Abstract
One of the most significant impacts of instream barriers is the disruption of habitat connectivity for riverine fishes, many of which migrate to fulfill a life cycle requirement.
Kent Street Weir (KSW) was constructed in 1927 on the Lower Canning River to maintain a freshwater weir pool for agriculture, and was identified as having the potential to limit the upstream movement of freshwater and estuarine fish species. However, no study had specifically assessed the impact of KSW on the migration and other ecological requirements of fish species known to reside in the lower and middle reaches of the Canning River.
This study aimed to assess the relative impact of the KSW on upstream and downstream fish populations and in so doing provides the background information for the improvement of fish passage to mitigate its impact.