Studies on fish movement dynamics in a tropical floodplain river: Prerequisites for a procedure to monitor the impacts of mining

Abstract

Abstract Towards the end of the Wet season in the tropical coastlands of northern Australia, there are dramatic upstream movements of many fish species in some seasonally flowing streams. These movements are considered to be a part of refuge‐seeking migrations. Aspects of the dynamics of the movements in Magela Creek (in the ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory) downstream from the Ranger Uranium Mine have been examined with a range of techniques (mainly direct observation) to facilitate the development of a possible procedure for monitoring impacts of the mine on the fish community of the creek system. Data on diel patterns of movements validated that monitoring, for 1 h at midday at a single point adjacent to the mine, reflects day‐to‐day changes in total diel movements. To help identify the location of any impacts arising in the future, information on upstream progress rates, longitudinal changes in movements, and movements between the creek and lowland billabongs, were used to (i) demonstrate the creek‐long continuity of movements and (ii) indicate the possible sources and destinations of fish approaching the mine. Marked differences in sources were apparent for two groups of species: terapontids originating from the lowland creek channels, and chequered rainbowfish and ambassids originating from the floodplain and lowland billabongs. Identification of the relative contributions from these habitats will require additional monitoring effort.