Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area Native Fish Conservation

Authors: Anthony Robinson, Kent Mosher, Kaleb Smith

Year: 2017 (xlix)

Abstract

The Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area in the San Pedro River basin in south-central Arizona has been a focus of native fish conservation for over a decade Native fish occupied five streams on the ranch, and only one stream had an incursion of nonnative fish; Green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus, were low in abundance in Redfield Canyon Three ponds and seven streams on the ranch were stocked with endangered native fish during 2007-2017 As of 2017, Gila Topminnow, Poeciliopsis occidentalis, is established in one pond and five streams, but failed to establish in one stream (Cherry Spring Canyon) Desert pupfish, Cyprinodon macularius, is established in two ponds and may be establishing in a third pond, but failed to establish in two of the streams where they were stocked Spikedace, Meda fulgida, and Loach Minnow, Rhinichthys cobitis, established in Hot Springs Canyon, but failed to establish in Redfield Canyon Roundtail Chub, Gila robusta, was moved within Redfield Canyon upstream of a waterfall and established there A barrier was constructed in Hot Springs Canyon to prevent the upstream incursion of nonnative fishes in that drainage, and a barrier is planned for Redfield Canyon for a similar purpose Green sunfish have been mechanically controlled in Redfield Canyon, but after the barrier is in place, they can be eradicated upstream The high level of successful native fish conservation is attributed to geography and the contribution of multiple agencies and private landowners