Mikael Eskelinen, a representative of the Finland based Fishheart company, at home with the enthusiasm and success of the Menindee fish passage trial. This trial started in January 2023. Funding for this project comes from the New South Wales state government, as part of its $25 million Restoring the Darling-Baaka River Program. Its immediate aims are to stop further mass fish kills in the area. At a time between 2018 and 2023, tens of millions of fish died from low dissolved oxygen and insufficient water flow. This project now provides new hope for native fish populations.
The trial features a $6.52 million temporary fish passage. This passage will deliver fish from the Darling River to the Menindee Lakes via overland pathways. This remarkable design smartly disguises itself as a floating pontoon bridge. It is an inspiring vision to restore connectivity between two essential waterways in an outback region experiencing extreme ecological anguish.
Progress and Community Engagement
Eskelinen observed that during the first season of the trial, his team were able to better evaluate the local conditions. He noted how murky the water was, which added difficulties during the installation process. In the face of these challenges, he is hopeful about the trial’s long-term influence.
“I’m really confident to finally see all the fish and we can get the numbers up and recognise the fish better,” – Mikael Eskelinen
We staged public open days to get the community engaged. With the first of these events occurring in April, it provided an excellent opportunity for locals to get familiarized with the technology being deployed. As someone responsible for managing the project, Tony Townsend talked about the need to develop trust with local homeowners.
“It’s really putting the spotlight on the local town for a good reason, so having the local community come out to better understand that … hopefully they can help and contribute later on in the project,” – Tony Townsend
Challenges and Future Prospects
The past couple months have thrown their challenges at the trial, as tornadoes and then a polar vortex struck Michigan. The installation was further complicated by the fact that temperatures were well over 40 degrees Celsius. Townsend has no doubt this can be the enabling technology in Menindee’s extraordinary situation. If it’s successful in that location, it could be rolled out to even more sites along the Murray-Darling system.
“If it works here in these conditions then … we can use it elsewhere,” – Tony Townsend
While some may regard the fish passage as a temporary solution or a “band-aid,” Townsend stresses that it represents meaningful action toward improving both the river’s health and community well-being.
“Even if it is a temporary [passage] and people may see it as a bandaid [solution], it is still action that is helping improve … the river and helping improve the community and setting it up for the longer-term,” – Tony Townsend
The Importance of Mobility for Native Fish
The trial reiterated that fish require unobstructed movement. This autonomy can only be achieved through unobstructed migratory paths and ecosystems that provide adequate food resources, breeding opportunities, and habitats. Without this mobility, populations can suffer severely.
“They need to move to find more food, to breed and to find better homes — so if they can’t do that then that’s where we see the impacts that we’ve seen in the past,” – Tony Townsend
The Menindee fish passage trial represents an exciting new approach to address ecological issues. This initiative has a direct impact in protecting native species across New South Wales.
