C. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES - Restore, conserve, and manage the biological diversity of native fishes and invertebrates and provide for sustainable harvest of selected fish species in the Lower Mississippi River ecosystem

 

Objective C.1            Determine the historical and present status of fish and invertebrate populations.

 

Strategy C.1.1                        Compile, summarize, and analyze existing fish and invertebrate data.

Strategy C.1.2                        Incorporate biological data into GIS databases.

 

Strategy C.1.3                        Develop habitat-specific sets of indicator species for assessing the long-term environmental quality of the Lower Mississippi River system.

 

Strategy C.1.4                        Establish at least one Long Term Resource Monitoring Station.

 

Strategy C.1.5                        Develop standard data and metadata formats.

 

Strategy C.1.6                        Develop facilities and procedures to electronically store, transmit, and share data at sites throughout the Lower Mississippi River system.

 

Objective C.2            Protect and restore threatened and endangered (T&E) fish and invertebrate species.

 

Strategy C.2.1                        Determine status of all State and Federally listed fish and aquatic invertebrate species.

 

Strategy C.2.2                        Determine habitat and water quality requirements of each listed species.

 

Strategy C.2.3                        Identify present and potential biotic and abiotic threats to listed species.

 

Strategy C.2.4                        Cooperate with MICRA, UMRCC, and MRNRC in the management and recovery of listed species according to existing plans.

 

Strategy C.2.5                        Develop and implement recovery plans as needed.

 

Strategy C.2.6                        Utilize Natchitoches, Mammoth Spring, and Private John Allen National Fish Hatcheries to propagate and restore wild populations of listed species.

 

Objective C.3            Minimize the effects of aquatic nuisance species on native fauna and reduce their distribution to other water bodies.

 

Strategy C.3.1                        Develop/coordinate studies to assess the status, impacts, and potential control of aquatic nuisance species on habitats and biota.

 

Strategy C.3.2                        Develop programs to control/slow the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species.

Strategy C.3.3                        Support and promote legislation, regulations, and public awareness to prevent the introduction or spread of exotic organisms.

 

Strategy C.3.4                        Develop markets for and promote the commercial harvest of large exotic fishes (e.g. bighead and silver carp).

 

Strategy C.3.5                        Manage for species that prey on exotic invertebrates.

 

Strategy C.3.6                        Distribute existing literature on the effects of aquatic nuisance species and methods to reduce their spread to other basins.

 

Strategy C.3.7                        Place signs at all Lower Mississippi River access points detailing methods of stopping the spread of aquatic nuisance species to other streams and lakes.

 

Objective C.4            Determine habitat requirements and limiting factors for selected fish and invertebrate species.

 

Strategy C.4.1                        Compile biological profiles (e.g., spawning requirements, nursery/adult habitat preference, food habits, etc.) for environmentally sensitive, commercial, and recreational fishes and invertebrates.

 

Strategy C.4.2                        Establish a monitoring program to evaluate aquatic community response to completed habitat improvement projects.

 

Objective C.5            Manage for sustainable harvest of commercial and recreational fish species.

 

Strategy C.5.1                        Determine effective sampling gears and develop a standardized protocol for collection of fishes and invertebrates. Consider gear effectiveness and selectivity among habitat types, seasons, species, and life history stages.

 

Strategy C.5.2                        Develop key population variables to assess population status (e.g. CPUE, RSD, PSD), condition, growth rate, mortality rate, and exploitation rate for selected fish species.

 

Strategy C.5.3                        Establish compatible objectives for managing key recreational and commercial organisms.

 

Strategy C.5.4                        Coordinate and implement compatible harvest regulations among Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee states.

 

Strategy C.5.5                        Establish procedures for collecting and reporting commercial fish harvest data.

 

Strategy C.5.6                        Pursue uniform commercial and recreational fishing regulations for state agencies jointly managing Lower Mississippi River reaches.

 

Strategy C.5.5                        Monitor and regulate harvest to optimize sustainable production of fishes by conducting periodic creel surveys in the Lower Mississippi River.

 

Strategy C.5.6                        Utilize Natchitoches, Mammoth, and Private John Allen National Fish Hatcheries to propagate and restore wild populations of recreationally important fish species.