Battle against Extinction: Native Fish Management in the American West

Walsh, Stephen J.; Minckley, W. L.; Deacon, James E.

doi:10.2307/1447168

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 72 publications

(155 reference statements)

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“…The effects of past assisted colonization efforts have resulted in unintended and unanticipated consequences for species throughout the world, resulting in the declines, extirpation, and extinction of various species (Fausch 2008; Ricciardi and Simberloff 2009). Due to these unintended effects, assisted colonization for recreational and commercial purposes now considers ill effects on native species, and a more recent focus toward using assisted colonization for species recovery—termed “conservation translocation”—has emerged (Udall 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment of Bull Trout in a previously fishless subalpine lake by translocation

Kissinger,

Sullivan,

Paul

et al. 2024

N American J Fish Manag

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ObjectiveTranslocations have increased in recent years to aid in species recovery efforts. This includes translocations outside of species' historical distribution, where threats are less severe. One candidate species for translocation is the Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus, but few examples of successful translocations (re‐establishment or range expansion) have been documented. Here, we describe an example in which 63 Bull Trout were translocated in 1987 to establish a population in fishless Marie Lake, Alberta.MethodsThe translocation was monitored through multiple sampling events over the course of 33 years. Sampling techniques included backpack electrofishing, angling, and water quality and habitat assessments.ResultA population estimate suggested that Bull Trout increased by at least fourfold over the first 12 years; fish reached large sizes (692 mm fork length) and old ages (13 years), and the population had multiple age‐ and length‐classes, including juveniles. Bull Trout also had become established within at least 13 km of river outside of Marie Lake by 2019.ConclusionAlthough a naturally reproducing population of this at‐risk species was established, numerous factors were not considered within this translocation initiative. Most importantly, nonadfluvial Bull Trout from a disparate source population located about 4000 river kilometers away were used for the translocation. Our case study represents a rare example of a successful Bull Trout translocation and highlights considerations that should occur prior to future translocations that are intended to aid in species recovery and preservation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment of Bull Trout in a previously fishless subalpine lake by translocation

Kissinger,

Sullivan,

Paul

et al. 2024

N American J Fish Manag

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“…Compared with other large river basins in North America, the Colorado River basin has a relatively depauperate fish community with a high level of endemism (Minckley & Deacon, 1991). Several species are either federally protected under the U.S.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translocation in a fragmented river provides demographic benefits for imperiled fishes

Pennock,

Healy,

Bogaard

et al. 2024

Ecosphere

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Fragmentation isolates individuals and restricts access to valuable habitat with severe consequences for populations, such as reduced gene flow, disruption of recolonization dynamics, reduced resiliency to disturbance, and changes in aquatic community structure. Translocations to mitigate the effects of fragmentation and habitat loss are common, but few are rigorously evaluated, particularly for fishes. Over six years, we translocated 1215 individuals of four species of imperiled fish isolated below a barrier on the San Juan River, Utah, USA, that restricts access to upstream habitat. We used re‐encounter data (both passive integrated transponder tag and telemetry detections and physical recaptures) collected between 2016 and 2023, to inform a spatially explicit multistate mark–recapture model that estimated survival and transition probabilities of translocated and non‐translocated individuals, both below and above the barrier. Individuals of all four species moved large (>200 km) distances upstream following translocation, with the maximum upstream encounter distance varying by species. Results from the multistate mark–recapture model suggested translocated fish survived at a higher rate compared with non‐translocated fish below the barrier for three of the four species. Above the barrier, translocated individuals survived at similar rates as non‐translocated fish for bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus) and flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), while survival rates of translocated endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius; mean, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.55–0.88) and endangered razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus; 0.86, 0.75–0.92) were higher relative to non‐translocated individuals (Colorado pikeminnow: 0.52, 0.51–0.54; razorback sucker: 0.75, 0.74–0.75). Transition probabilities from above the barrier to below the barrier were generally low for three of the four species (all upper 95% CI ≤ 0.23), but they were substantially higher for razorback sucker. Our results suggest translocation to mitigate fragmentation and habitat loss can have demographic benefits for large‐river fish species by allowing movements necessary to complete their life history in heterogeneous riverscapes. Further, given the costs or delays in providing engineered fish passage structures or in achieving dam removal, we suggest translocations may provide an alternative conservation strategy in fragmented river systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most early conservation translocations of fish have involved large‐bodied threatened species that were often potential angling targets (Minckley & Deacon, 1991; Lintermans et al, 2015). However, the practice has also been applied to smaller threatened fishes (Minckley & Deacon, 1991; Hammer et al, 2013; Lintermans et al, 2015; Tatár et al, 2016). The continued existence of certain species, such as the Pedder galaxias ( Galaxias pedderensis ) is solely the result of conservation translocations (Chilcott et al, 2013), whereas the conservation status of several Critically Endangered species, such as the red‐finned blue‐eye ( Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis ; Kerezsy & Fensham, 2013) and several other galaxiid species (Koster, 2003; Hardie, Barmuta & White, 2006; Ayres, Nicol & Raadik, 2012) have benefited substantially from translocations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative conservation outcomes from aquatic fauna translocations: Losing and saving the Running River rainbowfish

Moy,

Schaffer,

Hammer

et al. 2023

Aquatic Conservation

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The translocation of species outside their natural range is a threat to aquatic biodiversity globally, especially freshwater fishes, as most are not only susceptible to predation and competition but readily hybridize with congeners. Running River rainbowfish (RRR, Melanotaenia sp.) is a narrow‐ranged, small‐bodied freshwater fish that recently became threatened and was subsequently listed as Critically Endangered, owing to introgressive hybridization and competition following the translocation of a congeneric species, the eastern rainbowfish (Melanotaenia splendida). To conserve RRR, wild fish were taken into captivity, genetically confirmed as pure representatives, and successfully bred. As the threat of introgression with translocated eastern rainbowfish could not be mitigated, a plan was devised to translocate captive raised RRR into unoccupied habitats within their native catchment, upstream of natural barriers. The translocation plan involved careful site selection and habitat assessment, predator training (exposure to predators prior to release), soft release (with a gradual transition from captivity to nature), and post‐release monitoring, and this approach was ultimately successful. Two populations of RRR were established in two previously unoccupied streams above waterfalls with a combined stream length of 18 km. Post‐release monitoring was affected by floods and low sample sizes, but suggested that predation and time of release are important factors to consider in similar conservation recovery programmes for small‐bodied, short‐lived fishes.

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Battle against Extinction: Native Fish Management in the American West

Cited by 6 publications

References 72 publications

Establishment of Bull Trout in a previously fishless subalpine lake by translocation

Establishment of Bull Trout in a previously fishless subalpine lake by translocation

Translocation in a fragmented river provides demographic benefits for imperiled fishes

Alternative conservation outcomes from aquatic fauna translocations: Losing and saving the Running River rainbowfish

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