Connectivity is a key driver in the recovery of native fish in the Murray-Darling Basin.
Connectivity between rivers and catchments, connectivity between floodplains and river channels, and connectivity between the river, the estuary and the sea are all critical to the continuing resilience of native fish diversity and native fish populations within the Murray-Darling Basin.
However, the physical and ecological connections are only part of the story. To truly achieve native fish recovery there needs to be many more connections made. Connections between people, between fields of science, and between human interventions that aim to recover and restore native fishes.
This introduction to the Special Session on ‘Creating connections to support the future of native fish in the Murray-Darling Basin’ will delve into the wide range of connections that we need to make and maintain in order to recover native fish and build resilient populations in the era of a changing climate.
Key examples that will be highlighted:
1) the need to connect flow management to complementary actions such as habitat restoration and mitigation of threats (e.g. barriers to movement; cold water pollution; and pest species)
2) the need to connect western science, monitoring and research to the science and knowledge known by First Nations
3) the need to connect scientists and policy makers to the local communities that love and care for their rivers
4) the need to connect water managers and river operators to the impacts and risks posed by their infrastructure and management of rivers
5) the need to connect decision makers to the people implementing their actions on-ground.
These connections will need to be driven by us. That is, the people who study, care for, and are truly passionate about native fish recovery. We need to maintain our current connections and create new connections to drive native fish recovery forward. Because if we don’t, then who will?