Joint media release: Critically endangered fish gets helping hand in fight for recovery

Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator the Hon Murray Watt
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Julie Collins MP

The Albanese Government is proudly supporting red handfish conservation efforts in Tasmania, which have resulted in the successful recent release of 65 captive-raised red handfish into the wild.

This marks a major milestone in Australian marine conservation, as the red handfish is one of 110 species prioritised for recovery under the Australian Government's Threatened Species Action Plan.

The red handfish was once found widely off the coast of the State’s south east, however, its population has sadly declined in recent years due to threats such as habitat loss.

This unique species gets its name from using over-sized fins for hands to walk across the sea floor, rather than swim.

It’s estimated less than 250 of remain in the wild at patches of reef in Frederick Henry Bay near Hobart.

The pilot translocation program aims to boost the wild red handfish population, and is being led by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), with funding from the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species (FAME).

In a planned release over several days, the fish were transferred from the red handfish captive breeding facility at IMAS Taroona to suitable habitat in Frederick Henry Bay.

The program supports the objectives of the National Multispecies Handfish Recovery Plan.

Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt said the Albanese Government was supporting efforts to safeguard the species’ future with more than $2 million invested in boosting red handfish conservation efforts.

“This support has helped fund a captive breeding facility, habitat restoration, population and habitat monitoring, as well as species recovery efforts,” Minister Watt said.

“For this species, every fish counts, and now we have another 65 in the wild.”

Federal Member for Franklin, Julie Collins said this intervention is essential to save Tasmania’s red handfish.

“Tasmania is home to incredible, and unique native sealife and we want to keep it that way,” Minister Collins said.

“It is fantastic to see this positive outcome from the red handfish conservation efforts we have supported.”