The olive perchlet, also known as Agassiz’s glassfish, once thrived throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, but thanks to extensive habitat loss, the small native fish is now considered a threatened species.

In a collaborative effort, OzFish partnered with NSW DPIRD Fisheries, Landcare NSW, and the local Indigenous youth program Boys to the Bush, to revitalise wetland sites in the Dubbo region, including one at Narromine.

This effort focussed on reversing the decline and give the species a new lease on life.

“The olive perchlet and other small-bodied native fish once made up the basis for the food chain for the larger fish and birds in the Murray-Darling Basin,” OzFish Dubbo team leader Sean Graham said.

“Without these smaller native fish in our waterways, many other species are at risk, particularly the iconic Murray cod and endangered waterbird species.

“The olive perchlet prefers to breed in billabongs with intact waterway vegetation and abundant aquatic plants.

"The problem is that native vegetation has been removed, and their homes are filled with rubbish and teeming with invasive carp that degrade the water quality and aquatic vegetation.”

The group co-ordinated four habitat restoration days with the help of local Landcare members.

Volunteers removed an impressive 80 kilograms of rubbish and over 300 invasive carp from the breeding sites.

Small, but important! The olive perchlet is being given a helping hand to increase its numbers in local rivers.

In total, more than 90 volunteers contributed over 180 hours to improve the local fish habitats.

The Wiradjuri Cultural and Environmental Rangers helped construct 20 habitat-enhancing rafts that were then installed at the Dubbo Golf Course and Narromine Wetlands.

These rafts, made from hessian, twine, and harvested bamboo, provide refuge from larger predators and create suitable breeding conditions for the olive perchlet.

Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) Chief Executive Andrew McConville was full of praise for the group effort.

“The Murray–Darling Basin Native Fish Recovery Strategy is a long-term plan developed to protect and restore native fish populations across the Basin, addressing the drastic declines seen over the past several decades,” he said.

“These grants are a lifeline for the communities ready to make a real difference for our native fish and their habitats.”

The ultimate goal of the olive perchlet project is to establish at least five self-sustaining surrogate populations in the region in and around Dubbo.

These populations will provide annual brood stock to reinforce wild populations and ensure the survival of the species in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Landcare NSW Chair Gareth Johnston emphasised the importance of community participation in conservation efforts.

“We extend a heartfelt thank you to the local communities for their hard work in revitalising degraded wetlands, removing invasive species, and building innovative habitat rafts.

This project showcases the incredible power of community within conservation and its vital role in enhancing our environment and biodiversity.”