Habitat establishment, captive breeding and conservation translocation to save threatened populations of the Vulnerable European mudminnowUmbra krameri

Abstract

In Europe 37% of freshwater fish are threatened. However, conservation activity is less widespread for fish compared to other vertebrate groups. The Vulnerable European mudminnow Umbra krameri is a marshland fish endemic to the Carpathian Basin. Its range and population have declined significantly since the 1990s. The main threats to the species are habitat loss and the invasive Chinese sleeper Perccottus glenii. During 2008–2012 a species conservation programme was established to rescue broodstocks from threatened populations, breed them under controlled conditions, translocate both rescued fish and their laboratory-reared offspring to surrogate habitats, and finally reintroduce offspring to their original habitats. Broodstocks from three threatened habitats were bred in the laboratory and produced offspring appropriate for stocking. Six artificial ponds were created in the pilot study area according to the environmental needs of the species, four of which proved to be suitable surrogate habitats in which translocated fish survived and reproduced successfully. Populations in the original habitats were supplemented with fish from laboratory breeding and from the natural recruitment of surrogate habitats, with special care of the corresponding broodstocks. Future challenges include improving our knowledge about the ecological processes in which the European mudminnow participates, identifying the most threatened populations, habitats suitable for restoration and potential areas for creation of surrogate habitats, and enhancing induced propagation methodology.

Ex situ protection of the European mudminnow (Umbra krameri Walbaum, 1792): Spawning substrate preference for larvae rearing under controlled conditions

“…Captive breeding of mudminnow, including spawning and larvae rearing in aquaria, as well as its subsequent reintroduction to alluvial wetlands has been reported since the 1990s (Bohlen, 1995;Kovác, 1995Kovác, , 1997Kovác et al, 1996;Tatár et al, 2010;Müller et al, 2011;Bajomi et al, 2013). In contrast, experimentation on large-scale larvae production under controlled conditions has been very limited (Demény et al, 2014), although developing a propagation technique and mass larvae rearing under controlled conditions for stocking of natural waters is important.…”

Two new populations of the European mudminnow, Umbra krameri (Actinopterygii: Esociformes: Umbridae), in south-western Romania with the first record in the Banat region

“…Moreover, in southern Romania, recent studies failed in identifying this species, even in regions where it was mentioned in the past (Imecs and Nagy 2013), but also in other areas situated within its known distribution range (Năstase and Oțel 2016). In recent years, U. krameri disappeared from many habitats following human interventions, both in Romania (Bănărescu 2005, Wilhelm andArdelean 2009) and Hungary (Tatár et al 2017). Under such circumstances, identifying any new population of this endangered species is very important.…”

Reintroduction and stock enhancement of European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis L.) in Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, Germany

“…Restoration of habitats and removal of invasive species are key strategies to support the viability of existing freshwater fish populations (Cochran-Biedermann et al, 2015). However, the increasing number of eradications of fish species from parts of their historical range led to enhanced use of reintroduction measures for conservation purposes (Armstrong and Seddon, 2008;Tatár et al, 2017). In the case of weatherfish, (Lelek, 1987) also recommended the reintroduction of hatchery-reared individuals to areas with suitable conditions.…”