A new initiative by the Australian Government to create trout-free havens for 5 native fish species on the brink of extinction may come just in time, according to the Invasive Species Council.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced $700,000 for emergency protection of 5 critically endangered galaxias species – the Yalmy, West Gippsland, McDowell’s, shaw and tapered – all endemic to Victoria’s Gippsland region and all highly threatened by invasive predatory trout. For each species, at least 3 natural havens, protected from trout by waterfalls, will be found and safeguarded, and the populations boosted with captive-bred fish.
The announcement follows recent advocacy by the Invasive Species Council for urgent action by Minister Plibersek to prevent the imminent extinction of the Yalmy galaxias and strengthen protection for other highly threatened galaxiids.
‘We joyfully welcome this news of potential extinctions averted. This is important leadership from Minister Plibersek to step in and hopefully stop a wave of galaxiid extinctions,’ Invasive Species Council Principal Policy Analyst Dr Carol Booth said.
‘We desperately hope it is not too late to save the Yalmy galaxias. The last survey 2 years ago of the last known refuge of the Yalmy found just 20 survivors.
‘The Yalmy was probably once more widespread in the Snowy River system but it has been eaten out by trout and hammered by drought and fire in recent years.
‘We are very pleased to finally see a significant response from the federal government after we raised alarm bells about this last year.
‘Havens free of invasive fish are one essential strategy to stop multiple potential extinctions of native fish.
‘The creation of these havens will not affect existing trout fishing opportunities, as it is focussed on identifying and protecting areas where trout are not currently present.
‘The next essential step will be for the Australian Government to prioritise the development of a national action plan for invasive fish.
‘The need for a national action plan is dire. Australia is facing multiple extinctions of freshwater fish unless we get serious about managing the threat of invasive fish.
‘Invasive fish are the most prevalent threat to native freshwater fish and mostly not managed.
‘A comprehensive assessment of Australia’s native freshwater fish, published in November, found that about a third are threatened. Rainbow and brown trout, redfin perch, eastern gambusia and other invasive species are a threat to more than 80% of these.’
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Background notes:
A call to action to save the Yalmy and other galaxiids
In April 2024, the Invasive Species Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, Biodiversity Council, Environment Victoria, NSW Nature Conservation Council and Victorian National Parks Association, wrote to the federal Environment Minister Plibersek and the Threatened Species Commissioner Dr Fiona Fraser calling for the following urgent actions to prevent the imminent extinction of the Yalmy galaxias and strengthen protection for other highly threatened galaxiids:
- Conduct an urgent rescue operation for the Yalmy galaxias, including surveys for survivors and potential release sites, and captive breeding (if feasible)
- Find or create trout-free havens and/or undertake captive breeding for other galaxias species at high risk of imminent extinction
- Rapidly develop a national Invasive Fish Action Plan, with the appointment of a coordinator to focus initial action on protecting threatened galaxias species from invasive trout.
About the Yalmy galaxias
The Yalmy galaxias is now known only from 2 connected tributaries of the Snowy River in East Gippsland – the mid-reaches of the Yalmy River system and the lower Rodger River. All are in national park and state forest. It may have survived in this last known refuge due to the water being warmer than trout prefer, but there is no barrier to trout moving there in cooler periods or floods or being introduced by a fisher.
The Yalmy lives in shallow, clear, flowing and partly shaded streams (2–5.5 m wide). It may need a specialised habitat of cobbles in fast-flowing riffles.
See here for the Australian Government’s conservation advice for the Yalmy galaxias. As well as predation by trout, it is threatened by intensified bushfires that cause sedimentation, droughts (climate change), feral pigs and deer (due to the impacts of erosion on water quality).
About the galaxiid family of fish
The national assessment of native fish found that 31 of 40 (78%) Australian galaxiid species are threatened. They are Australia’s most endangered family of animals and invasive fish, particularly trout, are their major threat. The Yalmy galaxias is one of 22 galaxiids listed nationally as endangered or critically endangered.
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