Aquatic species are facing a range of threats that are likely to increase both in frequency of occurrence and intensity in the future. Many species are at widespread or localised risk of decline and require informed and defensible decisions about how to best manage the impact of current and future threats. These decisions should consider which management action or combination of actions (e.g., habitat rehabilitation and protection, water and fishery management, livestock removal, invasive species management) is the most appropriate strategy, and where these actions should be undertaken.
We will present a set of guiding principles developed by scientists and policy experts to help management agencies make strategic investment decisions to manage aquatic fauna, especially threatened fish. The principles firstly capture information needs to guide decision-making, such as the habitat requirements of the focal species, what threats they face, what management options are available, and what the costs and benefits of these options are. This knowledge is then used to inform decisions about what combination of in situ management or translocations is needed, to prioritise locations for action, and to determine when wild-to-wild translocations are possible or captive breeding is required. We will demonstrate how the principles can be applied using several threatened fishes as case studies, and highlight some of the next steps we have planned to work with management agencies to further develop and implement the outcomes of this work in the future.