Auction action as Bundaleer native fish bid for new homes

Six new fish homes have been deployed across Bundaleer Reservoir to improve the health of native fish as part of a habitat enhancement project, enabled by SA Water’s Reservoirs Partnership Program.

A recipient of funding in the 2021-22 program, OzFish’s volunteers built the custom homes by anchoring large eucalyptus branches and brush piles to limestone blocks, creating clusters of habitat structures that cater for different sizes of fish.

OzFish is Australia’s recreational fishing charity, delivering a range of habitat restoration projects spearheaded by the recreational fishing community, with this new project led by its Barossa-Mid North Chapter members.

The structures – which will help provide a source of food and shelter for native fish – were carefully placed into Bundaleer Reservoir by SA Water’s Berri-based team, who travelled to the site with their boat, lifting the fish homes from the shore with the boat’s crane and placing them into the water.

OzFish’s Project Manager for South Australia Rachel Williams said the woody structures play a vital role in the lifecycle of native fish.

“Many fish species rely on woody habitat, and introducing these fish homes to the reservoir for the first time will help provide native species with an important source of shelter, and a place to rest and feed,” Rachel said.

“Using different types of natural woody material provides a maze of nooks and crannies for the fish to weave in and out of, making them rather complex and suitable to a wide variety of native species, including Silver Perch and Golden Perch.

“Habitat structures like these also create active feeding grounds by attracting algae and macroinvertebrates, while enabling smaller fish to utilise other habitats, as large fish move into these new homes.

"We’re pleased to continue building on our relationship with SA Water, which has delivered several innovative projects aimed at improving recreational fishing in South Australia since our first initiative began in 2021."

SA Water’s team deployed the homes at specific sites in the water that had been identified by GPS mapping as the ideal locations for the local fish populations.

The drop-off points were also deep enough to ensure the structures remain underwater when the reservoir is at a lower level, such as during the warner months.

During November last year, OzFish built similar habitat structures for Warren Reservoir to support the storage’s native fish, including Murray cod.

SA Water’s Senior Manager of Environment and Energy James Crocker said the initiative will help improve fish health in Bundaleer Reservoir and support the recreational fishing experience for visitors.

“Nestled in the Mid North, Bundaleer is a wonderful spot to visit and drop a line in if you’re travelling through the region, with the reservoir reserve seeing several thousand visitors since recreational access was expanded in October 2019,” James said.

“Conservation projects such as this one with OzFish are incredibly valuable to helping sustain the reservoir’s native fish population, by providing these habitats as a source of food and shelter.

“When combined with our ongoing fish stocking program, that saw another 10,000 Golden Perch and Silver Perch released into the reservoir earlier this year, these initiatives ensure we’re continuing to enhance the fishing experience for visitors.”

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