The Macquarie perch is now considered rare and endangered and the five remaining populations in New South Wales are under threat from the introduced redfin perch.

A scheme affectionately known as the 'Macca' project aims to create a new 'refuge' population of Macquarie perch in a safe location, in what Mr Pearce described as a sort of 'Noah's ark' to protect the species for the future.

Nine years ago, fish were taken from existing locations on the Abercrombie River and then bred in captivity at the DPI's Narrandera Fisheries Centre using a new breeding technique of an artificial spawning stream.