Harvesting fish migrations in South-East (SE) Asia has long been an integral part of most rural community's livelihood systems. Fish are a main protein source and trade/barter commodity, as well as being a vital source of micronutrients in diets. But the barrier impacts posed by dam infrastructure on fish migrations can be significant.

Billions of dollars have been invested into irrigation programs in Southeast Asia. Recent growing awareness of the benefits of multi-functional ecosystems, has led to an opportunity to apply considerable Australian expertise and technology to aquatic ecosystem management in the region.

The Murrumbidgee Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) Program is the primary means by which the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) is monitoring and evaluating the ecological outcomes of Commonwealth environmental watering actions.

Dams and weirs have fragmented river ecosystems leading to a dramatic decline in native fish populations as fish are unable to complete their spawning migrations. Fish tagging and the tracking of fish movements across the basin has led to improved data collection enabling better decisions in river management.

The Stocky Galaxias is considered to be one of Australia’s most threatened freshwater fishes and at risk of extinction in the next 20 years. A captive breeding program is being undertaken at CSU to help save the species.

The world’s most productive inland fishery - the Lower Mekong Basin fishery - is currently under threat from the proposed development of eleven dams on the main stem of the Mekong River.

This project will test existing guidelines and provide recommendations for sustainable fish pass monitoring methodologies in the Mekong River Basin.