Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division Status Review Response: Petition to List Coaster Brook Trout Under the Endangered Species Act U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – 73 FR 14950, March 20, 2008 May 19, 2008 Michigan Department of Natural Resources May 19, 2008 Response to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 73 FR 14950, March 20, 2008 Table of Contents List of Figures ..........................................................................................................................vi List of Tables...........................................................................................................................vii List of Appendices...................................................................................................................ix I. Distribution, Ecology, and Status of Adfluvial Brook Trout.............................................1 Historical and Current Distribution.........................................................................................1 Ecology .................................................................................................................................2 Adaptability and Plasticity................................................................................................4 Migratory Behavior of Chars............................................................................................5 Status....................................................................................................................................6 II. Consideration of Adfluvial Brook Trout as a Distinct Population Segment....................7 “Distinct Population Segment” or DPS...................................................................................7 Considering Population Discreteness ..............................................................................8 Evolutionary Significance of the Population Segment to its Taxon.................................11 Analysis of DPS decisions since publication of the 1996 Federal DPS policy ................13 Conclusion: Consideration of Adfluvial Brook Trout as a Distinct Population Segment........14 III. Listing Factors ..................................................................................................................15 Factor A: Present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of species habitat or range..........................................................................................................15 Threats from Sedimentation ..........................................................................................16 Sedimentation: Management and Conservation Efforts .................................................16 Road Crossings 16 Harvest of Timber 17 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act 18 Dredging for Maintenance of Navigational Channels 18 Threats Related to Water Quality...................................................................................18 Water Quality: Management and Conservation Efforts ..................................................19 Special Water Quality Management Consideration 19 Point Source Discharges 19 Non-point Source Discharges 20 Threat from Mining Activities .........................................................................................20 Mining Activities: Management and Conservation Efforts ..............................................21 -ii- Michigan Department of Natural Resources May 19, 2008 Response to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 73 FR 14950, March 20, 2008 Threat from Habitat Fragmentation................................................................................21 Habitat Fragmentation: Management and Conservation Efforts.....................................22 Threat from Hydropower Projects..................................................................................23 Hydropower Projects: Management and Conservation Efforts.......................................24 Other Regulatory, Programmatic, and Planning Efforts For Protection, Rehabilitation, and Enhancement of Aquatic Habitat............................................24 Protected Areas 24 Rivers with Special Protections 25 Protection of Groundwater Resources 25 1836 Treaty of Washington Inland Consent Decree of 2007 26 Policies of the MDNR Fisheries Division 26 River Assessments 26 Eco-regional Planning and Assessment 27 Forest Certification, State Forest Plan, and Regional Forest Plans 28 Conclusion: Present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of species habitat or range..........................................................................................................29 Factor B: Overutilization for Commercial, Recreational, Scientific, or Educational Purposes....................................................................................................................29 Threat from Overharvest ...............................................................................................29 Sport Harvest 29 Harvest by State-licensed Commercial Fishing Operations 31 Scientific Collectors Permits 31 Overharvest: Management and Conservation Efforts ....................................................32 Regulations and Management for Recreational Fishing 32 Tribal Harvest Regulations 32 State-licensed Commercial Fishing Regulations and Management 32 Scientific Collectors Permits 33 Law Enforcement Efforts 33 Conclusion: Overutilization for Commercial, Recreational, Scientific, or Educational Purposes....................................................................................................................34 Factor C: Disease and Predation.........................................................................................34 Key Diseases of Fish.....................................................................................................34 Whirling Disease 34 Furunculosis 35 Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus (IPNv) 35 Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD) 35 Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSv) 36 Vectors for Pathogens...................................................................................................37 -iii- Michigan Department of Natural Resources May 19, 2008 Response to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 73 FR 14950, March 20, 2008 Diseases of Brook Trout ................................................................................................39 Diseases of Brook Trout: Management and Conservation Efforts..................................40 Fish Health Measures of the MDNR Fisheries Division 40 High Profile Disease Control: Great Lakes Model Program 41 Regulations to Control Diseases in Fish 42 Threats due to Predation ...............................................................................................42 Conclusion: Disease and Predation.....................................................................................43 Factor D: Inadequacy of Existing Regulatory Mechanisms..................................................43 Regulatory Authorities and Institutions in the State of Michigan for Protecting and Managing Aquatic Resources...............................................................................44 Great Lakes Coordination of Brook Trout Management.................................................45 Processes of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission 45 Conclusion: Inadequacy of Existing Regulatory Mechanisms..............................................46 Factor E: Other Natural and Man-made Factors..................................................................46 Competition ...................................................................................................................46 Low Population Size......................................................................................................48 Conclusion – Other Natural and Man-Made Factors............................................................50 IV. Michigan’s Collaborative Management Programs for the Conservation of Brook Trout ...............................................................................................................................50 Element 1: Collaborative Identification of the Protection, Rehabilitation and Enhancement Goals, Objectives, and Research Priorities for Species of Fish and Habitat in the Great Lakes and Inland Waters............................................................51 Collaborative Efforts ......................................................................................................51 Research Priorities ........................................................................................................52 Element 2: Identification of Specific Objectives and Management Actions to Fulfill the Mission and Goals .....................................................................................................54 Element 3: Dissemination of Results through Peer and Public Review................................56 Conclusion: Michigan’s Collaborative Management Programs for the Conservation of Brook Trout................................................................................................................57 V. Conclusions and Summary Regarding the Potential Listing of Coaster Brook Trout Under the Endangered Species Act ...................................................................58 Distinct Population Segment ...............................................................................................58 Factor A) Present or threatened destruction, modification, or