What is good fish habitat?
Good fish habitat is somewhere where fish like to shelter, feed and breed. This could be for all ages of fish, but nursery habitats are even more important. There are some main areas of fish habitat that we spend a lot of time fishing in or near, including; • Wetlands (fresh and brackish water) • Saltmarsh • Mangroves • Seagrass • Reefs Zonation diagram These fish habitats all have some key elements that make them important; • Water of good quality • Snags • Plants for shade, to hide in and provide food • Food source, in the sediment, in the water and growing on the plants • Safe passage to the next habitat Wetlands Wetlands are areas that are important to keeping the water quality of our creeks good enough for the fish. They are often the freshwater swamp or swamp forest at the back of the creek, usually behind the mangroves or saltmarsh. They act as filters, ensuring anything nasty in the water is caught before it enters the creek. They also provide a food source, some of the goodies
