Scott Morrison and Janet Clayton, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources biologists assist Byron Karns of the National Park Service in assembling mussel propagation cages on the Upper Mississippi River. - FWS photo

Freshwater mussels may be the most endangered of America’s aquatic fauna by many measurements.  When one analyzes loss of habitat, coupled with the drastic reduction in range in many species, population fragmentation, and percent of recognized species currently on state or federal imperiled species lists the outlook for these unique animals looks bleak. 

Given the recognized ecological importance of this class of organisms to functioning aquatic ecosystems, a host of academic, state and federal agencies have been carrying out restoration and recovery efforts to stabilize the downward trend in mussel populations across the country. 

One of the most successful programs to emerge in the past ten years is currently being carried out on the Upper Mississippi River. This project encompasses two federally endangered species, the Higgins-Eye Pearlymussel (Lampsilis higginsii) and the Winged Mapleleaf Mussel (Quadrula fragosa) and is being carried out by a consortium of federal and state agencies. 

This group, collectively known at the Mussel Conservation Team, (MCT) is primarily made up of representatives of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the natural resource agencies of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, as well as U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service, and several universities.  

Through the groups efforts millions of these federally listed species have been introduced into areas within their historic ranges in the Upper Mississippi River system.  Concurrently, methods developed by the MCT have caught the attention of other researchers and management biologists wrestling with restoration and recovery projects for threatened mussel species in different areas of the country. Most recently, state biologists from West Virginia have become interested in replicating some of the techniques and methods being used in the Upper Mississippi to restore multiple species within the Ohio River system. 

During May two biologist from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Mr. Scott Morrison, District Fisheries Manager and Ms. Janet Clayton, Wildlife Biologist traveled to Genoa National Fish Hatchery in southwestern Wisconsin to observe operations being carried out in support of mussel propagation efforts.

The West Virginia pair was able to observe and participate in a wide range of operations including host fish inoculation and distribution and mussel cage culture/harvest. The biologists were able to interview a wide assemblage of cooperators who were present at both the hatchery and in the field and hopefully insights gained will be readily adaptable to programs within the state of West Virginia.

Genoa National Fish Hatchery and the rest of the MCT will continue to provide assistance into the future for the state or any other cooperator interested in enhancing mussel populations through active propagation efforts. For more information about this or other projects at Genoa National Fish Hatchery please feel free to contact Roger Gordon at 608-689-2605, or roger_gordon@fws.gov .