Tank Talk Magazine December 2010 | Page 11

Threats: Most of the original lake and slow-flowing habitat of the species was destroyed with the inundation of Lake Pedder and surrounding areas for hydro-electricity in 1972. Brown trout Salmo trutta were introduced to the new impoundment and the native climbing galaxias Galaxias brevipinnis increased in abundance and distribution within the impoundment and tributaries. There is evidence of predation upon G. pedderensis by brown trout and climbing galaxias and it also likely that these species competed for habitat and food. Conservation/management: It was clear by 1990 that future survival of the species depended on establishing populations in secure habitats free of predatory and competing fish species. In 199192, fish from the wild were transferred to a highland lake in the Western Arthur Range. Attempts at captive breeding and artificial fertilizatio