Implementation of native fish conservation areas in Texas

Authors: Preston Bean, Gary Garrett, Timothy Birdsong, Ben Labay, Megan Bean

Year: 2016 (xlviii)

Abstract

Native Fish Conservation Areas (NFCA’s) were developed using a spatial prioritization analysis of species distribution models to identify focal areas for conservation efforts. Following development of the NFCA’s, workshops focused on subsets of the NFCA’ s (NFCA’s in the Canadian, Red, Brazos, and Colorado Rivers to date) were held to identify project-level actions for achieving eight objectives for conserving native fish and their habitats including: protect and maintain intact, healthy habitats; restore impacted habitats; restore stream and habitat connectivity; mitigate effects of invasive species; organize networks of public and private landowners; develop conservation demonstration areas; conduct research to fill critical information gaps; conduct adaptive management and reporting. Representatives from state and federal resource management agencies, conservation NGO’s, and university researchers contributed toward identifying these actions. Results from the NFCA workshops are now being use to gui de conservation efforts in order to most effectively and efficiently utilize available resources for conservation.