Killifish Recovery Plan)

Recovery Plan for the killifishes of Bermuda (Fundulus bermudae & Fundulus relictus) Government of Bermuda Ministry of Home Affairs Department of Environment and Natural Resources Recovery Plan for the killifishes of Bermuda (Fundulus bermudae & Fundulus relictus) Prepared in Accordance with the Bermuda Protected Species Act 2003 Author This plan was prepared by: Mark Outerbridge Ph.D. Senior Biodiversity Officer Department of Environment and Natural Resources Ecology Section 17 North Shore Road, Hamilton FL 04 Bermuda Contact email: [email protected] Cover photo: male and female Fundulus relictus in Bartram’s Pond Photo credit: Philippe Rouja The aerial photographs in the appendix came from the Bermuda Planning Map Viewer https://bdagov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=bc5f33868b724838a4e9c875c 24d836f All other photographs in this plan were taken by Mark Outerbridge Maps were created by Mark Outerbridge except where stated otherwise Published by Government of Bermuda Ministry of Home Affairs Department of Environment and Natural Resources “To conserve and restore Bermuda’s natural heritage” CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................................ 4 DISCLAIMER ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................... 7 PART I: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 9 A. Brief Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Update on conservation actions listed under the 2011 Recovery Plan ................................... 9 B. Taxonomy and description of species................................................................................................. 12 C. Current Status ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Global Distribution ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Local Distribution ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Species Protection ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Habitat Protection ....................................................................................................................................... 15 D. Ecology ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Habitat Requirements ............................................................................................................................... 15 Physical Factors ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Biological Factors ........................................................................................................................................ 16 General Biology ............................................................................................................................................ 16 Reproduction ................................................................................................................................................ 18 Life Cycle ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 E. Current Threats ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Habitat Loss ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Pollution .......................................................................................................................................................... 20 Predation ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Collection for aquaria ................................................................................................................................ 20 F. Current Conservation Actions ................................................................................................................ 21 Translocations .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Resolution of genetic identity ................................................................................................................ 22 Wetland Restoration .................................................................................................................................. 22 Prohibition on importing killifishes in the Fundulus heteroclitus-grandis complex ........ 22 PART II: RECOVERY .............................................................................................................................................. 23 A. Recovery goal ................................................................................................................................................ 23 B. Recovery objectives and criteria ........................................................................................................... 23 C. Recovery strategy ........................................................................................................................................ 24 D. Tools available for strategy ..................................................................................................................... 25 E. Step-down narrative of work plan ....................................................................................................... 26 F. Estimated Date of down listing .............................................................................................................. 28 PART III: IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................................................................... 29 BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................................................... 30 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................................. 35 3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Mature male Fundulus bermudae .................................................................................. 13 Figure 2. Mature female Fundulus bermudae ............................................................................... 13 Figure 3. Mature male Fundulus relictus ...................................................................................... 13 Figure 4. Mature female Fundulus relictus ................................................................................... 13 Figure 5. Map showing the 2017 distribution of Bermuda’s endemic killifishes ......................... 14 Figure 6. Bermuda killifish eggs on the prop roots of red mangroves. ......................................... 18 Figure 7. Schematic diagram of proposed future killifish translocations ...................................... 25 Figure 8. Map showing the locations of various ponds across Bermuda ...................................... 35 Figure 9. 2012 aerial photograph of Lover’s Lake ........................................................................ 38 Figure 10. Bathymetry map for Lover’s Lake ............................................................................... 38 Figure 11. 2012 aerial photograph of Bartram’s Pond and map of bathymetry ............................ 39 Figure 12. 2012 aerial photograph of the Cooper’s Island Pond ................................................... 40 Figure 13. 2012 aerial photograph of the Blue Hole Bird Pond .................................................... 41 Figure 14. Bathymetry map for the Blue Hole Bird Pond ............................................................. 41 Figure 15. 2012 aerial photograph of the West and East Walsingham Ponds ............................... 43 Figure 16. Bathymetry map for the main east Walsingham Pond ................................................. 43 Figure 17. 2012 aerial photograph of Mangrove Lake .................................................................. 44 Figure 18. 2012 aerial

Load more