Natural resources of the Barron River catchment 1: stream habitat, fisheries resources and biological indicators

Abstract

The Barron River drains into the Coral Sea, near Cairns, Queensland (Australia) and in comparison to other Queensland wet tropics streams, it has a relatively large catchment area of about 219,000 ha. The catchment has high fish diversity, with at least 209 estuarine and freshwater species and the Barron River Estuary is a spawning and nursery ground for a variety of fish and prawn species and supports a wide range of commercial and recreational fish species. The variance and abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates can provide valuable information on the ecological condition of a river system. Overall, the macroinvertebrate populations indicated a relatively healthy system although nutrient enrichment may be causing degradation. Reserves such as existing Fish Habitat Areas and a proposed marine park will provide ongoing protection for coastal wetlands. A series of potential management issues for the catchment and future monitoring strategies are discussed.