Native Black Bass Initiative: Implementing Watershed-Scale Conservation of Native Fish Populations in Southern US Rivers and Streams

Rivers and streams of the southern US harbor a diversity of aquatic species and habitats unparalleled in North America. More than 1,800 species of fishes, mussels, snails, turtles and crayfish can be found in more than 70 major river basins of the region; more than 500 of these species are endemic. Of the nine described species of black bass, six are endemic to southern US rivers: Guadalupe Bass, Shoal Bass, Redeye Bass, Florida Bass, Alabama Bass, and Suwannee Bass. However, many undescribed forms also exist and most of these are in need of conservation measures to prevent them from becoming imperiled. The Native Black Bass Initiative provides a framework for watershed-scale conservation of native fishes in the southern US, with a focus on restoring and preserving key processes that support functional habitats and wild, naturally-produced native fish populations.  Since 2010, the initiative has implemented 8,239 acres of habitat restoration projects, providing direct benefits to endemic black basses and other native fishes in more than 150 miles of focal rivers. This presentation will profile recent and ongoing conservation projects supported through the initiative, and discuss contributions toward implementation of the National Fish Habitat Action Plan within the southern US.