A recent study on the Fly River near Ok Tedi Mining’s site has recorded 102 different fish species, including the rediscovery of the Paska’s Blue-eye.
The Paska’s Blue-eye has not been seen since it was first discovered in 1983 by Gerry Allen from the Western Australian Museum and the late John Paska from the National Fisheries Authority.
“Given [the fish’s] rarity, its absence was a concern,” OTML manager environment Erizo Kepe said.
“It was believed that disturbance from the expanding township of Kiunga, as well as predatory action from introduced fish species such as Snakehead had resulted in its disappearance from the creeks where it was first discovered. But given the large size of the Fly catchment, there was hope that it was still surviving somewhere in the river system.”
The rediscovery was made at Gusiore Village, in a small creek along Elevala River. The Paska’s Blue-eye has not previously been found in this area, leading OTML to deduce that the quieter part of the river has produced a favourable breeding ground for the species.
“The discovery is from a new area, away from settlements and ‘disturbances’, with healthy breeding populations,” Kepe said.
“Maintaining the quality of this refuge habitat is critical for continued conservation of this and other native species that are non-existent in other parts of the world.”
OTML will continue to survey the area in early 2025, focusing on the upper catchment towards Tabubil and the Ok Tedi mine.
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