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Listing fish for T&E status


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#1 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 26 March 2011 - 09:45 PM

I'm sure there is no 'short' answer but I saw that the KY Arrow Darter was listed as a candidate for status with the USF&W on Nov 2010. There is a bit of info about this fish out there, surfing the web and NatureServe. My question is, would a listing for this cover the Cumberland Arrow Darter also? There is almost zero info on the Cumberland Arrow and it's status. What does it take for this to get a listed status? How often is the list updated?

I have a soft spot for Eastern KY. The KY & Cumberland have the same habitat and face the same challenges. I feel they should have the same protection. I know CFI is currently doing some awesome work with the KY Arrow, but I'm not sure about the Cumberland. Eastern KY also holds the Blackside Dace, which are facing most of the same challenges.

Also, what can an 'average' person, like me, do to help efforts to conserve these fish?

#2 Guest_exasperatus2002_*

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 08:10 AM

I'm sure there is no 'short' answer but I saw that the KY Arrow Darter was listed as a candidate for status with the USF&W on Nov 2010. There is a bit of info about this fish out there, surfing the web and NatureServe. My question is, would a listing for this cover the Cumberland Arrow Darter also? There is almost zero info on the Cumberland Arrow and it's status. What does it take for this to get a listed status? How often is the list updated?

I have a soft spot for Eastern KY. The KY & Cumberland have the same habitat and face the same challenges. I feel they should have the same protection. I know CFI is currently doing some awesome work with the KY Arrow, but I'm not sure about the Cumberland. Eastern KY also holds the Blackside Dace, which are facing most of the same challenges.

Also, what can an 'average' person, like me, do to help efforts to conserve these fish?


From my understanding, the Kentucky arrow darter (Etheostoma sagitta sagitta) & the Cumberland arrow darter (Etheostoma sagitta spilotum) are distinct populations (hence the trinomial listing). I believe only the kentucky arrow is up for protection.

#3 Guest_farmertodd_*

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 11:59 AM

Also, what can an 'average' person, like me, do to help efforts to conserve these fish?


Put together talks for local nature organizations and organize trips that take kids to streams with faunas that aren't in as much trouble so they can relate their experiences there to these other more imperiled organisms. All those throughbred darters in your back yard would be a great place to get them started!

And most of all... Don't be intimidated to tell people about what you know. You know far more than they do, and that's all you need. Awareness that "something" lives down there is most monumental hurdle.

Todd

#4 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 12:21 PM

+1 to Todd's advice. Public awareness -->> concern -->> support for habitat protection.
Setting up native non-game fish tanks at schools, libraries, stores, malls, etc might help too.

#5 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 01:15 PM

Thank you guys for responding. I was beginning to think nobody wanted to respond to a post I made.

Let me ask this. Let's assume this fish gets a Fed. listing. What does that change? Will there be more rules/regs to help protect the fish? Also, why doesn't the state of KY add this to their list, or is it more complicated than that?

I would really like to do something to help these fish. Like I said, there's a special place in my heart for Eastern KY and its fish. I do currently volunteer for the KY River watershed watch, but all we do is take water samples 3 times a year and take them to a lab.

#6 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 03:54 PM

I would really like to do something to help these fish. Like I said, there's a special place in my heart for Eastern KY and its fish. I do currently volunteer for the KY River watershed watch, but all we do is take water samples 3 times a year and take them to a lab.


I think this is a niche that we as NANFA are uniquely qualified to fill... I mean who else has snorkelled with these fish, observed them in the wild, and seen the natural beauty of the underwater stream-scape? And who else is more energized about these fish. We should be out there developing this awareness... tanks in classrooms... helping at universities... stream cleanups... all of these should be part of our profile.

And don't minimize your efforts in volunteering for a watershed group... that is ground floor involvement... and engagement is second only to data... so gathering data is very important...nothing is valid without good data.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#7 Guest_EricaWieser_*

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Posted 28 March 2011 - 04:50 PM

You could update the wikipedia and fishbase pages for the native fish species you want to help. I've been trying to spread knowledge about Elassoma gilberti recently by making pages on those websites and by having a youtube account, and it's surprising how many people have learned from me. You know you have them hooked and willing to hear more the moment they say, "Oooh, pretty."



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