Patrick L Rakes and J R Shute Conservation Fisheries Inc Mission Statement Conservation Fisheries is dedicated to the preservation of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems in the southeastern ID: 255752
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Slide1
Propagation and restoration of rare fishes: keys to success.
Patrick L. Rakes and J. R. Shute,
Conservation Fisheries, Inc. Slide2Slide3
Mission Statement:
Conservation Fisheries is dedicated
to the preservation of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems in the southeastern
United States, concentrating
on the conservation and recovery
of rare freshwater fishes
using captive propagation,
habitat assessment,
and low impact monitoring techniquesSlide4Slide5
3424 Division Street, Knoxville, TNSlide6
BTM racksSlide7
CFI PARTNERS
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U. S. Forest Service;
U. S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division; National Park Service; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Environmental Protection Agency; Tennessee Valley Authority; Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Arkansas Game & Fish Commission; Kentucky State Game & Fish Division; Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; North Carolina Wildlife Resources Agency; Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; Virginia Division of Game & Inland Fishes; The Nature Conservancy; The Tennessee Aquarium; The University of Tennessee; Tennessee Tech University; The World Wildlife Fund; ALCOA; and International Paper.
Slide8
How Do You Recover
Rare Species?Habitat protection!
Habitat restoration!
Stocking
Augmentation
Reintroduction/population restoration
Translocation vs. Propagation
Propagation Purposes:
reintroductions / arks
life history research (sometimes surrogates)
toxicity tolerance
mussel hostsSlide9
How Do You Recover
Rare Species?Who leads?
Who pays / funds?
Who is responsible to whom?
How do you gauge success?Slide10
The “Abrams Creek Story”
Formerly held 67 of GSMNP’s 79 known fish speciesPoisoned with rotenone in 1957 to “reclaim” for trophy trout fisheryOnly 35 species persisted/returned from tributaries; smoky & yellowfin madtoms considered extinct after “reclamation”
CFI—with USFWS, TWRA, USFS, NPS— began attempts to restore four federally listed species in 1986:Slide11
Smoky madtom,
Noturus baileyi
(E)Slide12
Yellowfin madtom,
N. flavipinnis (T)Slide13
Duskytail darter, Etheostoma percnurum
(E) [now Citico darter, E. sitikuense]Slide14
Spotfin chub, Erimonax monachus
(T)Slide15
Justification for Restoration
“Extinct” madtoms & darter rediscovered in Citico Creek ~1980; life histories: UTK M.S. studentsAbrams Crk extirpations = one-time event; habitat relatively undisturbed; mostly “protected” public lands/watershed
Problem: spotfin chub = only sp. with wild source population sufficient for translocations
Madtoms & darter would require propagation to produce numbers sufficient for reintroductions (efforts initiated at UTK in 1986) ‘post-theses’Slide16
Early Abrams release w/ mediaSlide17
Restoration Effort History
Each species produced in numbers dependent on collection permits, life history, and annual collection & survivorship variation:Madtoms ~25-600/yr/sp. (typically 100-200)[3200]Darters 50-750/yr (typically ~200)[3400]
Chubs 0-3500/yr [11,000]
Stocked at 1-5 sites/yr
Chubs translocated 1988-90 (unsuccessfully) Propagated & stocked 1994-2001 (“ditto”)
Madtoms stocked 1
st
fall ‘86-’91 / 1
st
spring ’93--
Stocking ceased after 2001 for darters, 2002 for madtoms… …monitoring only since then:Slide18
Summary / Conclusions
Smoky madtoms, yellowfin madtoms, & Citico darters established, reproducing and expanding population sizes and distributions Success slow– required 20 years for this pilot project, but subsequent restoration efforts with same species have benefited / faster success (Tellico River)
Fortuitous issues:
Abrams pristine/protected
Recovery Plans called for propagation & reintroductions (funding source available)
Abrams in central part of original ranges of spp.
all parties
agreed to effort!
(NEPs required now)Slide19
PARTNERS
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
[$]
U. S. Forest Service
[$ / source]
National Park Service
[site]
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
[$]
The Tennessee Aquarium
[rearing]
The University of Tennessee
[research]
Tennessee Tech University
[research]
The World Wildlife Fund
[$--equipment]
ALCOA
[$]
CFI
[implementation / knowledge]Slide20
Future Plans / Work in Progress
Determine why smoky madtoms are only doing well in lower creek, duskytails only in upper Determine total extent of available habitat and percent occupiedDevelop long-term monitoring program and more quantitative assessments of populations
Compare genetic make-up of restored vs source populations
Develop long-term “fish passage” genetic exchange program between Abrams, Citico, and Tellico populationsSlide21
Additional Information:
Shute, J. R., P. L. Rakes, and P. W. Shute. 2005. Reintroduction of four imperiled fishes in Abrams Creek, Tennessee. Southeastern Naturalist 4(1): 93-110.
www.conservationfisheries.orgSlide22
Barrens topminnow,
Fundulus julisia
(BTM)
candidate spp. limited to privately owned springs & headwaters
imperilment recognized since 1970s; Conservation Strategy initiated August 2000
propagated fish stocked at numerous restoration sites
TTU student research confirmed inability to compete with non-native
Gambusia
large number of partners:Slide23
BTM PARTNERS
Arnold Air Force Base
Conservation Fisheries, Inc.
The Nature Conservancy—Tennessee Chapter
Tennessee Aquarium
Tennessee Aquatic Research Institute
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Tennessee Tech University
Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
…and many private landowners…Slide24
Shoal Creek Restoration Effort
stream entirely on private lands; required NEP for endangered species restoration
Clean Water Act recovery example (sewage, heavy metals)
deep biogeographic/taxonomic discussions about appropriate spotfin source
partners:
Boulder darter
Etheostoma wapiti
Spotfin chub
Erimonax monachusSlide25
SHOAL CREEK PARTNERS
Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
Conservation Fisheries, Inc.
International Paper
Iron City, TN
Shoal Creek Canoe Run
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
USFWS National Fish Hatcheries
University of Alabama & St. Louis University
World Wildlife FundSlide26
Dr. Carol Johnston
Auburn University
Jim Herrig
Cherokee NF
Peggy Shute
TVA
PLR
CFI
Conasauga River Rare Fish MonitoringSlide27
Q U E S T I O N S ?