A spatial linkage between dams and non-native fish species in Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract –  The native and non-native freshwater fish species richness as well as the proportion of native fish species to overall fish species were examined to test a hypothesis of a spatial linkage between the distributions of dams and non-native fishes based on survey data collected in rivers and streams in Hokkaido, Japan. Non-native fish species have steadily increased in Hokkaido since the mid 1970s, as indicated by the decreasing proportion of native fish species per fish survey. Non-native species richness was significantly higher in areas above dams (i.e., reservoirs and their inlet streams) compared to areas without dams. As a result, the proportion of native fish species was lower above dams. This proportion was lower in developed and agricultural areas compared with forest areas, although both native and non-native species richness were higher in areas with development and agriculture. Non-native cyprinids, catfish and snakehead occurred primarily in a particular river basin with the largest drainage area, the longest history of reclamation and highest human population in the island. Non-native salmonids on the other hand, occurred in forest areas at higher elevations and their occurrence was associated with the existence of dams. There was a spatial linkage between the distribution of dams and non-native species, although it was applicable only to salmonids. The management of dams and reservoirs needs a strategy to prevent further expansion of exotic salmonids such as rainbow and brown trout. These species can be a significant threat to native Japanese salmonids as a result of various biological mechanisms.     

Seasonal movements of non‐native lake trout in a connected lake and river system

Abstract Non‐native lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), threaten native salmonid populations in the western United States. Effective management of lake trout requires understanding movements within connected lake and river systems. This study determined the seasonal movements of subadult lake trout in the Flathead River upstream of Flathead Lake, Montana, USA using radio telemetry. The spatiotemporal distribution of lake trout in the river was related to water temperature. Lake trout were detected in the river primarily during autumn, winter and spring, when water temperatures were cool. By contrast, fewer were detected when temperatures were warmest during summer and during high spring flows. Downriver movements to Flathead Lake occurred throughout autumn and winter when water temperature decreased below 5 °C, and in late spring as water temperature rose towards 15 °C and river discharge declined following spring runoff. Upriver movements occurred primarily in October, which coincided with migrations of prey fishes. These results suggest that lake trout are capable of moving throughout connected river and lake systems (up to 230 km) and that warm water temperatures function as an impediment to occupancy of the river during summer. Controlling source populations and maintaining natural water temperatures may be effective management strategies for reducing the spread of non‐native lake trout.     

Complex influences of low-head dams and artificial wetlands on fishes in a Colorado River tributary system

Abstract  Low-head dams in arid regions restrict fish movement and create novel habitats that have complex effects on fish assemblages. The influence of low-head dams and artificial wetlands on fishes in Muddy Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River system in the USA was examined. Upstream, fish assemblages were dominated by native species including two species of conservation concern, bluehead sucker, Catostomus discobolus Cope, and roundtail chub, Gila robusta Baird and Girard. The artificial wetlands contained almost exclusively non-native fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, and white sucker, Catostomus commersonii (Lacepède). Downstream, fish assemblages were dominated by non-native species. Upstream spawning migrations by non-native white suckers were blocked by dams associated with the wetlands. However, the wetlands do not provide habitat for native fishes and likely inhibit fish movement. The wetlands appear to be a source habitat for non-native fishes and a sink habitat for native fishes. Two non-native species, sand shiner, Notropis stramineus (Cope), and redside shiner, Richardsonius balteatus (Richardson), were present only downstream of the wetlands, suggesting a beneficial role of the wetlands in preventing upstream colonisation by non-native fishes.     

Unintended consequences and trade‐offs of fish passage

We synthesized evidence for unintended consequences and trade‐offs associated with the passage of fishes. Provisioning of fish passageways at dams and dam removals are being carried out increasingly as resource managers seek ways to reduce fragmentation of migratory fish populations and restore biodiversity and nature‐like ecosystem services in tributaries altered by dams. The benefits of provisioning upstream passage are highlighted widely. Possible unwanted consequences and trade‐offs of upstream passage are coming to light, but remain poorly examined and underappreciated. Unintended consequences arise when passage of native and desirable introduced fishes is delayed, undone (fallback), results in patterns of movement and habitat use that reduce Darwinian fitness (e.g. ecological traps), or is highly selective taxonomically and numerically. Trade‐offs arise when passage decisions intended to benefit native species interfere with management decisions intended to control the unwanted spread of non‐native fishes and aquatic invertebrates, or genes, diseases and contaminants carried by hatchery and wild fishes. These consequences and trade‐offs will vary in importance from system to system and can result in large economic and environmental costs. For some river systems, decisions about how to manage fish passage involve substantial risks and could benefit from use of a formal, structured process that allows transparent, objective and, where possible, quantitative evaluation of these risks. Such a process can also facilitate the design of an adaptive framework that provides valuable insights into future decisions.     

To sea or not to sea? Multiple lines of evidence reveal the contribution of non‐diadromous recruitment for supporting endemic fish populations within New Zealand's longest river

1. Otolith microchemistry was used to identify marine‐ versus freshwater‐derived recruitment of three native freshwater fish species belonging to the southern hemisphere family Galaxiidae, in New Zealand's longest river system, the Waikato River.
2. Water chemistry data for trace elements and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratios were collected from five lentic and 10 lotic water bodies throughout the lower river floodplain. Potential spawning sites for galaxiids were compared with values obtained by laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA‐ICPMS) depth profiling of young‐of‐the‐year otoliths sampled from fish in nine lower river catchment sites.
3. Otolith chemical signatures from the larval rearing period indicated that catchment‐scale recruitment for two species, Galaxias argenteus (Gmelin, 1789) and Galaxias fasciatus Gray, 1842, was driven predominantly by non‐diadromous recruitment from one lake (Lake Waahi). In contrast, diadromous recruitment appeared to be more common for Galaxias maculatus (Jenyns, 1842); however, non‐diadromous specimens were also identified for the first time from a New Zealand river.
4. Reversing lake outlet flows linked to river stage appears be important in facilitating the dispersal of rheotactic larvae out of lakes, suggesting that lake outflow management at key times could be used to sustain this ecologically important function.
5. This study highlights that some water bodies can supply a disproportionately large number of recruits to support fish populations within the wider riverscape. Identifying these water bodies and managing them to sustain recruitment is key to the conservation of non‐diadromous Galaxiidae in this modified lowland environment

     

Using flow guilds of freshwater fish in an adaptive management framework to simplify environmental flow delivery for semi‐arid riverine systems

Freshwater rivers have been substantially altered by development and flow regulation. Altered hydrological regimes have affected a range of biota, but impacts are often most obvious on freshwater fish. Flow largely influences the range of physical habitat available to fish at various life history stages. Biological rhythms are therefore often linked to flow and optimized so that opportunities for spawning, growth and dispersal are synchronized. Assuming that flow therefore becomes the main factor which structures freshwater fish communities, the use of species specific biological information should be able to inform adaptive flow delivery strategies from the river reach to catchment scale. A test of this assertion was performed as a case study of native fish within the Edward‐Wakool River system (New South Wales, Australia). Fish within the system were assigned to one of four groups based on biological similarity. Aspects of reproductive and movement ecology were then reviewed to generate optimal flow release strategies for each group. Life expectancy and hydrological constraints were then investigated and used to develop a possible 10‐year flow delivery program that could generate ecological outcomes within a strategic adaptive management framework that considered potential impacts on third parties. The approach could be used to develop flow characteristics to benefit biota in any watercourse provided enough data are available to link potential outcomes with flow delivery.     

Gillnet fishing drives lake‐migrating brown trout to near extinction in the Lake Päijänne region,Finland

Abstract Wild stocks of brown trout, Salmo trutta L., collapsed in Finnish inland waters during the 20th Century because dams prevented upstream migration, and low water quality and stream dredging weakened reproduction. The demise in migratory stocks was coupled with overfishing, mainly by gillnetting on lakes. Consequently, the migratory spawning stocks have diminished to negligible levels. The remaining stocks exhibit restricted immigration and emigration, are supplemented by continuous stocking, and their natural genetic diversity is affected by human activities. In recent years, various recovery actions have been implemented including stream channel restorations, fish passage facilities constructed and stocking of eggs and smolts. Gillnetting has also been regulated by banning certain mesh sizes, and catch‐and‐release of wild trout is spreading amongst sport fishers. However, these measures seem to be inadequate and almost no recovery of migratory populations has been reported. The problem of by‐catch in intensive gillnetting continues to threaten stocks and creates disputes between stakeholders.     

Non‐salmonids in a salmonid fishway: what do 50 years of data tell us about past and future fish passage?

Abstract  Salmonid fishways have been used in many countries for non-salmonid fishes, including Australia, but generally with poor results. Trapping the entrance and exit of a 1:9 gradient salmonid fishway on the Murray River confirmed very poor passage of native fish, with <1% of the most abundant species ascending. Fifty years of fish passage monitoring showed the numbers of three native species declining by 95–100% and non-native fish becoming dominant. Fishways are now being designed for native fish and being quantitatively assessed, but daily flow management also needs to be addressed. The ecological model for passage of potamodromous fishes has changed from passing adults of a few species to one that incorporates the whole fish community, specifically: immature fish of large-bodied species that dominate numbers migrating upstream; a diverse range of movement strategies; and small-bodied species, crustaceans and low numbers of less-mobile species.     

Checking the pulse of the major commercial fisheries of lake Victoria Kenya,for sustainable management

The present study demonstrates the declining state of the major commercial fisheries of Lake Victoria, Kenya, a situation threatening sustainability of the lake's fishery. Data in the present study were derived from resource monitoring programmes that included hydro‐acoustics (2009–2018), trawl net fishing (2011–2018), frame surveys (2000–2016) and catch assessment surveys (2000–2015). The activities provided information on fish stocks and supported advice for fisheries management. The average fish stock densities for Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya of 8.92, 8.25 and 8.19 t/km², respectively, were relatively similar. Diplomatic and sustainable efforts for harmony in fish harvesting among the fishers of the riparian countries are encouraged given the interdependence of the lake. The Kenyan and River Kagera regions had a higher proportion (≈ 4% each) of big‐sized Nile perch (≥50 cm total length) in 2018, signifying the critical breeding areas for Nile perch. To sustain the fishery, there is need to enforce a 36%–44% effort reduction for all the major fisheries, and enforcement of gear limits to avoid harvesting of immature fish and destruction of the lake ecosystem.     

The future of fish passage science,engineering, and practice

Much effort has been devoted to developing, constructing and refining fish passage facilities to enable target species to pass barriers on fluvial systems, and yet, fishway science, engineering and practice remain imperfect. In this review, 17 experts from different fish passage research fields (i.e., biology, ecology, physiology, ecohydraulics, engineering) and from different continents (i.e., North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia) identified knowledge gaps and provided a roadmap for research priorities and technical developments. Once dominated by an engineering‐focused approach, fishway science today involves a wide range of disciplines from fish behaviour to socioeconomics to complex modelling of passage prioritization options in river networks. River barrier impacts on fish migration and dispersal are currently better understood than historically, but basic ecological knowledge underpinning the need for effective fish passage in many regions of the world, including in biodiversity hotspots (e.g., equatorial Africa, South‐East Asia), remains largely unknown. Designing efficient fishways, with minimal passage delay and post‐passage impacts, requires adaptive management and continued innovation. While the use of fishways in river restoration demands a transition towards fish passage at the community scale, advances in selective fishways are also needed to manage invasive fish colonization. Because of the erroneous view in some literature and communities of practice that fish passage is largely a proven technology, improved international collaboration, information sharing, method standardization and multidisciplinary training are needed. Further development of regional expertise is needed in South America, Asia and Africa where hydropower dams are currently being planned and constructed.     

Fish nursery habitat function of the main channel,floodplain tributaries and oxbow lakes of a medium‐sized river

Small, adventitious tributaries (<3 orders of magnitude smaller than the stream it flows into) are a conspicuous feature of many river–floodplain systems, but their value as fish reproduction and nursery habitat is not well understood compared to oxbow lakes and the main river channel (MRC). Moreover, connectivity of tributaries to the MRC is often less impacted by anthropogenic modifications (e.g., dams and levees) compared to oxbow lakes. From April to July 2012, larval and juvenile fish were collected in the Fourche LaFave River (Arkansas, USA) system to better understand fish nursery habitat function of tributaries relative to oxbow lakes and the MRC. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination of juvenile and larval fish genera revealed distinct fish assemblages in MRC and floodplain habitats. Ordination of juvenile fish at the species level resulted in distinct fish assemblages in tributary versus oxbow lake habitats. Tributaries had more unique species and higher abundance of shared species than oxbow lakes and MRC. Additionally, of the 46 species identified, all but six were collected in lower tributary reaches. Connectivity was strongly associated with both ordinations and was important in describing patterns of fish variation among habitats and between tributaries. Of the tributaries sampled, the least fragmented stream had the most similar fish assemblages between upper and lower sections. Findings of this study revealed tributaries are an important, yet overlooked, feature in the river–floodplain model. Especially in years of drought, channel–floodplain connectivity can be limited, but tributaries can be used by fishes for reproduction and nursery habitat.     

Potential impact of groundwater augmentation of river flows on fisheries: a case study from the River Ouse, Yorkshire, UK

Many lowland rivers in the UK are under increasing pressure from abstraction of water for potable supply or irrigation. Many schemes, both existing and proposed, attempt to mitigate the loss of flow by augmentation from upstream reservoirs or pumping of groundwater into adjacent rivers. The impact of flow regulation by reservoirs is well documented, but little attention has focused on the effect of groundwater augmentation on the biota, particularly fisheries, in the receiving river. The present paper examines the potential effects of pumping groundwater into minor tributaries of the Yorkshire Ouse in England on the cyprinid fisheries downstream of the discharge points and in the main river channel. Concerns were raised with respect to poor water quality and reduced water temperature. In particular, it was predicted that small reductions in river water temperature brought about by discharge of cold (≤ 10 °C) groundwater could have serious detrimental effects on cyprinid fish recruitment and juvenile growth in the receiving river, leading to a decline in stocks.     

A survey of the Fish Fauna of Sudanese Irrigation Systems with Reference to the Use of Fishes in the Management of Ecological Problems (the Control of Aquatic Weeds, Malaria and Infective Schistosomiasis)

This paper reports on a fundamental study of the fish fauna already present within the irrigation canals. The fauna was investigated with a view to determining its use in the control of nuisance biota. Twenty-seven species of fish were collected, comprising 22 genera and 12 families. This fauna is closely allied to the fauna of the source water, the Blue Nile. Several Blue Nile species are absent and some of those collected are new recordings for the area. Each species of fish collected had neither a suitable feeding habit nor a wide enough distribution to have any significant effect on the levels of nuisance biota. This includes the mosquito fish. Gambusia affinis, which was specifically introduced for mosquito control. Improvement in the ecological conditions within the canals involves both the management of the already-existing fish stocks and the introduction and management of additional species. A reduction in the levels of aquatic weeds using phytophagous fishes should be a high priority with malacopliagous and larvivorous species also being introduced and their stocks managed. Species suitable for introduction, which are generally endemic to the Nile system, are suggested. The fish species diversity falls as the canals become smaller and the water within them subject to much greater variations in flow and quality. The lowest order canals (field canals) are probably unsuitable for permanent fish stocks. The nuisance biota within field canals can be controlled by simple improvements in crop-watering procedures. The widely distributed and diverse fauna found within minor canals suggests that problems due to fish-kills brought about by heavy pesticide and herbicide usage are not so severe as previously thought. The management of the ecological problems is a complex task due to the interrelationships of many factors.     

A 'Before and After' Study of the Effects of Land Drainage Works on Fish Stocks in the Upper Reaches of a Lowland River

Fish stocks at a site in the upstream reaches of the River Soar, a lowland river in Leicestershire, showed a marked alteration following river channel works associated with a land drainage improvement scheme. The density and standing crop of all ‘large-sized’ fish species present showed reductions of 15–100% between a 6-month pre-drainage period and a 3-month post-drainage period. The density and standing crop of the total population were reduced from means of 0.160 fish m^?2 and 39.0 g m^?2 during the pre-drainage period to means of 0.048 fish m^?2 and 9.6 g m^?2 during the post-drainage period, reductions of 70% and 76%, respectively. It is suggested that modifications to physical features of fish habitat, particularly the elimination of in stream cover, were largely responsible for the decreased fish abundance.     

Large reservoirs as ecological barriers to downstream movements of Neotropical migratory fish

Most large rivers in South America are fragmented by large dams, and a common management strategy to mitigate impacts has been construction of fish passes. Recent studies, however, indicate that downstream passage of adults and young fish is nil or minimal. Better understanding of this phenomenon is needed if fishways are to provide any tangible conservation value in South America. We propose, in this article, that large reservoirs impose a different kind of barrier to migrating fish: impoundments create a diffuse gradient of hydraulic/limnological conditions that affects fish behaviour and functions as an extensive environmental filter that discourages downstream movements. To develop this idea, we characterize the barriers created by dams and reservoirs by describing their distinct nature, the effects on fish migration and potential solutions. We show, for example, that dams generally prevent upstream movements, whereas reservoirs impede mainly downstream movements. In this context, we explain how fish passes, in some instances, can partially mitigate fragmentation caused by dams, but there is no technical solution to solve the barrier effect of reservoirs. In addition, we present a body of empirical evidence that supports the theory that large reservoirs are important barriers to fish migration in South America, we offer an overview of the size of reservoirs to show that impoundments typically have large dimensions, and we discuss the significance of this theory for other regions. Based on current and proposed river regulation scenarios, we conclude that conservation of Neotropical migratory fish will be much more complicated than previously believed.     

Vulnerability of the biota in riverine and seasonally flooded habitats to damming of Amazonian rivers

1. The extent and intensity of impacts of multiple new dams in the Amazon basin on specific biological groups are potentially large, but still uncertain and need to be better understood.
2. It is known that river disruption and regulation by dams may affect sediment supplies, river channel migration, floodplain dynamics, and, as a major adverse consequence, are likely to decrease or even suppress ecological connectivity among populations of aquatic organisms and organisms dependent upon seasonally flooded environments.
3. This article complements our previous results by assessing the relationships between dams, our Dam Environmental Vulnerability Index (DEVI), and the biotic environments threatened by the effects of dams. Because of the cartographic representation of DEVI, it is a useful tool to compare the potential hydrophysical impacts of proposed dams in the Amazon basin with the spatial distribution of biological diversity. As the impact of Amazonian dams on the biota of both rivers and periodically flooded riparian environments is severe, DEVIs from different Amazonian tributary basins are contrasted with patterns of diversity and distribution of fish, flooded forest trees and bird species.
4. There is a consistent relationship between higher DEVI values and the patterns of higher species richness and endemism in all three biological groups. An assessment of vulnerability at the scale of tributary basins, the assessment of biodiversity patterns related to DEVI, and the analysis of teleconnections at basin scale, demonstrate that recent construction of dams is affecting the biota of the Amazon basin.
5. The evidence presented here predicts that, if currently planned dams are built without considering the balance between energy production and environmental conservation, their cumulative effects will increase drastically and represent a major threat to Amazonian biodiversity.

     

Time trends in angler compliance with harvest regulations in stream fisheries

Abstract  Harvest regulations in stream fisheries are used to improve fisheries and protect vulnerable fish stocks, but objectives are often not fulfilled. Roving interviews of grayling, Thymallus thymallus L., and brown trout, Salmo trutta L., anglers in north Swedish streams were performed during a 15-year-period to reveal the effects of regulation changes and levels of compliance. Harvest of fish below minimum size limits declined with time in river sections with 25- and 30-cm minimum size limits. No clear time trend was found for the 35-cm size limit. In addition, the proportion of voluntary released legal-sized fish increased over time, indicating a change in angler attitudes. The overall effect of increasing the minimum size limit was lowering of angler-induced fishing mortality. Interview data revealed perception, shared by many anglers, of an acceptable fish size to take home for food. From a management perspective, the realised effect of angler behaviour on the fish populations needs to be considered.     

Small dams need consideration in riverscape conservation assessments

1. Small, off‐channel dams are generally ignored in impact assessments owing to limited information and spatial resolution issues. Previous research on South African rivers showed correlative links between high density of small dams and associated reductions in low flows, poorer water quality, and impoverished aquatic macroinvertebrate communities that were dominated by opportunistic taxa instead of specialist groups.
2. Since small dams are usually associated with catchment transformation (for example, vineyards, stock farming and exotic timber plantations), they are convenient surrogates of the impacts of catchment transformation on river functionality. Here, an index of cumulative small dams for South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland is presented and evaluated.
3. Fifty‐two per cent of the water management catchments in the study region exceeded the threshold for the cumulative small dams density (SDD) index above which river functionality is compromised. This estimate of potentially affected catchments is considered to be conservative for reasons discussed.
4. The index results are compared with a recent systematic biodiversity planning exercise for setting biodiversity targets for freshwater areas of South Africa. Although the systematic planning included in‐stream small dams within 50 m of a river, analysis showed that 36% of all quaternaries that have high SDD score overlap with river reaches classified as ‘natural’ or ‘largely natural’.
5. Disregarding dams outside the 50 m buffer area equates to ignoring the majority of small dams (94%) in South Africa, and it is recommended that aquatic conservation assessments include the SDD index as a cost layer for prioritizing rivers for rehabilitation and conservation.

     

Impact of river regulation and hydropeaking on the growth,condition and field metabolism of Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)

Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is an important fish species in Ontario, Canada, supporting recreational fisheries that contribute significantly to local economies. Hydroelectric dams disrupt the river continuum, altering downstream conditions and impacting riverine fish populations. Specifically, Brook Trout activity has been found to increase during hydropeaking periods, when dam operators rapidly increase river discharge to meet electricity demands. Higher energetic outputs driven by hydropeaking may decrease the energy available to allocate towards fish growth and condition, negatively impacting Brook Trout. We investigated the impact of two different hydropeaking regimes on resident Brook Trout populations downstream from a 15‐MW dam used for hydropeaking, compared to a population in a nearby naturally flowing river. Length‐at‐age as determined by otolith back‐calculations was higher in the regulated river relative to the naturally flowing river. Muscle tissue caloric content and weight–length relationships did not differ between rivers. Field metabolism, as inferred from fish otolith δ¹³C values, was higher in the regulated river relative to the naturally flowing river and was significantly positively related to time spent hydropeaking. Higher metabolic outputs in the regulated river were likely offset by an increased food supply, allowing for higher Brook Trout length‐at‐age. The opposing and complicated impacts of river regulation on Brook Trout highlight the need for studies to consider multiple indicators of fish health when characterising the response of fish populations to river regulation.