S. Zukowski

• Charles Sturt University

We conducted the first comprehensive global assessment of the extinction risk of Australia's native freshwater fishes. Using International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, 37 % (88 species) of the 241 assessed species were threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable), with one being Extinct. Lepidogalaxiidae and Neo...

Catastrophic megafires can increase extinction risks; identifying species priorities for management and policy support is critical for preparing and responding to future fires. However, empirical data on population loss and recovery post-fire, especially megafire, are limited and taxonomically biased. These gaps could be bridged if species' morphol...

To assist with management and conservation, the Action Plan compiles existing knowledge on taxonomy, conservation status, description, cultural significance, distribution and habitat, biology and ecology as well as threats, conservation priorities and knowledge gaps for each priority Euastacus

Aim After environmental disasters, species with large population losses may need urgent protection to prevent extinction and support recovery. Following the 2019–2020 Australian megafires, we estimated population losses and recovery in fire‐affected fauna, to inform conservation status assessments and management. Location Temperate and subtropical...

• Many freshwater crayfish are threatened with extinction owing to varied threats such as urban development, pollution, over‐harvest, and climate change, as well as invasive species. • A recently published manuscript in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems described a stochastic, age‐based population model for the large freshwater...

The extinction of species not only contributes to the loss of biodiversity but also the disruption of ecological interactions, processes and functioning. This is particularly true with the loss of keystone species where considerable ecological shifts are anticipated. Strongly justified and well-managed translocations are increasingly employed in an...

• Numerous freshwater species are recreationally harvested, yet conservation concerns are often ignored. This may lead to conflict between fisheries and conservation management for a species. • Approximately one‐third of freshwater crayfish species globally are threatened with extinction, including the Murray crayfish, Euastacus armatus (von Marten...

Can the abundance of fish populations be effectively determined by the collection of scientific research with support from recreational fishers? Collecting and analysing fishing data from recreational fishers to aid management are not new; however, engaging fishers in a scientific survey design to produce specific population estimates is rarely und...

Understanding dispersal traits and adaptive potential is critically important when assessing the vulnerability of freshwater species in highly modified ecosystems. The present study investigates the population genetic structure of the Murray crayfish Euastacus armatus in the southern Murray–Darling Basin. This species has suffered significant popul...

The implementation of fishing regulations becomes increasingly complex where the natural state of fisheries resources is unknown. Comparing populations in fished and non-fished areas can provide information that is vital for the management and protection of species. We conducted field surveys of Euastacus armatus in non-fished and fished reservoirs...

Prolonged flooding in 2010/11 ended a decade of drought and produced a large-scale hypoxic blackwater event across the southern Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. The hypoxic conditions caused fish kills and Murray crayfish Euastacus armatus to emerge from the water onto the river banks to avoid the poor water quality. This study examined the medium-...

Murray Crayfish (Euastacus armatus) can be legally fished by recreational fishers in two states of Australia; however, there is limited published biological information on which recreational fishing regulations can be based. Murray Crayfish populations were surveyed in a 230-km river reach of the River Murray, New South Wales, Australia. Only 39% o...

The use of data provided by fishers is a contentious topic in fishery management. We compare fisher local ecological knowledge, fisher catch data and scientific data for Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus) size and sex ratios in the River Murray, Australia, to determine if these data are consistent and if fisher knowledge can be a reliable input in...