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Aquatics
Aquatic Resources Update - Andy Currie (USFWS) Dale Hollow and Wolf Creek NFH’s are working with the Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (Unit) to transfer mussel propagation/culture technology from the Unit to the National Fish Hatchery System. The project is funded for one year with U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Olmsted Lock and Dam mitigation monies which are being administered through the CFO. Both hatcheries are propagating and culturing the wavy-rayed lampmussel (Lampsilis fasciola) which is a surrogate for the federally endangered Cumberland bean (Villosa trabalis). Propagating these mussels has proven to be fairly easy while culturing them has not. Feeding juvenile mussels of this particular species with cultured algae is not working. Other approaches must be investigated in order to supply these animals with species specific nutritional requirements. These exact requirements are, for the most part, unknown. The hatcheries are partnering with Conservation Fisheries Incorporated (CFI) to culture imperiled fishes. Fish will be transferred from CFI to Dale Hollow and Wolf Creek NFH’s where they will be grown out in closed, re-circulation systems and hopefully be released into the wild at a latter date. Re-introductions will depend on wether or not the Service approves pending experimental population proposals which have been submitted by Dick Biggins (AFO)(ret.). Species being considered for culture at the hatcheries include spotfin chub, Barrens topminnow, boulder darter, and relict darter. Area II Fisheries Supervisor Rick Nehrling is planning a meeting with CFI, Tennessee Aquarium, TWRA, and Tennessee Aquatic Resource Institute to develop propagation/culture protocols that everyone is comfortable with. Hatchery personnel have also been assisting CFI with population assessments of the northern madtom and boulder darter. Dick Biggins updated the Team on some ongoing projects. (1) CFI has looked at Shoal Creek for potential spotfin chub habitat. There is some good looking habitat in Shoal Creek. Perhaps even better than there is in the Elk River. (2) The experimental population rules for Wilson Dam will be published soon. The rules for all of the experimental populations had to be rewritten. (3) CFI is successfully propagating and culturing spotfin chubs and boulder darters. Experimental population designations have been approved and we will be re-introducing spotfin chubs into Shoal Creek in May, 2005. (4) Some of the work that is being done on imperiled snails has been complicated by the fact that some of the snails look the same but are different on a molecular basis.
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