Eastern (Freshwater) Cod (Maccullochella ikei) recovery plan
Threatened Species Unit
New South Wales NSW Fisheries, 2004
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Overview
The eastern cod has been listed as ‘endangered’ under both the (Commonwealth) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the (NSW) Fisheries Management Act 1994.
Eastern cod are a large, predatory, freshwater fish native to only the Clarence and Richmond Rivers in northern New South Wales, where they were once abundant. Although similar to the Murray cod, they are a separate species. Populations of eastern cod apparently collapsed in the 1920s and 1930s and continued to decline until the 1980s, when the species was protected. Wild eastern cod are now thought to be found only in the Mann and Nymboida river systems, tributaries of the Clarence River. Small scale surveys and anecdotal information suggests that eastern cod numbers are being maintained, and may be recovering, but there has been no rigorous scientific assessment of their abundance.
While eastern cod have been successfully bred in captivity for some time, little is known about its abundance, natural life history, habitat requirements or population dynamics. The historical decline of eastern cod has generally been attributed to over-harvesting and habitat degradation (especially sedimentation). Existing and potential threats to the species include a combination of habitat modifiers, including sedimentation, snag removal, flow modification, water pollution and barriers to migration plus illegal fishing and fish introductions leading to genetic degradation, disease and direct competition.
Various activities, which should assist the recovery of the eastern cod, have been undertaken by community and government stakeholders in the past. Some activities, such as stocking, have been directly aimed at eastern cod protection and recovery, while broader strategies, such as land and river habitat rehabilitation, have made an indirect contribution.
This recovery plan has been developed to assist the recovery of the species through the implementation of a range of strategies. The plan describes our current state of knowledge of eastern cod and the gaps that still remain in our understanding in their ecology, abundance, natural life history, genetics and population dynamics. It also discusses the major threats and issues affecting their conservation and management. The plan then identifies the actions required to improve this knowledge and reduce major threats to ensure the ongoing viability of eastern cod in the wild.
Copyright
© NSW Fisheries, May 2004.
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from the NSW Fisheries.
NSW Fisheries
Port Stephens Fisheries Centre
Private Bag 1
NELSON BAY NSW 2315
www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au
For further information contact
Threatened Species Unit
NSW FisheriesPrivate Bag 1
NELSON BAY NSW 2315
Cover photograph: eastern cod (Maccullochella ikei) by John Matthews
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