Current Status and Future Concerns for Fish Communities in the Peace River

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Current Status and Future Concerns for Fish
Communities in the Peace River

• Tom Champeau, FFWCC-DFFM
• Bill Pouder, FFWCC-DFFM
• Jeff Willitzer, FFWCC-DFFM
• Dave Blewett, FFWCC-FWRI
• Phil Stevens, FFWCC-FWRI

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Bartow
Zolfo Springs
Arcadia
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Fish as Indicators of Ecological Integrity

• Sensitive to a wide range of environmental
  variables.
• Long lived species provide time scale effects.
• Can evaluate ecological conditions over a range
  of life history phases.
• Possess economic value and stakeholder interest.

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What environmental factors can fish data evaluate?

• Water quality (Lake Hancock effects)
• Hydrological cycles (baseflow, MFLs)
• Structural habitat (woody debris, snags)
• Extreme events (hurricanes, droughts)
• Impact of invasive exotic fishes
• Seasonal habitat for marine species

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Electrofishing
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Structural Riverine Habitat
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What data exist?

• Historical species richness (T. Fraser)
• Historical GFC data, 1960-75
• Standardized fish sampling, 1984-1992
• Snook migration research, 2004-2006
• Standardized annual fish sampling, 2004-2006
• Long-term monitoring, 2007?

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Relative Fish Abundance and Biomass 1984-1992
Homeland
Wauchula
Gardner
Nocatee
Night data
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Species Richness and Diversity 1984-1992
Homeland
Wauchula
Gardner
Nocatee
Nocatee
Homeland
Wauchula
Gardner
Night data
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Blue Tilapia, Oreochromis aurea
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• Walking catfish, Clarias batrachus  

Photo credit USGS
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• Vermiculated Sailfin Armored Catfish,
  Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus

Orinoco Sailfin Armored Catfish, Pterygoplichthys
multiradiutus
Photo credit USGS
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Since 1992?
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• Brown Hoplo, Hoplosternum littorale

Photo credit USGS
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African jewelfish, Hemichromis letourneuxi  
Photo credit USGS
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H
W
G
N
H
W
G
N
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Overall River Means, 1984 - 2006
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Exotic Fish Contribution
Sailfin Catfish
Tilapia
Sailfin Catfish
1984-1992
2005
2006
Fish abundance in 2005 was dominated by Gambusia
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Seasonal snook distribution
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Peace River MFL Schedule
Southwest Florida Water Management District

• Bartow to Zolfo Springs-2002
• Zolfo Springs to Arcadia-2003
• Arcadia to Charlotte Harbor-2004

Legislative Mandate
Established in 1972, defined as the minimum flow
for a given watercourse shall be the limit at
which further withdrawals would be significantly
harmful to the water resources or ecology of the
area. MFLs are to be calculated using the best
information available.
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SWFWMD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GOALS

• Maintain minimum depths for fish passage and
  canoeing in the upper river
• Maintain depths above inflection points in the
  wetted perimeter of the stream bottom
• Inundate woody habitats in the stream channel
• Meet the hydrologic requirements of floodplain
  biological communities

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How can fish community data help support future
management?

• Exotic impacts
• Snook habitat requirements/preferences
• Horse Creek and Charlie Creek-future mining
• Lake Hancock discharge to support base flow in
  upper river
• Long-term data to evaluate MFL
• Sport fishery recovery
• Provide information about fishery to stakeholders
  and decision-makers

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Importance of Scale Resolution