The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has rescued a total of 59 endangered southern purple spotted gudgeons from drying pools in two creeks and relocated them to Taronga Western Plains Zoo and private property.

NSW DPI Threatened Species Unit senior fisheries manager Trevor Daly said the worsening conditions in the small isolated pools prompted the decision to relocate the threatened fish.

“Relocating fish is generally not a preferred solution because of the additional pressure it places on fish that are already stressed,” Dr Daly said.

“However, DPI Fisheries made the decision to proceed with this relocation due to the deteriorating water conditions in several isolated, drying pools and the high likelihood that all the endangered fish located there would perish without intervention."

A total of 21 fish were released into a spring-fed refuge on private land and 38 were released at the zoo.

At the zoo they would be able to regain health for future captive breeding and re-stocking purposes that would directly benefit the recovery of the threatened species in the Macquarie catchment, Dr Daly said.

This continues the fish conservation partnership between DPI and Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

“DPI Fisheries also thanks the private landowners involved for their support in helping to protect these little threatened fish on their properties," Dr Daly said.

Zoo director Steve Hinks said he was thrilled the zoo could assist in providing a home for the species.

“Conservation is at the core of everything that we do,” he said.

“This is another way we can play a role in helping to secure a future for an endangered species.”

The southern purple spotted gudgeon is a small freshwater fish native to Australia, which was first recorded in inland NSW in 1983 and listed as an endangered species in NSW.

The fish grow to 15cm in length and are generally found in slow moving rivers, creeks and streams.

Southern purple spotted gudgeons were previously widespread in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Lachlan River systems and tributaries of the Darling, but the population has experienced a significant decline in recent times and they are now extremely rare in inland NSW.

If you would like to report a sighting of an endangered fish, visit: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/species-protection/report-it