Migratory freshwater fish species are under threat globally. Widely-documented examples include declines of migratory giant catfish in Asia, sturgeon in Europe and North America and anguillid eels in the northern hemisphere. For many species, substantial knowledge gaps exist concerning their movement behaviours and requirements. The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate how empirical field data on fish movement behaviour can be used to support the development of more targeted and effective conservation management strategies. Such data can be useful for instance, for predicting the effects of disturbances or environmental changes, and can also be important for predicting how populations might respond to management interventions. In this presentation, a series of case studies are presented where significant new information has been obtained on movements patterns of Australian native freshwater fish, and the information incorporated into conservation management measures, such as environmental flow releases, to allow fish to complete their life cycles and perform other ecologically important functions. Movement is an important component of the life histories of many fish species globally; these case studies highlight how careful empirical work can provide the information necessary to improve fish population sustainability.