USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

Search fish passage bibliography

Harris, J. H. (1984). Impoundment of coastal drainages of south-eastern Australia, and a review of its relevance to fish migrations. Australian Zoologist. 21:235-250.

A study was carried out to estimate the proportion of the freshwater fish habitat in coastal drainages of south-eastern Australia that has been affected by stream impoundments. The results indicated that fish passage in about half of the aquatic habitat of Australia's south-eastern coastal drainages has been obstructed by dams, weirs and other man-made physical barriers. Migratory patterns of the region's fish species were reviewed. Ways in which impoundments affect the 26 species that were identified as migratory are discussed in relation to the ability of fish to bypass barriers, the nature of their migrations, and the role of flooding. The presence of about eight catadromous species in the region creates a special problem in fish passage. It is concluded that there is cause for concern over the status of the region's fish populations and that there is a need for a much greater awareness of the nature and extent of this problem.