______________________________________ Research, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Victoria. 3084 The recent illegal importation of Dwarf Mexican Ph (03) 9450 8669, Fax: (03) 9450 8799 Crayfish ( Cambarellus patzcuarensis ) into Email: [email protected] Australia is cause for extreme concern. North America is home to crayfish plague Aphanomyces Northern Territory : Michael Hammer, Curator of astaci which has severely impacted crayfish Fishes, NT Museum and Art Gallery, populations when introduced to Europe. Crayfish Ph (08) 8999-8253, Fax: (08) 8999-8289, Email: plague is not present in Australia, and the potential [email protected] introduction of this disease has severe ramifications for Australian crayfish. These illegally imported Western Australia : David Morgan, Research crayfish are still for sale in Australia, and there Leader, Centre for Fish & Fisheries Research seems to be no appetite to do anything about this Murdoch University, South St Murdoch, WA 6150 situation by the relevant authorities. Ph (08) 93602813 Email: [email protected] Tasmania : Rob Freeman, Inland Fisheries Service, ASFB Threatened Species Committee PO Box 575 New Norfolk, Tasmania 7140, Fax: Report – to December 2016 (03) 62618051 Email: [email protected] Compiled by Mark Lintermans (Convenor) ACT : Mark Lintermans, see Convenor details South Australia : Chris Bice, Inland Waters and Threatened Species Committee Catchment Ecology, SARDI Aquatic Sciences, PO State representatives for the committee are listed Box 120 Henley Beach, SA 5022. below. The committee tends to meet once a year Ph (08) 8207 5352, email: [email protected] during the Annual Conference of the society, and the meeting is open for all to attend. For further New South Wales : Dean Gilligan, Senior Research details, ideas, questions or suggestions, please Scientist, Industry & Investment NSW. PO Box 17 contact your state representative or anyone listed Batemans Bay NSW 2536. Ph (02) 4478 9111, Fax: below. (02) 4472 7542, Email: [email protected] Convenor: Mark Lintermans, Institute for Applied Ecology, New Zealand: Bruno David, Freshwater Scientist University of Canberra Water, Air and Waste, Environment Waikato, PO Ph (02) 6201 2853, Fax (02) 6201 5651, email: Box 4010 Hamilton East 3247 [email protected] Ph +64 (7) 859 0999 (Extn 8513), Email: [email protected] Queensland : Steve Brooks, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, GPO Box 46, Brisbane, ASFB Threatened Fishes Committee QLD 4001. Ph (07) 322 42260 Email: The Threatened Species Committee met [email protected] , and immediately before this year’s annual ASFB conference in Hobart with the major focus of the Brendan Ebner meeting being a half day workshop to review the Tropical Landscapes Joint Venture, CSIRO conservation status of species in the sub family Ecosystem Sciences & TROPWater, James Cook Sicydinae (cling gobies) and the genus University Atherton QLD 4883. Ph. (07) 4091 Chlamydogobius . This was the third workshop in a 8805 Email: [email protected] series that will proactively review the entire Australian freshwater fish fauna over a series of Victoria : John Koehn, Principal Research workshops over the coming years. Scientist, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental December Newsletter 2016 133 Volume 46: (2) As in previous workshops, it was not intended that including how to encourage attendance at TFC this workshop would prepare detailed nominations meetings by interested ASFB members; attracting for individual species. The intention of the more marine representatives; the potential for workshops is that over a number of years the establishing a small competitive grant schemes for entire Australian freshwater fish fauna will be work on threatened fish; and how to deal with the proactively reviewed, rather than just reactively current ASFB listings for species at lower risk waiting for nominations of threatened taxa, with categories (i.e. Data Deficient, Lower risk, least 2016 being the third in the workshop series. The concern, etc). It was decided not to publish these workshop was intended to canvas opinion, lower risk categories in the annual newsletter, as it knowledge and the current status of species, and has been a considerable period since information identify those that are priorities for further on some of these species has been reviewed. knowledge synthesis and/or development of individual nominations Changes to ASFB Threatened Fish Listings in 2016 Eleven people attended the workshop with a series The TFC then considered threatened species of presentations given. Peter Unmack (Uni of nominations for two undescribed rainbowfish taxa Canberra) provided a background on the (Malanda rainbowfish and Running River phylogeny and taxonomy of the C hlamydogobius rainbowfish), One other rainbowfish (Utchee species and Brendan Ebner provided a review of rainbowfish Melanotaenia utcheensis ) and one the distribution, abundance and ecology of the Galaxiid (Swan galaxias Galaxias fontanus , cling gobies. currently listed by ASFB and the EPBC as Endangered). The major threats to all 3 The workshop participants identified seven cling rainbowfish were hybridisation with translocated gobies and three Chlamydogobius species populations of another rainbowfish ( M. splendida ) considered to warrant the preparation of full and the limited and fragmented distributions of all nominations or review of existing status. The 3 species. The swan galaxias has continued to species were: decline since last reviewed in 2002, with four populations lost, range contraction as a result Stiphodon semoni continued invasion by alien salmonids, and likely Stiphodon pelewensis competition with another galaxiid after invasion Stiphodon surrufus following a large flood. After careful Stiphodon rutilaureus consideration, all nominations were accepted by Sicyopus discordipinnis the TFC, and the proposed new listings of the Smilosicyopus leprurus Running River and Malanda rainbowfishes, and Smilosicyopus fehlmani the Swan galaxias as critically endangered and the Chlamydogobius gloveri Utchee rainbowfish as vulnerable species were Chlamydogobius japalpa ratified at the ASFB Annual General Meeting. Chlamydogobius micropterus The complete 2016 ASFB Threatened Fish list is at the end of this report. One cling goby ( Sicyopterus cynocephalus ) was put on a watch list to clarify whether it is a vagrant Time for a new Convenor to Australia. After 7 years in the role as Convenor of the ASFB TFC, Linto has indicated it is time for some new Preparation of nominations will continue over the ideas, and to make the transition a little smoother, next 1-2 years, and species will then be formally will be co-convenor for a year or two. Discussion assessed. It is intended to conduct another are currently progressing with a new co-convenor, workshop in 2017. Thanks to the ASFB who so stay tuned provided assistance in organising the workshop. New Nominations sought Annual TFC meeting The committee welcomes new nominations or Following the threatened fishes workshop, the proposals for recategorisation. Could anyone TFC annual meeting discussed a range of issues working on species that they consider threatened December Newsletter 2016 134 Volume 46: (2) but which are not currently on the ASFB Threatened Fish list, please contact their State/ Recovery and threat abatement plans Territory ASFB TFC rep, or contact the Convenor. The whisper is that the national recovery plan for Nominations must be received at least one month Macquarie perch is close to release for public before the annual conference date to allow comment. Work on this plan commenced in the distribution to and consideration by committee early 2000’s. Macquarie perch was one of 3 members. freshwater fresh first listed as nationally endangered in 1980, so after a 36 year wait, here’s National hoping a national plan is imminent. Compiled by Mark Lintermans The finalised recovery plan for three handfish EPBC Act 1999 species ( Brachionichthys hirsutus (Spotted Common Assessment Methodology handfish), Thymichthys politus (Red handfish), As part of a process to harmonise national and Brachiopsilus ziebelli (Ziebell’s handfish)) is now state/territory threatened species lists, a Common available on the Departments website. Assessment Methodology (CAM) has been developed IUCN criteria are being used, with the Threatened Species Strategy and Action Plan addition of a Conservation Dependant category for The Commonwealth Threatened Species Strategy commercial species that are being managed under a and Action Plan has now identified 20 birds, 20 fishery management plan (e.g. eastern gemfish, mammals and 30 plants as priority species, but still some sharks). Under the CAM, a species can only no fish. Mark Lintermans met with the Threatened be listed once, with all new nominations to be Species Commissioner in early 2016 to highlight assessed at national level first, and if they don’t the plight of Australian freshwater fish, and meet the criteria for national listing, then they can highlight the lack of a national freshwater fish be listed as populations within a jurisdiction. action plan (there are national plans for mammals, Species already listed (legacy species) will need to birds, reptiles etc). The Commissioner expressed have their national status agreed upon, or be interest in the information presented, and reassessed, over the next 2 years. undertook to raise the issues forfreshwater fish with the national Threatened