Keywords: u. s. fish and wildlife service usfishandwildlifeservice sicklefin north carolina wildlife resources commission northcarolinawildliferesourcescommission tva tennessee valley authority tennesseevalleyauthority conservation fisheries conservationfisheries cfi duke energy outdoor landscape riverbank For several years, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has led efforts to conserve the rare sicklefin redhorse, a fish found only in the Little Tennessee and Hiawassee River basins. Part of that effort is the collection and fertilization of eggs each spring, which are then hatched and the young raised in captivity for stocking. This effort also includes tagging the fish with an identifying tag, like one would put a chip in a pet. This year’s work comes on the heels of a new Candidate Conservation Agreement, which brought together the Service, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Duke Energy, and the Tennessee Valley Authority to conserve the fish before it needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act. All the signatory agencies contributed staff to the field effort, in addition to Conservation Fisheries, Inc. Photo credit: G. Peeples/USFWS For several years, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has led efforts to conserve the rare sicklefin redhorse, a fish found only in the Little Tennessee and Hiawassee River basins. Part of that effort is the collection and fertilization of eggs each spring, which are then hatched and the young raised in captivity for stocking. This effort also includes tagging the fish with an identifying tag, like one would put a chip in a pet. This year’s work comes on the heels of a new Candidate Conservation Agreement, which brought together the Service, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Duke Energy, and the Tennessee Valley Authority to conserve the fish before it needs the protection of the Endangered Species Act. All the signatory agencies contributed staff to the field effort, in addition to Conservation Fisheries, Inc. Photo credit: G. Peeples/USFWS |