Conservation Target : Sicklefin Redhorse ( Moxostoma ugidatli ) Management Goal: Restore sicklefin redhorse to tribal waters. Biological Conditions Contributed Service
Conservation Strategies
Not detected after introduced. Do not appear to be a stable population in tribal waters, likely due to Ela dam.
Monitoring, Restoration, Research, Lobbying, Outreach
Future Provisioning, Biodiversity
History and Adaptive Process: Recognized as a unique species now, this was known by the Cherokee people for centuries (u- gi-da-tli- ᎤᎩᏓᏟ ). Along the creeks and rivers of Western North Carolina, the Cherokee once used fish weirs to capture and harvest sicklefin redhorse. The fish only became known to the scientific community in 1992. Because of their limited distribution and small densities, they were considered a species of conservation concern by the biological community. As a proactive consolation to the Endangered Species Act listing process, the sicklefin redhorse was placed under a Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) in 2015 between the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Duke Energy Carolinas (LLC), Tennessee Valley Authority, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Sicklefin redhorse fry stocking above Ela Dam was initiated in 2007. Regular adult redhorse boat electro-fishing surveys, including an intensive study with Western Carolina University from 2017-2018, have not resulted in any captures of adult sicklefin redhorse originating from stocking efforts. We continued to stock fry (larval) and young of the year age classes through 2021 whereupon we initiated a genetic study (sampling water) to evaluate the success of our efforts. Multiple efforts were also made to stock and radio- track adult sicklefin redhorse in the upper Oconaluftee watershed. Genetic study and radio- tracking results indicate that downstream dispersal over Ela Dam is preventing the successful re-establishment of this fish in EBCI managed waters.
MANAGEMENT ACTIONS
Current Methodology for Conservation Strategies Inventory: Use environmental DNA (eDNA) and standard boat and backpack shocking surveys to identify sicklefin redhorse. Monitoring: Perform telemetry tracking project of tagged adult sicklefin redhorse. Research: Use of eDNA to determine the efficacy of stocking and test methods for detecting sicklefin at different distances. Use of telemetry to determine the impacts of Ela dam and general movement behavior.
Results and Discussion for Information Transfer and Processing Inventory, Research and Monitoring:
We tested eDNA results from 14 sites from 9/8/21 (pre and post stocking), most were negative for sicklefin presence before stocking. All samples were positive for sicklefin presence immediately following each stocking event. We tested 8 sites from 10/12/22 (pre stocking)- All were negative for sicklefin. Management:
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