Purple Spotted Gudgeon showing promising signs of becoming established at Winton Wetlands.

This Critically Endangered (FFG Act 1988) fish was rewilded as part of a larger program working with partners such as North Central CMA, GBCMA and NECMA, Nature Glenelg Trust and Middle Creek Fish Farm. The program saw ~900 Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon (fish) stocked across two locations at the wetlands in 2022 and 2023. They were detected in very low numbers soon after stocking but the species had not been recorded in two previous quarterly surveys. This all changed when sampling with our fyke nets on the 26 and 27 of February 2025, revealed 3 healthy specimens in both stocking locations.

More importantly, half of these fish were of a size that mean they must be offspring of the fish stocked. Although small numbers, the fact they are breeding and surviving into a second generation is very promising for the future of the species at Winton Wetlands and Victoria.

This is a valuable contribution to the goals in the state government policy of Biodiversity 2037 which calls for “All critically endangered and endangered species will have at least one option available for being conserved ex situ or re-established in the wild (where feasible under climate change) should they need it”.  (See link below)

We will continue to monitor and make more strategic stockings (at the same and possibly new sites at the Wetlands) to further enhance this species, and other listed fish species, as part of our wider restoration strategy.

https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/51255/Biodiversity-2037-Summary.pdf

Posted 2 March 2025