Critically Endangered Red Handfish Successfully Bred in Captivity
Aquaculture has achieved another huge triumph with the successful spawning and raising of one of the world’s rarest fish.
The Red Handfish, Thymichthys politus, is currently known from only two small 50m long patches of reef in south-eastern Tasmania and is thought to have a total population of just 100 adults.
Now researchers at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) are raising 232 hatchlings – tripling the population – intending to release them back into the wild.
“This program is improving in leaps and bounds. These individuals represent triple the captive red handfish population in Tasmania,” said researcher Dr Andrew Trotter, who co-leads the handfish conservation breeding program at IMAS.
“It’s very encouraging to have successfully bred the species in captivity in three consecutive breeding seasons, and feels like our team is making significant ground in saving the species.”
Dr Trotter said the eggs took just over 50 days to hatch after fertilisation and were cared for by their doting mothers during that time.
“We’ve significantly improved our knowledge of red handfish biology, which has resulted in improved captive care and breeding capability.”
Handfish school
The young are raised in captivity and will go through ‘handfish school’ before being released into the wild. This conditioning and enrichment program trains them to survive and thrive in the wild, which is one of the critical components funded by partners at the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species (FAME).
FAME CEO Tracy McNamara is delighted that, with FAME’s support, the team at IMAS is not only proving that dedicated conservation efforts can save the red handfish, but can deliver impactful outcomes that pave the way for the species’ recovery.
Dr Jemina Stuart-Smith, who co-leads the red handfish recovery program, emphasised the critical role of the red handfish captive breeding program in the species’ recovery.
“While the program’s progress is promising, restoring and managing habitats at red handfish sites remains vital. These combined efforts will ultimately determine the survival of the species.”
The IMAS red handfish captive breeding program is funded by the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered species with support from Tasmania’s Seahorse World and in consultation with the National Handfish Recovery Team and the Tasmanian Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE TAS).
This important work is made possible through support from the Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), and the generous donors who support the Handfish Conservation Project.
Habitat loss and destruction, pollution and urban developments are the main threats to the recovery of the Red handfish population.
Handfishes walk rather than swim. There are fourteen handfish species in total, all of which are found only in southern Australia – predominantly in Tasmania.
Very little is known about handfish in general, but Spotted, Red, and Ziebell’s handfish are critically endangered and are faced with increasing levels of habitat destruction and loss, pollution, and changing climate.
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Main image by Andrea Williamson IMAS
