There is always a need for the ‘best available science’ to inform environmental management. Getting it there, however, is another issue, and outdated data, knowledge, and ecological concepts can compromise the potential success of management actions. Within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), the Basin Plan and its watering strategy are being deployed for the rehabilitation of aquatic ecosystems. This is occurring at a speed rarely previously seen and is testing researchers and managers; especially in developing flow objectives and monitoring response. Rehabilitation of native fish populations is considered a primary goal of the Basin plan. To aid in the management of flow regimes for fish outcomes, contemporary and historical data have been collated, and conceptual and population models developed, to enable prediction and test outcomes within an Adaptive Management framework. This has occurred through literature searches, expert workshops (14 so far), talking, talking, talking (over 70 fish scientists and managers to date) to collect data, knowledge and experience to assist with model development. This process is being undertaken for nine native fish species of the MDB (Golden perch, Silver perch, Murray cod, Trout cod, Macquarie perch, Freshwater catfish, Southern pygmy perch, Olive perchlet, Murray hardyhead). In addition, we have also queried managers to determine what they want from researchers in relation to fish and flows. This can be summarised as: provision of robust, evidence-based information (research and monitoring) and timely, relevant advice in simple terms;; be prepared to ‘give things a go’; and have a proactive, collaborative approach to determining water management. Key knowledge gaps for research were also identified. Stronger concluding sentence?