Preserves and refuges for native western fishes: history and management

Selected abstracts proposed for development of regional systems of aquatic preserves. -from Authors 927,/10554 Preserves a n d refuges for native western fishes: history a n d m a n a g e m e n t J. E. Williams, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University o f Arizona Press), 1991, pp 171-189, refs pp 415-474. Aquatic communities, including their native fishes, should be identified and protected before it is necessary to invoke legal action under the Endangered Species Act. Emphasis on habitat preservation and enhancement is the key to species salvation: the sooner we identify and set aside areas with high native species richness, the sooner we can claim I>ro.gress toward a viable program of conservation. By revlewmg existing programs, management of presently protected areas can b e improved and formation and management of new preserves and refuges can be optimized. -from Author 92Z/10555 Conservation of Mexican freshwater fishes: some protected sites a n d species, and recent federal legislation S. Contreras Balderas, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (university of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 191-197, refs pp 415-474. Lists and describes some refuges where fishes and aquatic habitats have been preserved in Mexico. The second part announces new legislation in Mexico that deals in part with the conservation of natural systems, providing the first ma.jor recognition in that country of the pressing needs to ameliorate utilitarian uses of land and water by a degree of environmental concern. -from Editors 92Z/10556 Hatcheries for e n d a n g e r e d freshwater fishes J. E. Johnson & B. L. Jensen, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 199-217, refs pp 415-474. Discusses efforts to protect some endangered fishes of western North America by placing representative samples in controlled environments until recovery actions reduce or eliminate threats to their survival. Efforts for western fishes have been under way for several decades, and especially since 1974 at Dexter National Fish Hatchery, New Mexico. The contributions of the Dexter hatchery, acting as a refuge and research center as well as a production facility for reintroducing imperiled native fishes back into nature, have been substantial. It is nonetheless only an interim solution to immediate problems o f species disappearing in nature. -f~om Editors 92Z/10557 Reclamation a n d alteration as m a n a g e m e n t techniques a n d a review of methodology in s t r e a m renovation J . N . Rinne & P. R. Turner, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 219-244, refs pp 415-474. Reviews activities in habitat improvement, alteration, and renovation for preservation a n d c o n s e r v a t i o n of selected native westem fishes, and examines the state of the art in chemical renovation techniques. Procedures axe delineated for future endeavors, to facilitate more effective management of native fishes and prevent further extinctions of ~ i s valuable, already limited, resource. -from Authors 92Z/10558 Conservation a n d m a n a g e m e n t of shortlived fishes: the cyprinodontoids W. L. Minckley, G. K. Meffe & D. L. Soltz, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (university of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 247-282, refs pp 415-474. The authors provide a general review of the biology and management of cyprinodontuids, enumerate the group members and their status, and discuss specific examples of ace.trees and recoveries. The pupfishes and allied families of me western USA and N Mexico have much in common in addition to small sizes and short life cycles. Most live in ces that are marginal, at best, for any kind of fish life cause of severe environmental conditions. Despite their tolerance of extremes o f salinities, temperatures, and other

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physical and chemical factors, a major ]p.mportlon of the 76 taxa known from the desert West ate either extinct (9.2%), threatened or endangered (38.2%), or classed as rate or vulnerable (30.3%). The minority that remains (17 taxa, 22.3%) is either of nnknown Status or deemed secure. Recovery efforts for cyprinodontuid fishes often include reintroductions into new or renovated habitats, either after propagation in a refugium or directly from one place to another. -from Authors 92Z/10559 Transplan.ting short-lived fishes in North American deserts: review, assessment, a n d recommendations D. A. Hendrickson & J. E. Brooks, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 283-298, refs pp 415-474. Summarizes data on transplants and overviews o f selected programs, analyzing the data set to assess overall utility of transplants in achieving progress toward recovery. T h e authors discuss the practical realities of transplantation efforts and make recommendations for the design and execution of future applications. -from Authors 927./10560 M a n a g e m e n t t o w a r d recovery of the r a z o r back sucker W . L . Minckley, P. C. Marsh, J. E. Brooks, J. E. Johnson & B. L. Jensen, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 303-357, refs pp 415-474. Reviews the decline of Xyrauchen texanus through detailed assessment of the historic record. Emergence of concern for the species and development of data on its status and biology are summarized, along with political events that allowed formulation of a recovery strategy. The rationale for selecting propagation and reintroductmn as recovery options is descrihed, and development and implementation of a culture and stocking program are outlined. An interim evaluation of successes and failures is followed by a projection of needs for future actions. -from Authors 92Z/10561 Life history a n d m a n a g e m e n t of four e n d a n g e r e d lacustrine suckers G. G. Scoppettone & G. Vinyard, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 359-377, refs pp 415-474. Many lakesuckers (Catostomidae) survive at least 30 yr, and individuals >40 yr old are not uncommon. Some of these unique western fishes, such as the June sucker Chasmistes liorus of Utah Lake, also seem endangered by predation, although water development that limits access to riverine spawning grounds seems more important for others. Cni-ui C. cujus have only one place to spawn, the lower Truckee River. Pyramid Lake itself is too alkaline for developing eggs to survive. A deltaic barrier formed by declining lake levels prevented access to the river, and recruitment failed for almost 20 yr. Only their long life span allowed cni-ui to persist. This problem was circumvented by developing a fishway by-passing the delta and a management pmtocul that included hatchery production; new year classes have now appeared. Another problem involves intmgressive hybridization between lakesuckers and other native suckers, presumably due to some form of habitat disruption or a scarcity of one species and great abundance o f the other. This process is arready implicated in the disappearance of an original form of June sucker from Utah Lake and is evident in some other species of the group. -from Editors 92Z/I0562 squawfish

Ecology a n d

management

of C o l o r a d o

H. M. Tyus, in: Battle against extinction, ed W.L. Minckley & J.E. Deacon, (University of Arizona Press), 1991, pp 379-402, refs pp 415-474. S mmnarizes current knowledge of the life cycle, status, ana management options for Ptychocheilus lucius. Humaninduced changes, such as dams that interdicted necessary movement routes, and effects of potential non-native competxtors and predators, are d e s c r i e d and interpreted. Population sizes are estimated and compared with the relauve degree of water exploitation in the ]3reen (largest squawf-