Kris Pitman undertook a comprehensive baseline survey of the Nerang River estuary. The study focussed on the ecological health of estuarine fish and benthic invertebrates and was included as a chapter in a larger study undertaken by Australian Wetlands Consulting. The study surveyed nine sites and utilised intertidal benthic coring to sampling invertebrates and a suit of large (80mwith 32mm mesh) and small seine nets (8m with 2mm mesh) to sample the fish community.

We were commissioned by the Gold Coast City Council (GCCC) to undertake a fish assessment of McCoys Creek, located 30km north of Surfers Paradise. The components of the study include a fish community health assessment of freshwater and estuarine habitats, a fish and crab tissue analysis study (contaminant testing), a valuation of fisheries and ecosystem services and recommendations for future management. The study had eight survey sites and used backpack electrofishing to survey the freshwater fish communities and a combination of gear types (seine, fyke and gill nets) to effectively sample the estuarine study sites.

Kris Pitman and Australian Wetlands Consulting partnered to undertake a comprehensive fish community study of the Hotham Creek catchment. The components of the study include a water quality assessment and literature review, fish community health assessment of freshwater and estuarine habitats, a fish tissue analysis study (contaminant testing), a valuation of fisheries and ecosystem services and recommendations for future management. The study had eight survey sites and used backpack electrofishing to survey the freshwater fish communities and a combination of gear types (seine, fyke and gill nets) to effectively sample the estuarine study sites.

The City of Gold Coast commissioned a study of the ecological condition of Oakey Creek in the Coomera Catchment, on the Gold Coast. The study included macroinvertebrate and fish sampling in freshwater and estuarine sites. Despite the relatively good condition of the creek, freshwater fish communities displayed lower than expected diversity and had moderate levels of introduced fish, typical of systems experiencing some level of environmental stress. The results of the freshwater macroinvertebrate sampling mirrored the low ecological health scores of the fish communities. The condition of Oakey Creek was similar to small urban streams in nearby catchments that suffer from the effects of upper catchment clearing, sedimentation and urban and industrial development. 

FISHOLOGY and Australian Wetlands Consulting have been engaged by the City of Gold Coast to undertake a large ecological study of the Gold Coast Lakes and Canals. The study included an aquatic and terrestrial habitat classification of the study area, benthic invertebrate study, freshwater and estuarine fish study, a historical water quality assessment and an action plan for the management of the study area. We undertook surveys of both freshwater lakes and estuarine canals and lakes. Methods included the use of benthic grabs to study benthic invertebrates, seine netting (80m seine and 12m seine), snorkelling, and gill netting to assess the ecological condition of the 37 study sites. Fish surveys recorded 58 fish species in the estuarine fish survey and 22 fish species in the freshwater fish survey. The study is ongoing.