Beer bottles on floor of River Derwent make ideal home for endangered handfish

Beer bottles on floor of River Derwent make ideal home for endangered handfish

By Stephen Pigram

Source: abc

8/7/2017

Reefs of discarded beer bottles on the bed of the River Derwent are believed to have a role in helping to save the critically endangered spotted handfish from extinction.

The fish lives in highly localised habitats in only nine areas of the River Derwent and one site in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel.

The rare fish walks along the Tasmanian seabed on long fins resembling hands and is the first marine species in the world to be classified as critically endangered.

Senior researcher at CSIRO Dr Tim Lynch said handfish liked complex breeding habitats but boat moorings and invasive pest species like the North Pacific seastar were damaging the breeding grounds.

But Dr Lynch said discarded beer bottles had proven to be an ideal breeding location.