Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) recently recorded an astounding 102 different fish species along the Fly River’s mid-estuary to its Kiunga Port, setting a new record from its past fish sampling activities.
An added bonus to this recent survey was the rediscovery of the Paska’s Blue-eye, a fish species that was not seen since its first discovery in 1983.
The Paska’s Blue-eye (Pseudomugil paskai) is a small (approximately 3 cm long), delicate, colourful fish, that lives in shallow streams and swampy areas in lowland rainforest.
It was first discovered in a few small creeks near Kiunga, by Gerry Allen, from the Western Australian Museum, and the late John Paska, after whom it was named. It is endemic to the Kiunga area of North Fly District.
Although the name John Paska resonates with the PNG Workers Union, the Late Mr Paska was a fisheries technician with the National Fisheries Authority at the time of the initial discovery.
Despite numerous surveys over the years, Paska’s Blue-eye was never seen again in the last 40 years.
OTML Manager Environment, Erizo Kepe said, “Given its rarity, its absence was a concern. It was believed that disturbance from the expanding township of Kiunga, as well as predatory action from introduced fish species such as Snakehead had resulted in its disappearance from the creeks where it was first discovered. But given the large size of the Fly catchment, there was hope that it was still surviving somewhere in the river system.”
The rediscovery was made at Gusiore Village, at a small creek along Elevala River, a sub catchment of the Fly River, upstream of Kiunga. Sampling at other nearby creeks found additional populations.
Ms Kepe said, “The discovery is from a new area, away from settlements and ‘disturbances’, with healthy breeding populations. Maintaining the quality of this refuge habitat is critical for continued conservation of this and other native species that are non-existent in other parts of the world.”
In addition to Paska’s Blue-eye, the team sampled a range of other rare species from different groups including Fork-tail Catfish, Eel-Tailed Catfish (or greasy fish), Gobies, Swamp Eels and Rainbowfish that will add to the diversity of fish species found in the Fly River.
The recording of the large number of fish species achieved during this year’s fish diversity survey, a program conducted every 5 years by the Company’s Environment Department as part of its riverine monitoring activity, indicates the environmental mitigation efforts by the company in the last two decades are gradually improving the ecological health of the Fly River system.
The survey aims to confirm all known species that are currently rarely sighted or absent from the Ok Tedi and Fly River channels, still occur in the river system. The survey is supported by experts in fishery and wetlands from renowned institutions such as SLR Consulting and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Australia
Fish surveys up to 2018 have confirmed the existence of refuge areas, being tributaries to the Ok Tedi and Fly River sub catchments where fish species are taking refuge to avoid impacts from the mine. Fish species in refuge are expected to recolonise the system when the mine closes.
The second part of the current survey will continue in early 2025, in the upper catchment towards Tabubil and the mine. It is anticipated that total number of species recorded in the 2024/2025 survey will exceed record held from the past survey.
The Western Province’s Fly River is a known hotspot in New Guinea for freshwater fish, supporting more than 140 species. Many of these species are endemic to a narrow geographical range where they are only found in the Fly river system and immediate surrounds, and nowhere else in Papua New Guinea or on Earth.
OTML is committed to being an environmentally responsible miner and has comprehensive environment management programs in place to monitor and mitigate the impacts of its mining activities on land and in the river system to ensure impacts are minimised or reversed and ecosystem is restored and able to recover after mine closure.