Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for July–September 2025
Aquatic Species Surveys to Inform Habitat Suitability For Rare Aquatic Species by Michael Fisk, Eastern Region Coordinator
E astern Region AWD staff have been working with North Carolina State University to conduct mussel, fish, and macroinvertebrate surveys at nine sites in the Tar River basin as part of a long-term water quality monitoring project. Sites have been chosen based on presence or absence of Tar River Spinymussel, Atlantic Pigtoe, Dwarf Wedgemussel, Yellow Lance, Carolina Madtom, and the Neuse River Waterdog. Sites are located in Little Fishing Creek, Little Shocco Creek, Fishing Creek, Swift Creek, and Tar River. The surveys along with the water quality parameters collected will be used to describe each site and determine what biotic and abiotic factors are driving com- munity composition, species presence or absence and abundance. Fish surveys will identify if host fish are pres- ent at each site which are critical for mussel reproduction. From the nine sites surveyed, 6,485 fish were collected, and 51 species of fish were identified. For mussels, 13,776 were collected and 15 species identified. Seven Neuse River Waterdogs were also collected from five sites. The macroinvertebrate collections will be sorted and identified this winter. Moving forward into 2026, 10 additional sites will be surveyed for all three taxa in the Neuse River basin. This study will continue for the next eight years and help determine how these sites change over time along with the animals that inhabit these habitats.
MICHAEL FISK/NCWRC
Amber Olsen holding a Bowfin collected in the Tar River during a fish survey.
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