Imperiled Fish

Projects 

• Allen Dairy Project

  The Allen family’s dairy, Dairy Made Farm in western Marshall County, is a top priority site for conservation work on the upper Duck River. The farm has been an Allen family operation for generations and is now operated by Cannon and John Daniel Allen. It is up- stream and adjacent to a reach of the Duck from Lillards Mill to Venable Spring, one of the most biologically diverse reaches of the entire river system. The opportunity to work with the landowners on this important site arose late in 2007 and it promises to be an exciting and beneficial project for all involved. read more >

• Oconee Habitat Enhancement

  The robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum), a species that had been lost to science for about 150 years, was discovered on the Oconee River in 1991. Wild populations subsequently found in the Savannah River (Georgia/South Carolina) and Pee Dee River (North Carolina) have been augmented by stocking in other areas of Georgia and South Carolina. The species is very particular about the water quality and depth as well as the gravel quality of its spawning sites. To encourage propagation of this native species, the Robust Redhorse Conservation Committee coordinates activities in several southeastern states. The gravel augmentation is expected to benefit invertebrates, including mussels, as well as anadromous species such as striped bass, American shad, and Atlantic sturgeon. read more >

• Oyster Restoration with Artificial Cultch

  Restoration of oysters along southeastern coasts is important for economic and ecological reasons. Oysters enhance water quality. Their reefs buffer wave action adjacent to marshes, and they are harvested and marketed by commercial fishermen. read more >

• Big South Fork Recreation with Habitat Protection

  The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is a focus for major conservation efforts due to the outstanding aquatic features found in the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River. The park is also a favorite location for equestrian riders, cyclists, and hikers. Managing a park for such multiple uses, while conserving biodiversity, is wrought with challenges. read more >

• Habitat Data Collection on Buck Creek

  Restoration of native vegetation, streams, riparian zones and wetlands along Buck Creek and its tributaries is an ongoing project that needs physical habitat data specific to target species of fishes and mussels. The restoration effort is addressing Kentucky’s number one source of impairment — sedimentation and siltation. The overall goal is to tailor existing stream restoration efforts to benefit over 11 species of fish and mussels including sport fish, federally listed endangered species, and sensitive species in Buck Creek. read more >

• Reintroduce Brook Trout

  Brook trout, the only salmonid native to the southeast, have lost about 75% of theirhistoric range due to past logging activitiesand introduction of non-native trout. In 1993,the National Park Service identified 10 streams that can support native southern Appalachian brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The long term goal is to restorehistoric range of habitat for this native species. read more >

• Community Control of ANS

  The Altamaha River Watershed Conservation Action Plan cites invasive species as one of the six highest ranked threats. One of the invasive species thriving in portions of the watershed is the flathead catfish, which cause environmental harm, threaten native species, and can change the recreational value of an area for anglers. read more >

• Restoration of Spawning Site on Ogeechee

  As part of a broader restoration effort, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division has been stocking robust redhorse (Moxostoma robustum), a species thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in Georgia’s Oconee River in the early 1990s. This species did not occur naturally in the Ogeechee River, but study indicated that the aquatic habitat there would probably support the robust redhorse. read more >