Native Fish Conservation Areas: A Vision for Large-Scale Conservation of Native Fish Communities

The status of freshwater fishes continues to decline despite substantial conservation efforts to reverse this trend and recover threatened and endangered aquatic species. Lack of success is partially due to working at smaller spatial scales and focusing on habitats and species that are already degraded. Protecting entire watersheds and aquatic communities, which we term “native fish conservation areas” (NFCAs), would complement existing conservation efforts by protecting intact aquatic communities while allowing compatible uses. Four critical elements need to be met within a NFCA: (1) maintain processes that create habitat complexity, diversity, and connectivity; (2) nurture all of the life history stages of the fishes being protected; (3) include a large enough watershed to provide long-term persistence of native fish populations; and (4) provide management that is sustainable over time. We describe how a network of protected watersheds could be created that would anchor aquatic conservation needs in river basins across the country. IntroductIon The diversity of North American freshwater biota continues to decline at a rapid rate. A recent assessment found that 39% of freshwater and diadromous fishes are at risk of extinction (Jelks et al. 2008). The trend of endangerment appears to be escalating. When comparing the conservation status of fishes included in the status review conducted in 1989 to the review conducted in 2008, 89% of taxa had deteriorated in condition, whereas only 6% had improved (J. E. Williams et al. 1989; Jelks et al. 2008). Declines in native fishes have been attributed to the obstruction of migratory pathways from dams, irrigation diversion, and channel modification; degradation of spawning and rearing habitat; angling mortality; and competition, predation, and hybridization with invasive species (Lee et al. 1997; Jelks et al. 2008). Native Fish Conservation Areas: A Vision for Large-Scale Conservation of Native Fish Communities Jack E. Williams, Richard N. Williams, Russell F. Thurow, Leah Elwell, David P. Philipp, Fred A. Harris, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Patrick J. Martinez, Dirk Miller, Gordon H. Reeves, Christopher A. Frissell, and James R. Sedell Jack Williams is the senior scientist for Trout Unlimited. Rick Williams is the conservation advisor for Federation of Fly Fishers; Thurow is a research fisheries scientist for the USDA Forest Service; Elwell is the program director for the Center for Aquatic Nuisance Species; Philipp is the principal scientist at the Illinois Natural History Survey; Harris is the former chief of inland fisheries for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; Kershner is the director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center; Martinez is a nonnative fish coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Miller is the native trout coordinator for the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; Reeves is a research fish biologist for the USDA Forest Service; Frissell is the director of science and conservation for the Pacific Rivers Council; Sedell is the fisheries program director for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Áreas para la Conservación de Peces Nativos: una visión para la conservación a gran escala de comunidades de