<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-31/environment-nature-destruction-permit-waterways-conservation/104729768>
'Before colonisation, the waters of the Murray River were home to a frenzy of
prized Murray Cod — about 10 times as many as today.
But as newfangled paddle steamers arrived in the 1800s, waterways like the
Murray River were transformed into aquatic highways.
And suddenly, things changed for fish like the Murray Cod.
For millennia, giant river red gums that lined the river banks would die, fall
into the water, and create woody debris called "snags".
Among the decaying trunks and branches, fish would seek shelter, find food and
hunt prey.
So important were snags to Murray Cod, that even today, most are found within
one metre of a snag.
But snags were a nuisance for the paddle steamers, regularly puncturing and
sinking the boats.
Thus, in 1855 "de-snagging" began: an industrial program of epic proportions
that continued for 140 years, removing millions of dead trees from the Murray
River.
Today studies have revealed that denuded stretches of the river are empty of
Murray Cod.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
