How do you make a local council fish friendly?

A fish friendly workshop has been developed to help local council staff keep fish and coastal habitats healthy while working in and around waterways.

Local councils are key partners in managing the NSW marine estate for the whole community. Good water quality and fish habitats are essential for supporting local fisheries and aquatic biodiversity.

Staff from Richmond Valley Council were the first to attend a fish friendly workshop late last year. They learnt how to make work sites more fish friendly and gained an understanding of the link between the work they do and healthy fish habitats.

Some issues councils are asked to consider include:

• Minimising sediment runoff because it can smother fish habitat and clog fish gills. Using effective erosion and sediment controls around work sites is critical.

• Structures in waterways or that span waterways can stop fish moving to seek shelter, feed and breed. Waterway crossings and the construction methods used to build these works can be designed to be fish friendly. For example, silt curtains, which are an important tool to minimise sediment inputs should be installed around the work site rather than across a waterway.

Council staff were also shown how to complete DPI Fisheries permit applications for council works in or near a waterway. Providing the correct information to DPI Fisheries the first time, avoids delays and additional costs to projects.

The organisers worked with council staff to tailor the workshop for local fish, fish habitat and the most common types of works that could cause negative impacts.

COVID-19 restrictions have delayed more face-to-face workshops for now. However, the information is being developed into a series of videos for on-line education.

This program is funded and delivered under the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy.

Read more marine estate news.