The Eastern Freshwater Cod, native to the Richmond and Clarence River catchments, once swam throughout the freshwater reaches of these rivers, but are now unfortunately locally extinct in the Richmond River and its tributaries. They were once prolific, but only remnant non-stocked populations remain in some parts of the Clarence River and its tributaries.
Eastern Freshwater Cod, also known as Clarence River Cod, has been in decline in our rivers since the 1920s, starting with the use of dynamite to construct the North Coast railway.
In the 1930s, dynamite was also used as a method of catching fish. This use of dynamite managed to kill thousands of fish and also destroyed the ecosystem in which the fish thrived. Fishkills, water quality degradation, floods, and the overall decrease in the habitat where these fish once existed are all factors contributing to the death of the Eastern Freshwater Cod.
Carping on
Introducing the invasive species carp has also been detrimental to the rehabilitation of this native cod. Carp, native to Central Asia, have been blamed for some of the destruction of freshwater habitats, especially through their feeding method, which uproots aquatic vegetation and muddies the water.
Today, the threats to the return of Eastern Freshwater Cod are habitat degradation, removal of large woody debris, water extraction, reduction of bank stability, shade areas, and water quality. It is illegal to target these fish, catch and keep, buy, sell, possess or harm Eastern Freshwater Cod without approval.
The Richmond River Ecological Health Program, a program run by the Richmond Riverkeeper and River Ecology Australia, assessed the Richmond River catchment in 2023, going to different locations and doing an assessment on the general health of the river and its key tributaries. On a scale of A+ to E, the overall health of the catchment recorded a score of C-.
Reintroduction
Work has been done to help reintroduce this predatory fish into the rivers, with not-for-profit organisation OzFish Unlimited and NSW DPI Fisheries releasing Eastern Freshwater Cod fingerlings into multiple different locations, particularly the Wilsons River, but often these fingerlings can have trouble managing to survive.
Zoe White, who is the Senior Project Manager at OzFish NSW North Coast said, ‘every year there are restocking efforts,’ they go to ‘key locations to assess the best spot to be released, finding deep holes with good vegetation around it.’ While they do that, they also find ‘declining conditions with weed infestation and bank erosion.’
There have been anecdotal sightings of the cod in upper catchment areas by local fishers, and to hopefully back up these sightings, the use of new genetic technology eDNA is going to be used. Fish leave traces of their DNA in the environment, so the presence of these fish can be found through the collection of a simple sample of water.
When asked what people can do to help reintroduce Eastern Freshwater Cod into our rivers, Zoe White said ‘People can get involved with OzFish, as part of the cod program.
‘Anybody can, on their own properties, undertake restoration efforts’.
Kristin den Exter, representing Richmond Riverkeeper, said ‘If we can bring the Eastern Freshwater Cod back to the river, we know we’ve helped the overall quality of the river.’
If you would like to volunteer or learn more, you can contact: richmondriver.org.au or ozfish.org.au.
James Muddle attends Mullumbimby High School and is doing work experience at The Echo.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
