Boost for the Future of the Murray Crayfish in South Australia
Eighty Murray Crayfish have been released at a secret River Murray location as part of an ongoing project to re-establish the iconic species in South Australia.
Murray crayfish were once common in the river, but overfishing, the effects of river regulation and poor water quality contributed to the decline of the species to virtual extinction.
Improvements to these conditions means that Murray crayfish are now likely to thrive in the river, leading ecologists to revisit the opportunity.
An initial release in 2023 saw 200 cray released into the South Australian portion of the River Murray with very encouraging results. In an Australian first, 30 crays were fitted with radio tracking devices, allowing researchers to monitor their movement post release. All 30 tracked crays are alive and moving, providing valuable insight into the behaviour of Murray crayfish.
Senior Aquatic Ecologist Dr Sylvia Zukowski from Nature Glenelg Trust said that the ongoing reintroductions of Murray Crayfish back to their former habitat will be a welcome and very important boost to efforts to re-establish crayfish in South Australia.
“This five-year project provides a valuable chance of helping Murray crayfish return to South Australian waters,” said the Murray cray expert.
“It’s also provided us with more data and a better understanding of the specific conditions that Murray cray like so we can fine tune our approach for subsequent releases” she added.
Dr Zukowski said that re-establishing Murray crayfish is an important step for the environment and the conservation of an iconic species at a Murray Darling Basin level.
The Murray crayfish is also of cultural significance for local First Nation’s people and the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC) is a key partner in the project.
This project is supported by the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board with funding from the South Australian Government’s Landscape Priorities Fund.
