Brian Williams

16 OCT 2006

A system meant to protect the Mary River’s lungfish is not working. 

The State Government’s proposed Traveston Crossing Dam on the Mary River is now threatened by a multi-million-dollar fishlock that does not work.

Scientists from the Department of Primary Industries have found that hardly any endangered lungfish are using the Ned Churchward Weir fishlock on the Burnett River.

This has prompted Trade Minister Warren Truss to warn that the Federal Government would examine how Queensland proposed to protect the fish.

Lungfish are found only in the Burnett and Mary rivers, and the fishlock is designed to allow the fish to migrate up and downstream despite the presence of the dam.

The findings have serious ramifications for the Traveston Dam where a fishway is planned.

Mr Truss said the DPI reports showed Premier Peter Beattie had prematurely chosen a site without the appropriate science in place.

Driven by a looming election, Mr Beattie had suffered from political bravado in saying the species would be protected.

“There’s absolutely no doubt he went off half-cocked,” Mr Truss said.

The Primary Industries Department reports said 1285 lungfish were tagged. Of 41 tagged fish that approached the upstream entrance to the Ned Churchward Weir fishlock (formerly the Walla Weir) only seven went through.

Of 551 tagged striped mullet trying to migrate downstream just four were detected using the fish-lock.

“Most of the fish made numerous approaches but failed to migrate,” they said.

University of Sydney lungfish expert Jean Joss said the reports ( 1 and 2 ) proved that Traveston should be abandoned unless it could be shown that the same conditions would not arise on the Mary.

“I’ve yet to see anything that gives me any idea fishlocks work.” Professor Joss said.

The reports by scientists Andrew Berghuis and Craig Broadfoot were tabled in State Parliament last week and recommended the fishlock be redesigned.

Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said questions remained about fishlocks. ” In my view this is not good enough,” Mr Mulherin said.

Queensland Conservation Council co-ordinator Toby Hutcheon said: “The only way to ensure the lungfish’s survival is to scrap the (Traveston) dam.”