Advancing fish-protection screening at Australian water diversions

Project Summary

Millions of fish are extracted from rivers annually through pumps and gravity fed diversion canals.

Fish-protection screens can prevent fish from entering pumps and diversions, and are already widely used overseas. This study will evaluate pilot fish-protection screen projects in NSW, develop Australian screening design guidelines, build awareness, and ensure screening programs are underpinned by rigorous science.

The study will be led by Mr Joachim Bretzel, and will form the basis for his PhD project.

Joachim will specifically assess the effectiveness of fish-protection screens for fish conservation in Australia, by evaluating their benefits and costs. This will involve studying the impact of unscreened and screened diversions on different life stages of Australian fish species.