Technical Report

Investigating the Use of Passive Implantable Transmitter Tags on the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus amarus)

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Remshardt%20and%20Archdeacon_2011_Investigating%20the%20Use%20of%20Passive%20Implantable%20Transmitter%20Tags%20on%20the%20RGSM%20%28Hybognathus%20amarus%29.pdf

Date: 2011/05/15

Author(s): Remshardt W.J., Archdeacon T.P.

Publication: Prepared for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 18 p.

Abstract:

Fragmentation of fluvial habitats is a cause of decline of many species of fishes, particularly pelagic-spawning minnows. The premise of the bypass as a recovery measure is that construction of fish passageways to allow upstream and downstream dispersal may help alleviate some effects of fragmentation caused by barriers on streams. Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus), a federally endangered species, have the physiological capability of long-distance upstream and downstream dispersal and in laboratory trials will use model fish passageways; however, in-stream use of fish passageways has not been documented. To determine if Rio Grande silvery minnow would use in-stream fish passageways, we implanted minnows with passive integrated transponders and a used passive scanning station to document upstream movements >10 km and use of an in-stream rock channel fish passageway on the Rio Grande, Albuquerque, New Mexico. We conclude Rio Grande silvery minnow disperses both upstream and downstream and used appropriately constructed fish passageways. Construction of passageways might help reduce some impacts of habitat fragmentation in the Middle Rio Grande on Rio Grande silvery minnow.