New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
A review of rotenone use for the control of non-indigenous fish in Australian
fresh waters, and an attempted eradication of the noxious fish, Phalloceros
caudimaculatus
Thomas S. Rayner*
Robert G. Creese
Office of Conservation
New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
Port Stephens Fisheries Centre
Taylors Beach Road, Taylors Beach
NSW 2316, Australia
email: thomas.rayner@jcu.edu.au
*Present address: School of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Angus Smith
Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
Abstract Rotenone has been used as a piscicide in Australia
for c. 45 years. In freshwater systems this use has focused on the control
of non-indigenous fish species. Little of this use has been registered, reported
or documented and Australian fisheries researchers and managers are forced
to rely on international literature. This paper reviews all available documentation
relating to rotenone use in Australia, before discussing some planning and
application issues that may be faced by those considering rotenone use. A recent
attempt to eradicate a population of noxious poeciliid fish (Phalloceros caudimaculatus)
is used as a case study. Although this effort was conducted in a closed system,
dense aquatic vegetation prohibited adequate mixing of rotenone and allowed
the survival of target fish in areas with low rotenone concentrations. Several
months later, the target species persisted at the treated site. If similar
systems are to be treated in the future, we suggest that pools are drained
before application. We also recommend that the current legislative arrangements
for rotenone use in Australia are reviewed, to encourage the proper documentation
of eradication events.
Keywords Derris; Anguillidae; Poeciliidae; Galaxidae;
piscicide; permits; legislation; introduced fish
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2006, Vol. 40:
477–486
0028–8330/06/4003–0477 © The Royal Society
of New Zealand 2006
M05016; Online publication date 15 August 2006. Received 31 March
2005; accepted 24 March 2006
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