Aquatic Resources Restoration

USDA FOREST SERVICE NATIONA L F O R E S T 2 0 1 5

Threatened & Endangered Fish Species Your National Forests provide important habitats for abundance is low has helped to redistribute them to their wildlife and fish. The USDA Forest Service focuses on once native ranges. Captive breeding efforts by Conserva- protecting and enhancing these habitats. National for- tion Fisheries, Inc. (CFI) and other organizations have ests’ are managed to meet growing demands for water, increased knowledge of breeding patterns, life history, and recreation, energy, and other forest-based commodities microhabitat requirements. while ensuring the sustainability and diversity of wildlife Use of propagated fish mini- and fish. mizes the impacts on wild populations of fish. The Cherokee National Forest is home to 38 federally listed threatened & endangered (T&E) species of plants, Creek and Tellico River mussels, fish and terrestrial wildlife. The federally listed in the Cherokee National For- Citico darter, spotfin chub, smoky madtom, yellowfin est, and Abrams Creek in the madtom and Conasauga log perch are found in the Tellico Na- CFI facility in Knoxville and Ocoee Ranger Districts in Monroe and Polk counties. tional Park provide important Through interagency cooperation and partnerships the habitat for smoky and yellowfin madtoms, as well as other Forest Service is working to bring these fish to sustainable T&E species. Madtoms are small catfish that hide in populations in their native ranges. brush piles or bedrock crevices during the day and feed at night on aquatic invertebrates and small fish. Clean water Efforts by Conservation Fisheries, Inc., Forest Service, and bedrock gravel are vital habitat requirements for these US Fish & Wildlife Service, Wildlife Resources unique fish. Agency, National Park Service , Tennessee Aquarium and others have helped to sustain threatened and endangered The Forest Service, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & fish populations in east Tennessee . Wildlife Service , CFI and many others is striving to pro- tect and sustain viable populations of T&E aquatic species Non-invasive capture and relocation from areas where in the Cherokee National Forest. species are more abundant to locations where species

Restoration in Action

Spotfin chub release Smoky madtom, noturus trautum Yellofin madtom release