Threatened Species Monitoring and Management

It is not infrequent that the occurrence of federal or state listed threatened species or communities are identified as potentially being impacted by a project or action.  This can occur where the value is defined as occurring directly on the site, or it may be that impacts associated with the project (i.e. works or operation) have the potential to impact upon values off or downstream of the site.

The potential of a project impact to a federal or state listed species or community can have significant consequences on project costs and timelines.  Accordingly, it is essential that these limitations are identified at an early stage of the project.  A program of delivering the required assessments, mitigation measures and approvals (i.e. the conditions of approval / permits) is essential.  This program should be developed in the context of the project’s timelines and relevant ecological factors such as the timing of works, fauna migration periods, survey times, etc.Aquatica Environmental has significant experience in working with clients across all stages of projects.

Our experience ranges from the initial identification of these values during desktop, due diligence and preliminary field assents, to the development of management plans, seeking of permits and approvals, developing EPBC Act referrals and conducting ecological monitoring across all project phases.  Our strong links with industry and relevant authorities means we can ensure the required actions are taken to ensure the project can move forward and the environmental impacts and risks managed and mitigated appropriately.

Aquatica Environmental also has experience in threatened species capture, handling, release and translocation including both common and threatened species such as Eastern Dwarf Galaxias Galaxiella pusilla, Australian Grayling Prototroctes maraena and Australian Mudfish Neochanna cleaverii.

Of course we must tout that our recording and translocation of three Australian mudfish at Apollo Bay (see images to the right) represents some of only a handful of records that exist for the species.

Threatened Species Services

• Targeted surveys and assessment
• Threat assessments and predator surveys
• Project specific permits and approvals
• EPBC Act Referrals
• Offset Management Plans
• Threatened species management plans
• Environmental management pans (EMP/CEMP)
• Salvage, capture, handling and translocation planning and implementation

Projects

• Targeted surveys for Australian Grayling Prototroctes maraena, Dwarf Galaxias Galaxiella pusilla, Little Galaxias G. tourkout and Yarra Pygmy Perch Nannoperca obscura for a number road projects.
• Targeted survey for Burrowing Crayfish (Engaeus spp.) for a gas pipeline project.
• Targeted surveys and salvage/translocation of Australian Mudfish for a new coastal water reservoir.
• Targeted surveys for Dwarf Galaxias Galaxiella pusilla for a range of residential and commercial property developments and linear infrastructure projects (i.e. road, rail, pipeline, etc).
• Development and implementation of a Dwarf Galaxias Salvage and Translocation Plan for a residential property development.
• Construction of a new bulk water storage dam at Apollo bay – Due diligence assessment, flora and fauna assessment, platypus surveys, EPBC Act Referral, FFG and Fisheries Acts permits, Australian Grayling and Australian Mudfish Management Plan, targeted surveys including capture and translocation of Australian Mudfish prior to construction.
• Replacement of a sewer pipeline, via trenching, across the Yarra River – Aquatic ecology assessment, impact and risk assessment, CEMP, EPBC Act Referral, FFG and Fisheries Act permits.
• Predatory fish surveys in constructed wetlands and waterways to assist with habitat management for Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis.
• Bridge replacement projects across the Murray River at Echuca and Yarrawonga – Due diligence, preliminary aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna assessments including advice on the legislative, permit and approvals implications for a range of threated flora and faun species and communities.
• Desktop review, site inspection and identification of threatened species / communities legislative implications for a major Victorian road project.
• Managing a large annual flora and fauna monitoring program for a major Defence base including managing specialists undertaking surveys for Growling Grass Frog, Brown Toadlet, Powerful Owl, Barking Owl, Masked Owl and Stone Curlew, Swift Parrot, Regent Honey Eater, Trailing Hop-bush, Clover Glycine, White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland, Buloke Woodlands of the Riverina and Murray Darling Depression Bioregions and Creekline Grassy Woodland.

Dwarf Galaxias

Flinders Pygmy Perch

Australian Mudfish

Burrowing Crayfish