon) in the Fitzroy River, Kimberley, Western Australia (funded by Threatened Species Network and Natural Heritage Trust) 3. Barrage Project Fish migration in the Fitzroy River and the impact of barriers (funded by Land & Water Australia) 4. Northern River Shark The northern river shark Glyphis sp. C (Carcharhinidae) in Western Australia (funded by the Natural Heritage Trust) 5. King Edward River Fish Project Fishes of the King Edward and Carson Rivers with the Belaa and Ngarinyin names for the fish (funded by Land & Water Australia) An outline of each project is given below: 1. Fitzroy River Fish Project During 2001 and 2002, 70 sites on the Fitzroy River were sampled for fish. The project involved Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Ngarinyin, Nyikina and Walmajarri people from the Fitzroy River and the language names for fish captured were recorded by KLRC linguists. Many people from Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and various communities and stations were involved. The project was a huge success with previously unrecorded language names and stories about places and different fishes documented. A total of 117 language names of the fish were recorded across the five languages. Posters were produced depicting the fish of the river and the different language names. A number of species that were new to science were discovered and others that were not previously known from the river were found. A total of 23 freshwater species and 14 marine/estuarine fishes were recorded
from the freshwaters of the river. The project demonstrated that there were significant differences in the fishes associated with the lower, middle and upper reaches of the main channel, the smaller tributaries, the billabongs and the upper gorge country. The range of many species was increased and the river was found provide an important refuge for many endangered fishes, including the Freshwater Sawfish. 2. Sawfish Project Elsewhere, Freshwater Sawfish have undergone massive population declines with contemporary beliefs identifying the Fitzroy River as having one of the last known viable populations. The Freshwater Sawfish is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act 1999. This project investigated the biology and cultural significance of the species in the Fitzroy River. While previously believed to be a freshwater species, all captured in the Fitzroy River were immature and this suggested that the Freshwater Sawfish uses the river as a nursery. This culturally significant species, is not only an important food source, but is included in a number of stories and beliefs of the peoples of the Fitzroy River, where it is referred to as ‘galwanyi’ in Bunuba and Gooniyandi, ‘wirridanyniny’ or ‘pial pial’ in Nyikina, and ‘wirrdani’ in Walmajarri. A project logo was created by inviting people to enter an artwork competition, coordinated by Mangkaja Arts. A number of excellent paintings of this important species were produced with the winning entry being painted by Joy Nuggett. In relation to the biology and ecology of the species, of the 73 individuals sexed, 43 were female, ranging in length from 832 to 2770 mm TL, and 30 were male, ranging in length from 815 to 2350 mm TL. The Fitzroy River is an important nursery for juveniles of the species, which appear to live in the river for up to 4 or 5 years before leaving the river to mature. A total of 79 Freshwater Sawfish were captured (and released) between 2002 and 2004. Forty of these individuals were tagged. A poster was produced showing the tags, contacts, different language names for the species and the key difference between the Freshwater Sawfish and the Dwarf Sawfish, which occurs in the estuary downstream of Telegraph Pool. The stomachs of nine individuals showed that the diet of this species is dominated by the Lesser Salmon Catfish, however fine detrital matter and cherabin were also eaten encountered. Additionally, both the relationship between rostrum (saw) length and total length, and the number of rostral teeth in female and male Freshwater Sawfish were significantly different. The number of teeth on the left side of the rostrum ranged from 17 to 21 in females and 19 to 23 in males, and although there is some overlap, 97 % of individuals with 19 or less left rostral teeth were female, and 94 % of individuals with 21 and more left rostral teeth were male. The high abundance of Freshwater Sawfish encountered immediately below Camballin Barrage, and the fact that 6 of the 8 recaptures of a total of 40 tagged individuals were also at this locality illustrated the fact the Barrage hinders the upstream migration of the species. 3. Barrage Project Covering almost 90000km2, the Fitzroy River catchment is relatively uncleared, non-saline and is largely unregulated with the Barrage, approximately 100km upstream of the limit of tidal influence, being the only major artificial obstruction to fish migration. While the Sawfish Project demonstrated that Freshwater Sawfish use the river as a nursery, with all of those in the river being immature, the presence of the Barrage is thought to severely affect the upstream migration of not only this species, but also other important food fishes such as Barramundi. Juvenile and adult Barramundi (and other species) migrate up (and down) the river and depending on flood levels from the resulting wet season, the Barrage may be impenetrable for up to 10 months of the year. During the wet of 2005 it may have only been passable for fish for a few weeks. As part of this assessment the Department of Environment is comparing the different magnitude of flow events, based on current and historical data and the potential need for a fishway is being assessed and discussed with the community. Monitoring of the fishes above and below the Barrage has demonstrated that there are substantial differences. For example, species that were caught immediately below the Barrage but not above include Freshwater Sawfish, Bull Shark, Oxeye Herring, Diamond Mullet and Giant Herring. Each of these species is of marine origin and utilise the river as a nursery and feeding grounds. One Freshwater Sawfish 47
Page 1 and 2: Kimberley Appropriate Economies Rou
Page 3: Kimberley Appropriate Economies Rou
Page 6 and 7: Why would you? The first three word
Page 8 and 9: From our culture, we have certain r
Page 10 and 11: We have won some battles, at least
Page 12 and 13: INTRODUCTION The Kimberley Appropri
Page 14 and 15: appropriate development in the regi
Page 16 and 17: SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ROU
Page 18 and 19: Pastoralism Workshop Danielle Eyre,
Page 20 and 21: actions to come out of the Roundtab
Page 22 and 23: OUTCOMES There were two main Outcom
Page 24 and 25: in the Kimberley with rules based o
Page 26 and 27: Research Action 2 Action 3 the regi
Page 28 and 29: Action 9 Tour operators from the Fi
Page 30 and 31: 26 Projects or enterprises that ach
Page 33 and 34: APPENDIX A PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE
Page 35 and 36: And sometimes people like myself an
Page 37 and 38: forgetting that intrinsic value tha
Page 39 and 40: Keynote Address Wayne Bergmann, Exe
Page 41 and 42: Is there a role for Aboriginal know
Page 43 and 44: Ian Lowe President, Australian Cons
Page 45 and 46: Address by Tom Birch Chairman, Kimb
Page 47 and 48: Address by Pat Lowe, Founding Membe
Page 49: In recent years, Aboriginal people
Page 53 and 54: ecorded. Dolores Cheinmora and Agne
Page 55 and 56: development of the area. Failures i
Page 57 and 58: 3b. Vegetation change The loss of s
Page 59 and 60: The Future The entire river system,
Page 61 and 62: Woirnarski, J.C.Z. (1992).Introduct
Page 63: 4. Recent photo of the same locatio
Page 73: APPENDIX C KIMBERLEY APPROPRIATE EC
Page 78 and 79: 74 Don Henry ......................
Page 80 and 81: 76 APPENDIX F TABLE OF PRESENTERS
Page 82 and 83: 78 APPENDIX H ROUNDTABLE SPONSORS A
Page 84: KIMBERLEY APPROPRIATE ECONOMIES ROU

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