F i s h e s o F t h e M u r r ay- Da r l i n g B a s i n 73An introductory guide72 F i s h e s o F t h e M u r r ay- Da r l i n g B a s i n 73An introductory guide7272 F i s h e s o F t h e M u r r ay- Da r l i n g B a s i n

identificationA medium to large fish with a deep, laterally compressed body. Maximum weight 23 kg and maximum length 760 mm; usually less than 400 mm and 4 kg. The body colour being generally olive-green with a yellow or cream belly. The mouth is large with the lower jaw protruding slightly. The tail is rounded.

Biology and habitatGolden perch are predominantly found in the lowland, warmer, turbid, slow flowing rivers. In the Broken River they have been shown to prefer deep, slow flowing pool habitats and were often associated with snags and other cover. The species is long-lived, with the maximum validated age for an individual of 26 years, although most individuals live less than 10–12 years. Males are reproductively mature at 2 years and females at 4 years, and are generally thought to spawn in floods during spring and summer when water temperature exceeds about 20°C. However, recent evidence from the Murray River suggests that this species is able to spawn

during relatively stable, bankfull irrigation flows. Spawning was significantly increased during the 2005 environmental water release in the mid-Murray.

Adult and immature fish are migratory and extensive upstream movements of more than 1000 kilometres have been recorded for some adult fish, although movements of this scale are not common. Outside the breeding season, individuals occupy home ranges of about 100 m for weeks or months before relocating to another site where a new home range is established. Upstream movements by both immature and adult fish are stimulated by small rises in streamflow and most movement in the Murray occurs between October and April. Recent research in the Murray River has also suggested that some fish may move downstream to spawn.

Golden perch are highly fecund, with a 2.3 kg female holding up to 500,000 eggs. Water-hardened eggs are large (~3–4 mm diameter), semi-buoyant and drift downstream. Hatching occurs after 1–2 days and newly hatched larvae are about 3.5 mm long.

Common name golden perch (yellowbelly, callop, Murray perch)

scientific name Macquaria ambigua ambigua (richardson, 1845)

natiVe sPeCies

Phot

o: G

unth

er S

chm

ida

F i s h e s o F t h e M u r r ay- Da r l i n g B a s i n 73An introductory guide72 F i s h e s o F t h e M u r r ay- Da r l i n g B a s i n 73An introductory guide72 An introductory guide 73

Regular breeding has been recorded in some lakes in the Canberra region (Googong, Lake Burley Griffin), but these events are usually small-scale and insufficient to support viable fisheries.

The species is an opportunistic carnivore. The diet of adult fish consists mainly of shrimps, yabbies, small fish and benthic aquatic insect larvae. Juvenile fish consume more of the smaller items such as aquatic insect larvae and microcrustaceans.

Distribution and abundanceThe Golden perch is widespread throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, where it is widespread in the lower and mid reaches, but has declined in some areas. For example, in the Canberra region the species had effectively disappeared from the upper Murrumbidgee catchment above Lake Burrinjuck and has only re-established after successful lake stockings commencing in the early 1970s. The species is widely stocked in farm dams, lakes and streams in some States and forms the basis for popular recreational fisheries.

A closely related but genetically distinct species has been identified from the Lake Eyre and Bulloo drainages in central Australia.

Potential threatsRiver regulation has disrupted migrations and spawning behaviour, and cold-water pollution has eliminated some populations below large dams. Barriers to migration and recolonisation posed by weirs and dams are also threats.

general referencesAnderson et al. 1992; Baumgartner et al. 2006; Crook 2004; Crook et al. 2001; Harris & Rowland 1996; King et al. 2005; Koehn & Harington 2005; Mallen-Cooper & Stuart 2003; O’Connor et al. 2005; Phillips 2003; Reynolds 1983; Ye 2005.

iD VALLey 1 Avoca 2 Border rivers 3 Broken 4 campaspe 5 castlereagh 6 central Murray 7 condamine 8 darling 9 goulburn 10 gwydir 11 Kiewa 12 Lachlan 13 Loddon 14 Lower Murray 15 Macquarie 16 Mitta Mitta 17 Murrumbidgee 18 namoi 19 ovens 20 Paroo 21 upper Murray 22 Warrego 23 Wimmera

Published by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission Postal address: GPO Box 409, Canberra ACT 2601 Office location: Level 3, 51 Allara Street, Canberra City ACT Telephone: (02) 6279 0100, international + 61 2 6279 0100 Facsimile: (02) 6248 8053, international + 61 2 6248 8053 Email: info@mdbc.gov.au Internet: http://www.mdbc.gov.au

For further information contact the Murray-Darling Basin Commission office on (02) 6279 0100

This fish fact sheet is an extract derived from the report: Lintermans, M. 2007, Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin: An introductory guide.

MDBC Publication No. 10/07

ISBN 1 921257 20 2

© Murray-Darling Basin Commission 2007

This work is copyright. Graphical and textual information in the work (with the exception of photographs, artwork and the MDBC logo) may be stored, retrieved and reproduced in whole or in part provided the information is not sold or used for commercial benefit and its source (Fishes of the Murray-Darling Basin) is acknowledged. Such reproduction includes fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. Reproduction for other purposes is prohibited without the permission of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission or the individual photographers and artists with whom copyright applies.

To extent permitted by law, the copyright holders (including its employees and consultants) exclude all liability to any person for any consequences, including but not limited to all losses, damages, costs, expenses and any other compensation, arising directly or indirectly from using this report (in part or whole) and any information or material contained in it.

F i s h e s o F t h e M u r r ay- Da r l i n g B a s i nii