Fauna Spotters logo

Non-parasitic Lamprey (Mordacia praecox)

The non-parasitic lamprey, also called the Australian brook lamprey, is a small jawless fish that completes its life cycle in freshwater coastal rivers of eastern Australia. On clearing and construction sites, buried larvae can be missed during routine fauna searches, while sediment, poor water quality and loss of stream habitat can affect entire local populations. The species is listed as Endangered under Commonwealth, Victorian and Queensland conservation arrangements, and should be managed as an endangered EVNT species wherever suitable habitat or potential habitat occurs.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Endangered.

Breeding season

The non-parasitic lamprey breeds in freshwater natal streams, but breeding months and regional peaks are not established. For this Endangered species, survey potentially suitable freshwater lower reaches and manage sediment, water quality and in-stream disturbance as risks in every month.

Breeding mode: Spawns in freshwater natal streams. Adults do not feed and die within months after spawning.

Breeding place: Freshwater streams and rivers. Specific spawning substrates and nest sites are not recorded.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Larval development: Ammocoetes remain buried in stream sediment for several years. Metamorphosis is thought to occur at about 3.5 years of age.

Age at maturity: Not recorded. Adults spawn within about 6 months of metamorphosis.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded. The life cycle indicates a single short adult breeding phase rather than repeated adult breeding.

Timing may vary between tropical Queensland and southern coastal populations, and targeted surveys should use specialist lamprey expertise because larvae are indistinguishable from short-headed lamprey larvae.

  • Buried ammocoetes, larval phase: Ammocoetes can be present in stream sediments throughout the year and are difficult to distinguish from short-headed lamprey larvae.
  • Metamorphosis and adult emergence: The timing of metamorphosis is not known by month, so newly transformed fish may need consideration in any season.
  • Adult spawning in natal streams: Adults spawn and die within months of metamorphosis, but no reliable breeding months or seasonal peak are established.
  • Post-spawning adults and carcasses: Adults have a short, non-feeding phase and are rarely encountered, with timing varying between isolated river populations.
  • Highest clearing risk: There is no defensible low-risk season because buried larvae may be present year-round and sedimentation or water-quality impacts can affect the life cycle.

Identification: Adult appearance

The non-parasitic lamprey is a small, eel-shaped, jawless fish. Adults are rarely encountered, and the buried larval stage is the life stage most likely to be present near a work site.

Adults have a long, slender body, two low dorsal fins near the tail and seven gill openings on each side behind the eyes. The eyes sit on the top of the head.

The body is commonly bluish-black or dark blue above, with a mottled grey underside. Females carrying eggs may have a yellow belly.

The mouth is a suctorial disk with small teeth around the edge. The species is non-parasitic and does not use its teeth to suck blood.

  • Adult length is about 100 to 170 mm.
  • Males are slightly larger than females.
  • Recently transformed sub-adults, called macrophthalmia, can be slightly longer than adults.

Identification: Larvae and similar species

Larvae are called ammocoetes. They are small, brown and worm-like, with no eyes, teeth or developed adult features. They remain buried in fine stream sediment.

Ammocoetes of the non-parasitic lamprey and short-headed lamprey are indistinguishable by normal field examination. Standard DNA barcode methods also do not reliably separate the two species.

Do not assign a larval record to this species from appearance alone. Seek specialist identification and retain appropriate records or voucher material where permitted.

  • Short-headed lamprey, Mordacia mordax, is the main similar species.
  • Adult short-headed lampreys are much larger, about 300 to 420 mm, and have more developed radial teeth.
  • Pouched lamprey, Geotria australis, may occur at the southern end of the range. It is larger, about 450 to 600 mm, with different dentition and more laterally placed eyes.

Identification: Field signs and calls

There are no reliable calls or echolocation cues for field detection. Adults are not expected to leave distinctive droppings, nests, whitewash, stains or odours that can be used during a site inspection.

The most useful field sign is suitable larval habitat, especially areas of soft, fine sediment in freshwater stream margins and depositional zones. Absence of visible lampreys does not show that the species is absent.

  • Inspect clear, shallow freshwater reaches and sediment deposits for larvae only where a suitable aquatic survey has been approved.
  • Do not disturb or remove stream-bed sediment as a casual search method.
  • Treat uncertain lamprey records as requiring expert review, particularly where both Mordacia species may occur.

Distribution: Queensland

The species is restricted to freshwater river basins in eastern Australia. Records are generally from coastal rivers less than 50 km from the coast, but the full range and the identity of some southern records remain uncertain.

Known Queensland catchments include Water Park Creek in Byfield National Park, the Maroochy River including Coochin Creek, and the K'gari catchment. Water Park Creek is the northern extent currently recognised for the species and is near Rockhampton.

  • Water Park Creek, Central Queensland.
  • Maroochy River and Coochin Creek, south-eastern Queensland.
  • K'gari, also known as Fraser Island.

Distribution: New South Wales

Records include the Richmond River and Macleay River in northern New South Wales. Historical records came from the Moruya and Tuross rivers in southern coastal New South Wales, where local populations are considered extinct.

The southern range is difficult to define because the species occurs with the short-headed lamprey and many larvae cannot be identified to species.

  • Richmond River, northern New South Wales.
  • Macleay River, northern New South Wales.
  • Moruya River and Tuross River, southern New South Wales, with local populations considered extinct.
  • The Wallagaraugh River region near the New South Wales and Victorian border has also been associated with the species.

Distribution: Victoria and taxonomic boundaries

Victorian occurrence is not confirmed in all reported records, although the species may occur in far eastern Victoria. A Victorian listing applies to the endangered species within that jurisdiction, not to the undescribed Noosa River form.

The Noosa River population, including Teewah Creek and Searys Creek, has been shown to represent a new undescribed species and was excluded from the assessment of the non-parasitic lamprey.

  • Use confirmed catchment records and current specialist advice when assessing a Victorian site.
  • Do not assume that every non-parasitic Mordacia record belongs to the non-parasitic lamprey.
  • There is no overseas range. The species is Australian and entirely freshwater.

Habitat: Stream and catchment setting

Look for the species in freshwater reaches of small to medium coastal rivers and streams. Its habitat can occur within otherwise developed lowland catchments, so a narrow or modified work footprint does not automatically exclude it.

The species completes its life cycle in rivers and does not migrate to brackish or marine water. Suitable habitat is associated with individual river basins and isolated coastal streams.

Give particular attention to freshwater lower reaches of coastal rivers, tributary junctions and connected upstream habitat. Water Park Creek and other lowland coastal streams show that the species can occur in warm, low-gradient systems.

  • Freshwater coastal streams and river margins.
  • Lowland reaches with connected pools, shallow runs and depositional areas.
  • Natural or semi-natural riparian vegetation that helps shade the channel and stabilise banks.
  • Sites with no obvious salinity barrier between the work area and upstream freshwater habitat.

Habitat: Substrate and channel features

Ammocoetes spend much of their lives buried in stream-bed sediment. Fine sediment deposits, gentle margins and low-velocity areas are therefore more relevant than the presence of visible adult fish.

During habitat assessment, map the stream bed and banks that could receive sediment, runoff, concrete washout or altered flows. Include connected reaches upstream and downstream of the work area in the risk assessment.

  • Fine, soft or mixed sediment suitable for burrowing.
  • Shallow margins, backwaters and depositional bars.
  • Stable banks with overhanging vegetation or root structure.
  • Pools and runs connected by flowing freshwater.

Habitat: Site planning

The species is Endangered, so avoid impacts rather than relying on detection of adults. Before clearing or in-channel works, check current records, map all freshwater habitat and obtain advice from the relevant state wildlife authority or a lamprey specialist.

Where suitable habitat is present, design works to keep machinery, spoil, fuels and dirty water away from the channel. Include the whole connected habitat unit in planning, not just the area to be cleared.

  • Prefer access routes and infrastructure footprints away from stream channels and riparian zones.
  • Maintain natural flow paths and avoid unnecessary crossings.
  • Use sediment and erosion controls before ground disturbance begins.
  • Stop work and seek advice if lampreys or potentially suitable larval habitat are identified in an active work area.

Foraging habitat: Larval feeding areas

Ammocoetes filter-feed while buried in stream sediment. Adults do not feed during their short adult phase, so the main feeding habitat to protect is the clean, oxygenated sediment and water column used by larvae.

Larvae live within the bottom sediments of freshwater watercourses and filter-feed. Their feeding areas may be inconspicuous and can occur along depositional margins rather than in the deepest part of the channel.

Protect the quality and stability of these areas. Sediment pulses, fine sediment smothering, toxic spills and reduced water quality can affect larvae without producing an obvious fish kill.

  • Fine sediment margins and depositional pockets.
  • Low-velocity zones beside pools, runs and stream bends.
  • Shallow areas with stable flow and organic material entering from the riparian zone.

Foraging habitat: Construction controls

Manage runoff from exposed soil, stockpiles, haul roads and cleared banks. Prevent concrete, grout, hydrocarbons, treated water and other contaminants from entering freshwater habitat.

Avoid placing spoil or sediment where rainfall can carry it into the channel. Keep drains, pumps and dewatering discharges from scouring or smothering larval habitat.

  • Install and maintain erosion and sediment controls before clearing.
  • Use clean water diversion and treatment measures for dewatering.
  • Inspect controls after rainfall and repair failures promptly.
  • Retain riparian vegetation where practicable to shade water and stabilise banks.

Breeding habitat: Spawning streams

Non-parasitic lampreys spawn in their natal freshwater streams and die within months of metamorphosing to adults. Detailed spawning-site requirements and breeding timing vary in the available field knowledge, so all connected freshwater habitat should be treated cautiously during works.

Breeding occurs in freshwater streams within the natal river basin. The species does not require a marine or estuarine adult migration.

Maintain passage through the stream and avoid changes to bed levels, flow, water quality or sediment transport that could affect spawning areas or developing larvae.

  • Connected freshwater channel habitat.
  • Shallow flowing reaches and stable stream-bed areas that can support spawning activity.
  • Clean water and sediment conditions downstream of the work area.

Breeding habitat: Works near potential breeding habitat

Do not clear riparian vegetation, divert flow or disturb the bed of a suitable freshwater stream without a species-specific risk assessment. A lack of adult sightings is not evidence that breeding habitat is unused.

Schedule in-channel works only after consultation with the relevant authority and specialist adviser. Apply the most protective timing and work method required by the project approval or permit.

  • Avoid permanent barriers to upstream or downstream movement.
  • Keep machinery out of the channel wherever possible.
  • Do not place temporary crossings on fine sediment deposits without an approved aquatic fauna method.
  • Use trained aquatic fauna personnel if capture, handling or salvage is authorised.

Breeding habitat: Identification during breeding surveys

Larvae cannot be reliably separated from short-headed lamprey larvae in the field. Any targeted breeding or occupancy survey should be designed and interpreted by a specialist familiar with both species and the local catchment.

  • Record catchment, site location, water conditions, substrate and life-history stage.
  • Photograph adults and retain diagnostic details where lawful and appropriate.
  • Do not release an uncertain identification as a confirmed species record.

Sheltering habitat: Buried larval habitat

The main sheltering habitat is the stream bed, where ammocoetes remain buried for several years. Adults are rarely seen and have no known terrestrial sheltering requirement.

Ammocoetes are small, eyeless and worm-like. They occupy sediment within freshwater stream beds and can remain below the surface during normal visual searches.

Protect the physical structure of the bed. Excavation, dredging, trampling, dewatering and sudden changes in flow can expose, crush or remove larvae.

  • Soft or fine sediment along stream margins.
  • Depositional areas with low flow.
  • Stable bed material that is not frequently scoured or buried by construction sediment.

Sheltering habitat: Riparian and bank features

Riparian vegetation helps retain banks and reduce sediment entering the channel. Retain overhanging vegetation, root systems and natural bank cover wherever possible.

Where vegetation must be removed, keep the cleared area as small as practicable and stabilise exposed soil immediately.

  • Native streamside vegetation.
  • Stable banks and intact root mats.
  • Natural shade and undisturbed channel margins.

Sheltering habitat: Detection limits on works sites

Routine terrestrial fauna searches will not detect buried ammocoetes reliably. Do not clear or excavate aquatic habitat on the assumption that a negative visual search has cleared the species from the site.

Use a targeted aquatic survey only where authorised and where the results will change the work method. Surveys should account for larval non-detection and the identification problem with short-headed lamprey.

  • Use current records and habitat mapping before relying on survey results.
  • Keep a no-entry area around mapped freshwater habitat until the aquatic fauna method is approved.
  • Report unexpected lamprey captures immediately to the site environmental representative.

Threats: Sedimentation and water quality

For an Endangered species with isolated populations, small works can have effects beyond the immediate clearing footprint. Focus on preventing sediment, contamination, barriers and loss of connected freshwater habitat.

Sedimentation is a major concern because larvae live in stream-bed sediment. Excess fine material can smother habitat, alter the bed and reduce water quality.

Use a high level of erosion and sediment control around any freshwater catchment supporting, or potentially supporting, the species.

  • Keep bare soil, spoil and stockpiles away from drainage lines.
  • Prevent turbid water from entering the channel.
  • Do not discharge untreated dewatering water.
  • Respond to spills immediately and notify the relevant environmental authority where required.

Threats: Clearing and riparian disturbance

Removal of streamside vegetation can increase bank erosion, water temperature and sediment delivery. It can also reduce the quality of connected freshwater habitat.

Avoid clearing riparian vegetation and use existing disturbed access points where possible. Clearly mark exclusion areas before machinery enters the site.

  • Minimise the clearing footprint.
  • Retain bank roots, shade and natural drainage.
  • Stabilise disturbed banks with methods suitable for aquatic habitat.
  • Prevent machinery, fuels and chemicals from entering the channel.

Threats: Barriers, flow changes and salinity

The species is restricted to individual freshwater basins. Culverts, weirs, temporary crossings, altered flows and poorly designed water diversions can fragment habitat.

Lowland coastal streams may also be exposed to increasing salinity as sea levels rise. Avoid actions that extend saline water upstream or disconnect freshwater reaches.

  • Maintain fish passage through temporary and permanent crossings.
  • Keep natural low flows and avoid sudden drawdown or scour.
  • Do not construct barriers across the channel without aquatic fauna assessment and approval.
  • Check whether the work could increase tidal or saline influence.

Threats: Misidentification and regulatory risk

Ammocoetes are indistinguishable from short-headed lamprey larvae in normal field conditions. This makes records easy to overlook and can lead to unsuitable work controls.

Because the non-parasitic lamprey is Endangered, confirm the legal requirements for the project location before clearing or in-channel works. In Queensland, listed protected wildlife and its breeding place require particular care, and tampering with a breeding place may require a species management program.

  • Use a qualified aquatic fauna ecologist for potential habitat and lamprey records.
  • Treat uncertain larvae as a potential threatened species record until reviewed.
  • Keep survey, incident and habitat records with the project environmental documentation.
  • Escalate any capture, injury, mortality or unexpected habitat disturbance to the project manager and relevant authority.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Survey for the non-parasitic lamprey must account for its long larval stage and the difficulty of identifying larvae. Use aquatic surveyors with lamprey experience, and plan surveys across suitable freshwater habitat rather than relying on a single visual search.

Check state and Commonwealth databases, recent aquatic fauna records, catchment mapping and local ecological knowledge before finalising the survey area.

Treat records from the Richmond, Macleay, Maroochy and Water Park Creek catchments as relevant to project screening. Check carefully for records from the Noosa area, because the isolated Noosa population is regarded as an undescribed species rather than the non-parasitic lamprey.

Do not assume that an absence of records means absence of the species. Records are sparse, and some historical records cannot be confirmed because larvae are indistinguishable from those of the short-headed lamprey.

Adult size: Adults are approximately 100 to 170 mm long.

Life cycle: Ammocoetes remain buried in freshwater sediments for several years. Adults spawn in their natal stream and die within months of spawning.

  • Map all freshwater channels, pools, backwaters and sediment deposits that could provide ammocoete habitat.
  • Include upstream and downstream habitat connected to the work area, not only the clearing footprint.
  • Identify proposed access points, crossings, dewatering areas, spoil locations and discharge points that could affect water quality.

Survey methodology: 2. Aquatic field survey

Survey freshwater habitat within and around the impact area. Use methods selected by a qualified aquatic ecologist and approved under the relevant permit.

Combine active methods, such as electrofishing where lawful and suitable, with fine mesh netting or other methods appropriate for buried larvae. Consider environmental DNA as a supplementary detection method, but confirm how results will be interpreted for the non-parasitic lamprey and the short-headed lamprey.

Survey more than once where habitat is suitable and the project could affect the stream. Repeat surveys under suitable flow and water quality conditions, and target different life stages where practicable.

Do not rely on a visual search for adults. Adults are rarely encountered, and ammocoetes are generally buried in the substrate.

Survey records: A Queensland survey captured ammocoetes, transformers and adults from water temperatures of 17 to 27 degrees Celsius.

  • Use experienced personnel for electrofishing and aquatic fauna handling.
  • Avoid sampling during unsafe flows, severe turbidity or conditions that could cause unnecessary harm.
  • Inspect fine sediment areas, depositional margins and low velocity habitat where ammocoetes may occur.
  • Record all bycatch and retain voucher specimens only where authorised and necessary for identification.

Survey methodology: 3. Identification and verification

Treat all Mordacia larvae as potentially significant because the larvae of the non-parasitic lamprey and the short-headed lamprey cannot be distinguished by ordinary field examination.

Seek specialist identification for transforming individuals and adults. Adult size, colour, dentition and development stage can assist identification, but confirm records through an experienced taxonomist or approved laboratory where required.

Do not use standard mitochondrial DNA barcodes alone to separate the two species. Record the uncertainty and retain appropriate photographs, measurements and tissue or voucher material under permit.

  • Photograph the whole animal, head, mouth, dentition, fins and colouration before release where this can be done safely.
  • Measure total length and record life stage, sex where known and physical condition.
  • Record the identification method, confidence level, taxonomist and any voucher or laboratory reference.
  • Report suspected non-parasitic lamprey records promptly to the relevant state agency and project ecologist.

Survey methodology: 4. Survey records and reporting

Record enough information to support repeat surveys and impact assessment. A negative result should include the locations, methods, effort, conditions and habitat examined.

Map each capture or detection using a suitable project coordinate system. Keep raw field sheets, photographs, laboratory results and chain of custody records with the project environmental documentation.

  • Record date, start and finish time, observers, equipment, method and survey effort.
  • Record water temperature, flow, turbidity, weather, water quality observations and substrate type.
  • Record life stage, length, number captured, handling method, release location and any mortality or injury.
  • Describe barriers, culverts, bed disturbance, sediment deposits, riparian condition and water quality risks.
  • State whether the result is confirmed, probable, unconfirmed or unable to be separated from the short-headed lamprey.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Confirm approvals and legal obligations

Plan the work around the species' freshwater life cycle and protect the stream system, not only individual animals. Avoidance is the preferred control because larvae may be hidden in sediment and adults may be present for a short period.

Check the current Commonwealth listing and determine whether the action requires referral or approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Obtain the relevant state approvals before aquatic survey, capture, handling, relocation, habitat disturbance or construction. This may include NSW, Queensland or Victorian permits, depending on the location and activity.

In Queensland, confirm whether a species management program, protected wildlife authority or other approval is required for interference with the animal or its breeding place. Obtain written confirmation before works start.

Have the approval conditions, maps and contact details available at the site office and with the fauna team.

Listing context: The non-parasitic lamprey is treated as Endangered in Commonwealth and relevant state conservation settings described for this profile.

  • Use a qualified environmental practitioner to complete the approval screening.
  • Include indirect impacts such as sedimentation, altered flows, dewatering, chemical contamination, barriers and changes to freshwater connectivity.
  • Do not rely on a general fauna handling licence where a specific aquatic fauna or threatened species authority is required.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Apply avoidance and habitat protection

Redesign the activity where practicable to avoid occupied or potentially occupied freshwater habitat. Retain the stream bed, banks, riparian cover, natural flow and connected downstream habitat.

Set project specific no-go areas around the aquatic habitat and any confirmed detection. The width should be determined by the aquatic ecologist and approval conditions because no universal species buffer is established for this lamprey.

Keep machinery, fuels, concrete washout, spoil and stockpiles away from the waterway. Use sediment and erosion controls before ground disturbance begins.

  • Avoid channel crossings where a dry land alternative is available.
  • Keep stormwater, trench water and dewatering discharge out of the stream unless treated and approved.
  • Maintain fish passage and freshwater connectivity during construction.
  • Schedule in-stream work for the lowest risk period identified by the aquatic ecologist and agency, rather than using a generic fish timing window.
  • Stop work if water quality, flow or sediment conditions exceed the approved limits.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Complete pre-clearance aquatic checks

Complete a final aquatic fauna check before in-stream disturbance, dewatering, bed excavation or bank works. Include all areas that will be isolated, drained, crossed or exposed to sediment.

Use the approved survey and capture method. Do not disturb sediment or drain a work area before the fauna team has assessed it.

Because breeding timing is poorly documented, treat suitable freshwater habitat as potentially occupied throughout the year. Adults spawn in natal streams after metamorphosis, so avoid assuming that a particular month is free of breeding activity.

  • Inspect the work footprint, upstream and downstream areas, temporary channels and dewatering points.
  • Confirm that exclusion zones are marked and understood by the crew.
  • Record the final pre-clearance result, including areas searched and any animals captured or detected.
  • Obtain written clearance from the aquatic ecologist before starting the relevant stage of work.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induct the workforce and prepare contingencies

Give every worker a short site induction before work begins. Explain the species' appearance, its buried larval stage, the difference between aquatic habitat and dry work areas, and the stop-work process.

Nominate the fauna spotter catcher or aquatic fauna specialist who can direct handling and stop work. Make sure the person has authority to act without waiting for a supervisor's approval.

  • Show workers how to identify a lamprey-like animal and how to avoid touching it.
  • Display the exclusion zones, access routes and emergency contacts.
  • Keep suitable clean containers, aerated water and shade available for authorised temporary holding if the approval allows it.
  • Brief the crew on the injured animal pathway, pollution response and incident reporting.
  • Confirm that no worker is to release, relocate or euthanise an animal unless authorised under the project approval.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Work progressively and control the footprint

Use a staged approach and keep aquatic fauna controls active whenever the stream, bed sediments or water quality could be affected. The fauna specialist should have clear authority to stop or modify work immediately.

Clear and excavate progressively. Complete one discrete work area, inspect it, and make it safe before moving to the next area.

Limit machinery movements to approved access routes. Keep plant out of the channel unless the approved method requires in-stream access.

Maintain sediment controls, clean water diversions and approved flow paths throughout the activity.

  • Install and inspect erosion and sediment controls before disturbance.
  • Use staged isolation and dewatering only under the approved aquatic fauna method.
  • Check isolated areas for animals before, during and after water removal.
  • Keep excavated sediment damp and contained if it may contain ammocoetes, unless the aquatic ecologist directs another approved method.
  • Do not leave trenches, sumps or temporary pools open where animals could become trapped.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop work and manage discoveries

Stop the relevant work immediately if a lamprey, possible lamprey, active breeding area or unexpected aquatic habitat is found. Keep people and machinery clear until the fauna specialist has assessed the find.

The fauna specialist should determine whether the animal can remain undisturbed, whether work can be redesigned, or whether authorised capture and relocation is required.

Do not assume that a small larva is a common species. Larvae may be indistinguishable from the short-headed lamprey.

  • Protect the location with a marked exclusion area.
  • Prevent sediment, chemicals, vibration and changes in flow from affecting the find.
  • Contact the project ecologist and the relevant agency if the find is confirmed, unusual or outside the approved impact area.
  • Document the decision and obtain approval before restarting work.
  • Treat any suspected spawning or breeding activity as a potential breeding place until assessed.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handle animals only under authority

Only trained and authorised aquatic fauna personnel may capture, hold, identify or relocate an animal. Use the least stressful method allowed by the approval.

Keep handling time short. Maintain suitable water quality and temperature, shade and oxygenation during any temporary holding. Do not mix animals from different catchments unless the approval specifically allows it.

Release animals only at the approved location and in the approved manner. Do not move them between river basins.

  • Use clean equipment between sites to reduce disease and genetic transfer risks.
  • Record capture and release locations separately.
  • Do not use unapproved chemicals, anaesthetics or preservatives.
  • Do not retain a specimen unless a permit and taxonomic need have been confirmed.
  • Report any mortality immediately under the approval and incident procedure.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Respond to injured animals and record incidents

Place an injured animal in a clean, shaded container with suitable freshwater and contact the nominated aquatic fauna specialist immediately. Do not provide food.

The specialist should contact the approved wildlife carer, veterinarian, agency or other nominated recipient. Follow the project approval for treatment, release or humane euthanasia.

  • Record the location, time, cause or suspected cause, condition and photographs.
  • Record the names and authorities of people who handled the animal.
  • Report pollution, sediment release, dewatering failure or unauthorised habitat disturbance through the project incident system.
  • Keep the animal and any associated material available for authorised examination where required.
  • Do not restart work until the specialist and project manager confirm the control measures.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Complete post-clearance and post-work checks

Close out aquatic fauna controls only after the work area and connected waterway have been checked. Use the results to improve the next stage of work and to identify any lasting effect on habitat or animals.

Inspect the completed work area, isolation points, dewatering infrastructure, sediment controls and downstream habitat before demobilising the fauna team.

Check for stranded, injured or dead animals after water is returned and after temporary structures are removed. The timing and number of checks should follow the approval and the aquatic ecologist's risk assessment.

  • Search wetted margins, pools, sediment deposits, sumps and low points.
  • Remove temporary screens, pipes, pumps and barriers only after checking them for animals.
  • Confirm that fish passage and freshwater flow have been restored.
  • Check for new sediment deposits, scour, turbidity, contamination and bank collapse.
  • Record a nil result as well as any animals found.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Monitor relocated animals and habitat

Where relocation has been approved, monitor the release site and the affected work area using a design agreed with the agency and aquatic ecologist. Monitoring should test survival, reoccupation and whether the habitat remains suitable.

Do not claim successful relocation from release records alone. The species is difficult to detect, especially during its buried larval stage.

  • Use the same locations and methods where repeat comparison is required.
  • Record effort and conditions for every monitoring event.
  • Look for changes in sediment, flow, water quality, barriers and riparian cover.
  • Report mortalities, failed habitat protection or unexpected detections promptly.
  • Continue monitoring for the period required by the approval or management plan.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Complete reporting and records

Provide the regulator and project manager with a clear fauna report. Include methods, effort, results, incidents, approvals, photographs, maps and any laboratory or voucher information.

Separate confirmed records from probable records and from larvae that could not be identified to species.

  • Update the project GIS and threatened species database with verified records.
  • Report any new catchment record through the relevant state process.
  • Attach fauna clearance forms to the construction environmental records.
  • Document all stop-work events, changes to method and approval consultations.
  • Keep raw data and chain of custody records in accordance with the permit and project retention requirements.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Review and improve the controls

Hold a short incident and completion review with the fauna team, site supervisor, aquatic ecologist and environmental manager. Use the review before the next work stage or project in the catchment.

Focus on whether the survey detected the expected life stages, whether sediment and flow controls worked, and whether the exclusion zones were practical.

  • Identify causes of any injury, mortality, sediment release or unauthorised disturbance.
  • Update the induction, work method statement and emergency contacts.
  • Revise survey effort if detections were poor or identification remained uncertain.
  • Share relevant findings with the approving agency and land manager.
  • Retain lessons for future work in coastal freshwater catchments.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore the stream and riparian zone

Rehabilitation should restore functioning freshwater habitat and protect the stream from sediment, altered flows and saltwater intrusion. Focus on natural stream processes rather than artificial structures, because this species has a buried larval stage and no established need for nest boxes or roost structures.

Reinstate the natural channel shape, bed levels, flow paths and connection between pools and shallow habitat where the project has disturbed them.

Replace suitable clean sediment and bed material only where specified by the aquatic ecologist. Do not cover potentially occupied ammocoete habitat with unsuitable spoil or concrete.

Revegetate disturbed banks with locally appropriate native species and protect them from erosion while plants establish.

  • Remove temporary crossings, pads, barriers and hardstand from the waterway when no longer needed.
  • Stabilise banks using low impact methods suited to the site.
  • Retain or restore shade, leaf litter and natural bank cover where compatible with flood safety.
  • Keep weeds out of the channel and riparian zone.
  • Prevent topsoil, mulch, fertiliser and herbicide from entering the stream.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Protect water quality and freshwater flow

Manage rehabilitation works so that water remains fresh, connected and suitable for buried larvae and spawning adults. The species completes its life cycle in rivers and does not use brackish or marine systems.

Design drainage and discharge controls to avoid chronic sedimentation, sudden flow changes and chemical contamination.

  • Inspect erosion controls after rain and high flow.
  • Use clean water diversions where approved and remove them once the bed is stable.
  • Test discharge water where required by the approval.
  • Keep fuels, chemicals, concrete and contaminated soil away from the waterway.
  • Investigate any increase in salinity or evidence that lowland freshwater habitat is becoming saline.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Do not install unsuitable artificial structures

Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites or roost structures for the non-parasitic lamprey. These structures are not relevant to its known life history.

Use natural habitat restoration instead. Any artificial bed, bank or flow feature should be designed specifically for the local stream by an aquatic geomorphologist and aquatic ecologist, and approved before installation.

  • Prioritise clean freshwater sediment, stable spawning areas, connected pools and suitable low velocity margins.
  • Do not create isolated ponds or dead-end channels as replacement habitat.
  • Do not move bed material from another catchment without assessing disease, weeds, contamination and genetic risks.
  • Record the design, source and placement of any imported habitat material.
  • Inspect restored features after high flows and repair only under an approved method.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Control weeds, lighting and access

Keep rehabilitation areas free of invasive plants and prevent repeated vehicle, stock or pedestrian access to recovering banks and channels.

Use the lowest practical lighting level for night works. Direct lights away from the stream and riparian zone, and switch them off when not required.

Although adult movement and breeding timing are poorly documented, reducing night disturbance and maintaining dark, connected stream habitat is a sensible precaution.

  • Use clean machinery and inspect it for weed seed before entering the site.
  • Remove weeds by methods that do not increase turbidity or expose unstable banks.
  • Fence or sign restored areas where access could damage the bed or banks.
  • Avoid lighting the water surface, spawning areas and riparian vegetation.
  • Keep permanent lighting away from the waterway where project safety allows.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Monitor rehabilitation over the long term

Monitor whether the restored site retains freshwater flow, stable habitat and suitable water quality. Include aquatic fauna monitoring where required by the approval or where the project affected occupied habitat.

Use repeatable methods and conditions so that results can be compared over time. Interpret non-detection cautiously because ammocoetes are buried and difficult to identify.

  • Inspect after construction, after the first substantial high flow and at intervals set by the approval.
  • Record bank stability, substrate, sedimentation, turbidity, salinity, weeds, riparian cover and barriers.
  • Repeat targeted lamprey surveys where the aquatic ecologist considers them justified.
  • Compare results with pre-work habitat photographs and survey records.
  • Repair failed rehabilitation promptly and report persistent impacts to the project manager and regulator.

Sources