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Note: Session titles beginning with an asterisk (*) have student presenters.
AUTHORS: Rachael A. Hoch, Stephen J. Fraley, Tyler R. Black, William T. Russ – North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
ABSTRACT: Recent improvements to water quality, instream habitats, and flow regimes in North Carolina streams have provided opportunities for reintroductions and augmentations of rare freshwater mussels. Since 2008, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has devoted resources to captive propagation of rare aquatic species with the development of a propagation facility. The Marion Conservation Aquaculture Center (MCAC) in Marion N.C., was established through partnerships with N.C. State University and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since 2008, the MCAC has held 18 species of freshwater mussels for conservation and research. Ten different species have been produced and over 80,000 mussels have been stocked into thirteen streams across six river basins. Notable releases of three federally endangered species include ~16,000 Alasmidonta raveneliana into the Cheoah River in Graham County and the Cane River, Yancey County N.C., ~9,000 Parvaspina steinstansana into Little Fishing and Fishing creeks in Halifax County, N.C., and 690 Lasmigona decorata into Goose, Duck, and Waxhaw creeks in Union County, N.C. An additional ~54,000 mussels of seven state priority species have been propagated and stocked into North Carolina waters to aid ongoing restoration efforts. Using various propagation techniques and systems, the MCAC has successfully worked towards the programmatic goal of keeping common animals common, precluding the need to list, promoting delisting, and preventing the extinction of aquatic species. Future work at the MCAC will address genetic diversity, survivorship, growth, and tagging as well as expanding the program into a newly constructed hatchery building.
Wednesday November 1, 2017 9:00am - 9:20am EDT
Breathitt