Common names: Australian river gizzard shad, Bardijarr oobanyba, Bont bream
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: abundant (always seen in some numbers) | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Importance: commercial | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Aquaculture: never/rarely | Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Rohan, G., 1989
Uses: bait: yes;
Comments: Known from Ashburton River, Western Australia, in coastal rivers of northern Australia to at least the Mary River, Qld. And throughout the lower reaches of the Murray-Darling system to South Australia (Ref. 7300, 75154). Established translocations in Lake Morris, Tinaroo Dam, and Lake Eacham, northern Queensland (Ref. 6071). Known from Burdekin River (Ref. 40171). Stock structure: Bony bream from different areas were originally described as separate species (Ref. 26402, 9973). No studies on stock structure have been conducted. Commercial fishery: Bony bream are fished for commercial purposes only in South Australia. They come as bycatch from other places like Victoria. Most of the catch in recent years have been taken from lakes Albert and Alexandrina and the Coorong, with a small amount coming from the lower reaches of the Murray River. Lake fishers use gillnets which are set in still waters and left overnight. The river fishery uses drum nets (Ref. 26403) on the otherhand which are set in flowing water during the day. Almost half of the total inland fish catch for South Australia are comprised of bony bream (Ref. 26404). Only adults and non-spawning species are fished. They are also used as bait for the southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, fishery (Ref. 6079) and as potential forage species in aquaculture farms. Recreational fishery: Not usually taken by anglers. The largest bony bream caught weighed 1.86 kg from the Murray River in South Australia, as recorded from the Australian Anglers Association. Resource status: Stocks are abundant and thriving in spite of heavy fishing pressure. A monitoring or research program could be of help to come up with reliable conclusions as to the real status of this fishery. Attempts to rear artificially fertilized ova were not successful (Ref 6079). Also Ref. 188, 44894, 84364.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.csiro.au/
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve, 1993
National Database: