Technical Report

Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Augmentation in the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico Annual Report 2014

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Archdeacon_2014_RGSM%20Augmentation%20in%20the%20MRG%2C%20NM%20Annual%20Report%202014.pdf

Date: 2015/01/01

Author(s): Archdeacon T.P.

Publication: Prepared for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 63 p.

Abstract:

This report covers hatchery fish released in autumn 2013, subsequent fish community monitoring and recaptures throughout 2014, and the calculations and releases of hatchery fish in autumn 2014.

In 2014, Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (RGSM) failed to recover from very low 2012 levels and continued to show very low abundance, while the proportion of hatchery fish in the river continued to increase. Rank abundance of RGSM increased slightly compared to 2013.

From December 2013 to November 2014, 1,722 hatchery released RGSM were documented from several combined research projects. This is due in part to continued large numbers of released fish in 2013. The majority of these recaptures were a result of the RGSM salvage program.

Based on September 2014 population monitoring catch rates, 18 of 20 population monitoring sites had < 1.0 RGSM/100m² , triggering the requirement for stocking. Compared to previous years, 20 sites were stocked in 2013, 15 in 2012, 10 in 2011, eight in 2010, one in 2009 and no stocking in 2008. Approximately 268,000 RGSM were stocked in the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, in 2014.

In 2014, monitoring for RGSM and the fish community monitoring on tribal lands in Angostura and Isleta reaches (to supplement data collection from other researchers) resulted in collection of 99 RGSM, of which, only 36 were wild RGSM.

In 2013, the revised augmentation plan for RGSM was implemented. This revised augmentation plan provides a detailed stocking strategy for the Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico between 2013 and 2017.