Fish Identification

Fishbase provides comprehensive species data, including information on taxonomy, geographical distribution, biometrics and morphology, behaviours and habitats, ecology and population dynamics as well as reproductive, metabolic and genetic data.

Catalogue of Fishes is the authoritative reference for taxonomic fish names, featuring a searchable on-line database. The Catalogue of Fishes covers more than 53,000 species and subspecies, over 10,000 genera and subgenera, and includes in excess of 16,000 bibliographic references.

Key to freshwater fish families in New Zealand. This key is targeted to non-experts to help identify freshwater fish and learn about their life cycles and distribution patterns. The key relied on obvious external features for fish identification. Note that this key currently contains only those freshwater species known to exist in New Zealand and is not a complete list.

Invasive Species Site

National

Review of Alien Fish Monitoring, indicators and Protocols: Implications for National Monitoring of Australia’s Inland River Systems provides information on management strategies relevant to pest fish, monitoring techniques for detecting and measuring alien fish populations, monitoring techniques for measuring the impact of pest fish and control techniques.

Review of Grey-listed Non-native ornamental Fish Species reviewed 125 non-native ornamental grey listed fish species using the Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) Grey List Review methodology.

International

The Global Invasive Species Database (GISD) focuses on invasive alien species that threaten native biodiversity and covers all taxonomic groups from micro-organisms to animals and plants in all ecosystems. Species information (e.g. species distribution, management and impacts) is either supplied by or reviewed by expert contributors from around the world.

The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) is a global network of scientific and policy experts on invasive species, organized under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Invasive Species Specialist Group aims to reduce threats to natural ecosystems and the native species they contain by increasing awareness of invasive alien species, and of ways to prevent, control or eradicate them.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognises the introduction and spread of alien or invasive non native species as a major cause of biodiversity loss. CBD sets global priorities, guidelines, collects information and helps to coordinate international action on invasive alien species. The website also provides further information on invasive species and relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties (the governing body of the CBD).

Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) is a central repository for spatially referenced biogeographic accounts of introduced aquatic species within the United States of America. NAS provide scientific reports, online/real-time queries, spatial data sets, regional contact lists, and general information.

iMapInvasives is a GIS-based, all taxa mapping tool that aggregates and displays invasive species location data from multiple sources. It provides mapping resources from the site-scale to large, statewide-scales; it can be utilized for planning future management at both the local level and the regional level.

INVASIVE.ORG provide an accessible and  easily used archive of high quality images related to invasive,  introduced or exotic species, with particular emphasis on educational  applications.

General Information

National

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places.

OzFishNet  is a consortium of collection-based Australian ichthyologists formed to promote research, data access and other issues of mutual interest. The group comprises leading ichthyologists based in Australian and international museums, CSIRO and several domestic and international universities. In essence OzFishNet is the virtual national fish museum of Australia.

NatureServe provide information on rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems. Note that many of the links within this website are specific to the USA.

Techniques for freshwater fish incursions: technique description,
advantages & limitations

A Review of Fish Sampling Methods Commonly used in Canadian Freshwater Habitats provides information on sampling methods commonly used in Canada, including: method of use, habitat considerations, selectivity and efficiency, quantification of effort, fish injury/survival and a list of references specific to gill nets; beach seines; hoop, fyke and trap nets; electrofishing; underwater observation; Gee or minnow traps; and enclosure (drop, pop and throw) traps.

Guidelines for Sampling Fish in Inland Waters described different sampling techniques (e.g. gillnets, traps, seine nets and electrofishing) and provides information on limitations of each techniques. It also provides information on the use of Rotenone 

Electrofishing: Backpack and Drift Boat provides information on habitat consideration, capture efficiency and quantification of effort for backpack and boat electrofishing.

Swedish Standard Methods for Sampling Freshwater Fish with Multi-mesh Gillnets provides information on gillnet selectivity, limitations and supplementary sampling techniques.

Rotenone use in Fisheries Management: Administrative and Technical Guidelines Manual provides information on advantages and limitations of rotenone and other control methods as well as specific recommendations for the administrative and technical procedures for rotenone.

Rotenone: A Review of its Toxicity and use for Fisheries Management – A New Zealand document providing information on how rotenone works advantages and disadvantages of rotenone and alternatives to use of rotenone.

Management of freshwater fish incursions – A review. An Australian perspective, providing information on advantages and limitations of different techniques (e.g. electrofishing, traps (link to Table 16), physical barriers (Link to Table 16 and 17) use for alien freshwater fish management.

Previous Eradications and Controls for Alien Freshwater Fish

Management of freshwater fish incursions – A review. Provides information on previous eradications and control methods for alien freshwater fish in Australia.

Water Management

Knowledge needs for the Environmental Water Allocation R & D Program provides information on Austalian bodies involved in environmental water management at a national, state and regional level and the agencies and networks which run across jurisdictions.