Housing boom for fish in Warren Reservoir

New fish homes have been deployed across six locations within Warren 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 homes by anchoring large eucalyptus branches and brush piles to limestone blocks with specially designed straps, creating clusters of fish homes at each location to 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 the new project at Warren led by members of its Barossa Chapter.

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

“The Murray cod is one of Australia's most iconic fish and this new project will see fish homes introduced to the Barossa-based reservoir, providing this species with an important source of shelter, and a place to breed and feed,” Rachel said.

“Using different types of natural woody material makes our fish homes 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 for native fish by attracting algae and macroinvertebrates.

“The ongoing presence of Murray cod is indicative of a waterway’s health and by supporting all native fish numbers, we are helping to secure the future of recreational fishing at Warren Reservoir.

"We’re pleased to further build on the success of our relationship with SA Water, which delivered an innovative project for South Australia when it began in 2021."

In a first-of-its-kind initiative for the state’s reservoirs, OzFish installed ‘cod lodges’ in Warren Reservoir last year, which consisted of terracotta pots and limestone reef blocks to provide habitat for Murray cod.

SA Water’s Senior Manager of Wastewater Expertise and Environment James Crocker said the initiative will help improve the reservoir’s biodiversity and support the recreational fishing experience for visitors.

“This new project is one of three community initiatives championing environmental conservation and recreation, which our grassroots program is enabling this year,” James said.

“Warren Reservoir is a popular fishing spot among recreational anglers that’s thriving as a result of the stocking program undertaken with RecFish SA, and these fish homes will create new ecosystems for the native species to move into.

“Importantly, with the reservoir to be lowered next year as part of enabling a dam valve upgrade, the homes will help to manage fish health and reduce stress while we relocate them to South Para Reservoir.

“Deploying them now while the reservoir is full of water will also make it easier to transport the structures and ensure they are placed in the right location, maximising the benefit to our native fish.”

Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, RecFish SA, Lambert Estate Wines and BCF – Boating Camping Fishing are also supporting the habitat restoration project at Warren Reservoir.

A new nature-based education program for home school families, and kayak training and reservoir tours for youth volunteers were also among the successful recipients of financial support as part of the 2021-22 funding round of SA Water’s Reservoirs Partnership Program.

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