A Rock Ramp Fishway Improves Passage for Threatened and Small‐Bodied Fish in Southeastern Australia
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Restoring fish passage in fragmented rivers is critical for conserving migratory and endemic species. Rock ramp fishways, which are cost‐effective and provide both passage and fish habitat, offer a nature‐like solution. We evaluated a newly constructed rock ramp fishway on the sub‐alpine Buchan River, Australia. Pre‐ and post‐construction surveys using electrofishing and trapping revealed an overall shift in fish community composition, increased connectivity and higher fish abundance after construction. The fishway successfully facilitated passage for potamodromous and diadromous species, while several species were also recorded within the fishway itself. Upstream‐only assemblage changes showed a similar trend but were not statistically significant, highlighting that broader community responses to fishway construction may take longer to emerge. Although fish communities are shaped by multiple environmental factors, our findings demonstrate that rock ramp fishways are an effective tool for restoring fish movement and supporting fish species diversity in dynamic river systems.
DOI: 10.1002/nzm2.70087
Authors: Timothy J. Marsden, Joachim B. Bretzel
Institution: Charles Sturt University
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7225398875