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Genoa National Fish Hatchery Mussel Team Conducts Fish Creek Survey
Midwest Region, August 30, 2004
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Biologists from Genoa National Fish Hatchery conducted extensive qualitative surveys of more than 24 miles of the Fish Creek watershed in Northeastern Indiana and Northwestern Ohio during July and August 2004. Fish Creek has long been recognized as the most pristine of the Maumee River watershed tributaries and perhaps the last place on earth that the federally endangered White Cat's Paw pearly mussel (Epioblasma obliquata perobliqua) may be found. The stream also is home to the federally endangered Clubshell mussel (Pleurobema clava), and is representative of some of the most endangered stream habitats in the Midwest. Biologists, researchers, and environmentalists have been studying the Fish Creek watershed since 1993 when the stream experienced a large, (>30,000 gallons) diesel oil spill in a local carrier pipeline adjacent to the stream. Monies awarded in a subsequent Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), descision have funded this and other assessment projects, within the watershed, which have shown large impacts to the mussel community as a result of the spill and other factors. Genoa NFH partnered with the Bloomington Ecological Field Office and the Fish Creek Watershed Council to conduct this year's assessment to update the current status of mussels in the watershed and to identify sites for further quantitative surveys to be proposed during FY 2005. Results of 64 survey areas yielded over 1,760 mussels including three federally endangered Clubshell mussels. Future projects for this endangered system may include extensive propagation efforts for state and federally listed species of mussels in Fish Creek in order to recover populations driven to near extirpation. For more information on this or other mussel recovery or restoration projects within Region 3 contact Roger Gordon or Tony Brady at the Genoa National Fish Hatchery 608-689-2605. E-mail: roger_gordon@fws.gov or visit the stations website at: http://midwest.fws.gov/Genoa/

Contact Info: Midwest Region Public Affairs, 612-713-5313, charles_traxler@fws.gov



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