Community-based Fishcare grants protect fish and aquatic habitats

12/2/03
Fisheries Minister Kim Chance has announced a range of community-based grants that aim to manage and protect Western Australia's fish and aquatic habitats.
Ten community-based projects and groups throughout the State will benefit from the latest round of Fishcare WA grants totalling $29,312.
Fishcare WA is a State Government initiative, administered by the Department of Fisheries, which provides small grant funding for appropriate projects.
"By assisting these projects, Fishcare is helping to ensure the sustainability of the State's natural environment," Mr Chance said.
The funded projects cover a range of environments from marine to freshwater and involve a variety of groups and activities including education, habitat restoration and research.
"This latest round of projects to receive assistance include schools, universities and local action groups," the Minister said.
The projects and groups to benefit from Fishcare WA grants are:
Comparison of fish community structure in sand and seagrass habitats in Princess Royal Harbour:
Albany Senior High School ($4,495).
Students from ASHS are collecting data on fish stocks, including recreationally and commercially important species, from sand and seagrass habitats in a range of locations in Princess Royal Harbour. Information from the study will be communicated to the community to highlight the importance of these areas as fish habitats.

Nerrigen Brook Habitat Protection:
Pioneer Village School, Armadale ($1,067).
The school is working in partnership with the Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group to undertake riverbank plantings and water quality monitoring of the Nerrigen Brook in Armadale.
Seaweek Teachers Expo:
Rottnest Island ($3,000).
The Rottnest Island Authority will host the 2003 Seaweek Teachers Expo. The expo facilitates teacher and community involvement in marine education programs and activities. The expo provides educators with skills, knowledge and tools to teach marine education and promotes a wide range of marine education programs.
Beadon Creek Crab Research:
Onslow Primary School ($2,000).
The Onslow Primary School will work with local government and local industry to study the possible decline of mud crabs in Beadon Creek.
Statutory protection of declining freshwater fish in the South-West:
World Wide Fund for Nature ($3,000).
WWF will work with local universities, researchers and Government departments to list five freshwater fish species for protection under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Listing will provide statutory protection and assist in guiding funding toward research, conservation and threat abatement for the black-striped minnow, mud minnow, salamanderfish, Balston's pygmy perch and the trout minnow.
Guardianship of Yallingup Reef:
Yallingup Land Conservation District Committee ($1,800).
The Yallingup LCDC will further expand existing education works to install 'information signage modules' that will be placed near exposed reef areas. The signage will educate the public about the reef and about protecting the reef environment.
Species identification video supplement to Ocean Walking:
Cape to Cape Clean Waters Project ($2,360).
During the production of the community-produced Ocean Walking video, underwater footage of many fish, corals and seagrasses were obtained from the South-West coast between Geographe Bay and Flinders Bay. Marine scientists have identified species filmed and the footage will be edited and collated into a local species identification video for general community use.
Margaret River rock ramp fishway:
Margaret River Environment Centre ($6,000).
The local community, the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River and the Water and Rivers Commission are working together to design and construct a rock ramp fishway on Apex Weir.
Environmental impacts of three exotic fish species in Western Australia:
Murdoch University ($2,600).
This project will investigate the environmental impacts of three exotic fish species, one-spot livebearers, tilapia and swordtails. The project will provide valuable information on the distribution of exotic species in the metropolitan area and increase community awareness of the impacts of introduced exotic pests in the aquatic environments.
The status of freshwater elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in northern Western Australia:
Murdoch University ($2,990).
This project aims to collect information to provide baseline data for the recovery plan and for management of freshwater elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in the Ord and Fitzroy rivers.
More information on Fishcare WA, grant applications and guidelines can be obtained from the Department of Fisheries.
Minister's Office - 9213 6700