Fish

• 38freshwater and estuarine species
• 18primarily marine species
• 6threatened species

For fish and aquatic vertebrates, there are 38 primarily freshwater and estuarine aquatic species and 18 primarily marine species found in South Gippsland, of which six are threatened. The most commonly observed aquatic species are short-finned eels, remarkable animals which undertake an ocean migration – thought to be to the Coral Sea – to spawn.

Other native fish include common, spotted and climbing galaxias, tupong, river blackfish, southern pygmy perch and the nationally vulnerable Australian grayling. Most of these species also travel either upstream or downstream to complete their lifecycle.

Several common introduced species are also recorded for the region, including brown trout, European carp, rainbow trout, eastern gambusia and redfin.

Candidate species for project focus

The plan suggests these threatened species as candidates for continued or new project focus:

• Nationally threatened (EPBC-listed): Australian grayling, dwarf galaxias

Source: South Gippsland Biodiversity Protection Plan (October 2024), section 3.3 Fauna and section 3.4 Threatened species; species figures from Victorian Biodiversity Atlas records cited in the plan.