A NATIVE fish once thought to be extinct is thriving after being released back into local waterways.
The small-bodied olive perchlet was declared extinct in 1988 and apart from one sighting of a single fish in 2022 near Mildura, the species was last recorded in the wild in Victoria in 1929.
A conservation effort to bring the olive perchlet back from extinction has seen 200 healthy adults released into the wild to help repopulation efforts.
Olive perchlets reared at the Victorian Fisheries Authority’s Snob’s Creek Conservation Hatchery were released into Cameron’s Creek in the Gunbower National Park last month, the first wild release of the species in Victoria.
The state government’s Nature Fund program invested $315,000 in the $1 million project.
The Nature Fund supports conservation projects for threatened species and their habitats.
The release is part of a long-term plan to re-populate the species into restored floodplain habitats throughout the Murray corridor.
The olive perchlet is a small fish that grows up to 6cm long and plays an important role in maintaining waterway health by preying on tiny aquatic species, such as water insects, beetles and larvae.
The North Central Catchment Management Authority has also been breeding surrogate populations of olive perchlet in private dams around Bendigo, with more wild releases planned for the future.
The olive perchlet release follows the release of previously extinct southern purple spotted gudgeon into northern Victorian waterways in 2020, as well as releases and habitat restoration of threatened southern pygmy perch, flat-headed galaxias, and Murray hardyhead.
“The release of the olive perchlet is yet another success of the Allan Labor Government’s Nature Fund, which aims to stop the decline of native plants and animals and improve Victoria’s natural resources,” Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos said.
“We’re supporting Victoria’s treasured native species by making sure they are protected and helping them to repopulate their native habitat.”
