Technical Report

Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Genetics Management and Propagation Plan

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Remshardt%20et%20al_2009_RGSM%20Genetics%20Management%20and%20Propagation%20Plan.pdf

Date: 2009/02/15

Author(s): Remshardt W.J., Turner T.F., Perez T., Ulibarri M., Hines P., Altenbach C., Keeler-Foster C., Osborne M.J., Caldwell C., Parody J.

Publication: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report, 31 p.

Abstract:

The Rio Grande silvery minnow (RGSM), Hybognathus amarus is restricted to a 280 km portion of the Rio Grande (the “middle Rio Grande”) in New Mexico, which represents approximately 7% of the species historic range. Within the middle Rio Grande, multiple factors including habitat loss, water management, and recurring drought continue to threaten this species with extinction. A critical management strategy for alleviating jeopardy and helping to recover RGSM relies on captive rearing and propagation to augment the population in the middle Rio Grande. Additionally, reintroduction sites are under evaluation for restoration activities that will use propagated fish, either from captive spawns or egg salvage, to reintroduce the species to historic habitat such as the Pecos River. The first restoration effort, an experimental nonessential stocking (10J) of RGSM in the Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande was initiated in December 2008. This effort will continue for another 4 years to establish a second self-sustaining population in the Rio Grande