Murray-Darling Basin Fish Survey (MDBFS)

Objectives

This data builds upon the data collected historically for the Sustainable Rivers Audit (SRA), The Living Murray (TLM), and native fish strategy programs as well as relevant State programs.

This program has been designed

1. To have a single annual sampling protocol applied consistently by all jurisdictions, with a multi-jurisdictional working group approving the protocols annually.

2. To have quality assured fish data available for the MDBA and Basin States alike to support their statutory obligations and natural resource management (NRM) programs.

3. To facilitate dialogues between the Basin States and the MDBA on fish monitoring and evaluation across the Murray-Darling basin.

Legislative Requirements

The collection of this data supports requirements specified in Schedule 7 of the Basin Plan Act (2012), as well as the detailed fish related quantitative environmental objectives specified in the Basin-wide Environmental Watering Strategy (BWS).