Bonneville Basin Area Report

Authors: Krissy W. Wilson

Year: 2008 (xl)

Abstract

I present a brief summary of activities for this year associated with native aquatic species in the Bonneville Basin. Least chub, Iotichthys phlegethontis, has been reintroduced into several new refuge and range expansion locations. Nine thousand least chub were reintroduced to five locations in Box Elder and Cache counties. Utah Division Wildlife Resources is working with the local County Mosquito Abatement District to test the effectiveness of using least chub in mosquito abatement programs. The Mosquito Abatement District is conducting a pilot study testing effectiveness of least chub compared to western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis in controlling mosquitos. If least chub are effective at reducing mosquito larvae, least chub could replace western mosquitofish in mosquito abatement programs in the Bonneville Basin. The June Sucker, Chasmistes liorus, Recovery Program continues to be very active. Approximately 68,000 (200 mm TL) June sucker were reintroduced into Utah Lake as part of recovery efforts. June sucker are propagated from brood stock held at Utah Division of Wildlife Resources hatchery facility at the Fisheries Experiment Station (FES), Logan, Utah. Thirty-seven thousand were reared at FES and the remaining 31,000 were reared in grow out ponds. Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho form the rangewide team for the northern leatherside chub, Lepidomeda copei. The team plans to expand the Conservation Strategy for northern leathersides to a Conservation Agreement and Strategy (CAS). The Nevada Department of Wildlife has been contacted to join the northern leatherside team because recent surveys have documented northern leatherside chub in northeast Nevada. The CAS for northern leatherside chub will be finalized and signed by all signatory agencies soon. The southern leatherside chub, Lepidomeda aliciae will also have its own CAS supported by signatory agencies solely in Utah and soon finalized.