Conservation Fisheries, Inc.

Newsletter

#30 Fall Wrap-up

Looks like cold weather has finally set in here in the Southeast! Our snorkeling days might just about be over for the year. We do have more field work, but hopefully it can be done with most of our bodies above the water line!

We had to do another Barrens topminnow rescue this month! The extended drought had resulted in the type locality spring becoming dangerously low. Pat and crew went over and collected several hundred topminnows in one short seine haul! Pat estimated that this was probably less than 25% of the fish remaining in the spring pond. We were going to try to make other arrangements for some of the remaining fish, but the weather turned, some rain fell and the problem was resolved... for now.

We had to make a similar rescue several years back. That time, the spring did dry up completely. The collected fish were held at the CFI facility over winter. These were returned to the type locality the following spring.

This cycle of springs drying up and recharging the following year is probably not uncommon throughout the history of the Barrens. Topminnows almost certainly have a long history of localized extirpations and recolonizations. Now, however, the range of the topminnow is so fragmented, there are no opportunities for recolonization! Habitat degradation, groundwater overuse and the presence of the mosquitofish have all contributed to the decline of this beautiful fish. At least they appear to have had a few very productive years in the type locality!

Hope everyone has a great holiday season! Best wishes from CFI!

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