Freshwater fish habitat

Australian native fish need a range of habitats to complete their life cycle.

Widespread, healthy and protected fish habitats:

• supply food for a variety of aquatic animals
• ensure safe fish movement between habitats during their lifecycle
• reduce the impact of invasive pest fish (e.g. carp, tilapia and gambusia) and weeds by giving native species a competitive advantage
• increase the distribution and abundance of native fish
• improve water quality
• increase biodiversity
• help native fish adapt to changing environmental conditions (e.g. fire, drought and floods)
• support fisheries resources.

Habitat zones

Freshwater fish habitats are habitat zones in the upper, middle and lower sections of:

• rivers
• lakes
• wetlands
• creeks
• catchments
• swamps.

Microhabitats

Freshwater habitat zones include microhabitats within them:

• banks
• snags
• rocks
• channels
• substrates
• riffles
• macrophytes (aquatic plants)
• riparian vegetation zones.

Riparian vegetation

Riparian vegetation zones include plants growing on the water's edge along the banks of rivers, creeks, and the edges of wetlands.

Healthy riparian vegetation means a healthy fish habitat.

Riparian vegetation:

• protects against erosion
• gently filters water, improving its quality
• regulates water temperature through shade and cover
• buffers against surrounding land use
• provides food sources (detritus and insects)
• Includes logs, roots, branches and leaves that form fish habitats.

Protect fish habitats

• Maintain and protect aquatic and riparian vegetation.
• Protect and restore the natural water flow and the connectivity of waterways.
• Increase buffer zones.
• Maintain and re-introduce snags.
• Don’t erect unauthorised waterway barriers that slow or stop fish passage.
• Avoid introducing any weeds or invasive fish species.
• Report pest fish.
• Avoid damage or removal of instream habitat (e.g. sediments and aquatic vegetation).
• Revegetate the riparian zone.