Long-distance movements by flannelmouth sucker in big river habitats

1. Long-distance movements by flannelmouth sucker in big river habitats Matthew J. Breen & Trina N. Hedrick, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

2. Introduction • Historical range reduced • Bezzerides & Bestgen (2002) • Utah Tier I Sensitive Species • State & Range-Wide conservation agreements • Viable populations in Green & White rivers (2007–2010) • Breen & Hedrick (2008, 2009, 2010) • Flannelmouth movements? • Un-impounded reach of the Upper Colorado River Basin Flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis)

3. Study Area

4. Methods • Electrofishing surveys • Both shorelines • Habitat dictated sampling gear • Collected juvenile & adult fish • Spring (April–June) • Summer (July–August) • PIT-tagged fish 2007–2009 • Recaptured fish 2008–2010 Boat electrofishing Cataraft electrofishing PIT-tagging a flannelmouth

5. Results • PIT-tagged 3,058 flannelmouth • 71 recaptures • Mean TL = 433.1 ± 7.7 mm; range = 196–507 • 2.3% of tagged fish • Duration between captures = 530.3 ± 75.5 days • 4 recaptures from 2001–2002 • Lower Green River Scanning a flannelmouth for a PIT-tag

6. Flannelmouth Movements 71 recaptures Mean distance = 61.0 ± 9.0 km Range = 0 – 360 km

7. Size-specific Movements rS = 0.355 P = 0.003 N = 71

8. Reproductive Maturity • Sigler & Sigler (1996) • Mature > 422 mm (N=52) • Immature < 353 mm (N=7) • Intermediate = 353–422 mm (N=12) • Spawning signatures (N=10) • Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA • H = 12.332; P = 0.002; df = 2 • Mature vs. Immature

9. Home Range & Within-Season Movement • Preliminary home range analysis • 1 month separation (N = 41) • Mean = 63.2 ± 11.4 km • Underestimate? • Within-season movement • 3 spring recaptures; all moving downstream • Mean = 124.9 ± 35.6 km (10.5 ± 3.2 km/day) • 195.9 km in 14 days!

10. Directional Movement • 58% moved upstream; 41% downstream • Metapopulation differences? U = 562.0 P = 0.703 N = 70

11. 10% of recaptures in both rivers 5 into the White in spring 1 into the White in summer 1 moved out in summer Highest CPUE during April sampling 26.5% w/ spawning signatures Pre-peak spawning migration Peak: mid-May to end-June Movement into the White occurred from below & above the confluence Metapopulation differences? Inter-drainage Movements Tuberculated anal fin

12. Green River Seasonal Distribution FLOW

13. Summary & Conclusions • Highly mobile in big river habitats • Lower basin (Thieme 1997) • 12.5% moved ≥ 98 km • Larger fish move farther • Chart & Bergeson (1992) • Spawning sites & post-spawn locations widely separated

14. Summary & Conclusions • Highly mobile in big river habitats • Lower basin (Thieme 1997) • 12.5% moved ≥ 98 km • Larger fish move farther • Chart & Bergeson (1992) • Spawning sites & post-spawn locations widely separated • Importance of mid-order tributaries • High spring CPUE • Spring migrations into the White River • High juvenile to adult ratio (summer residents)

15. Summary & Conclusions • Highly mobile in big river habitats • Lower basin (Thieme 1997) • 12.5% moved ≥ 98 km • Larger fish move farther • Chart & Bergeson (1992) • Spawning sites & post-spawn locations widely separated • Importance of mid-order tributaries • High spring CPUE • Spring migrations into the White River • High juvenile to adult ratio (summer residents) • Metapopulation-specific spawning migrations • Timing & direction of movements • Is sampling sufficient to pick up movements? • Catching fish in route? • Large enough sample area? • Flow-specific cues initiating movements? • Lots of tagged fish to work with!

16. Questions? • Thanks to all who helped with fieldwork! • Funding provided by the Endangered Species Mitigation Fund, State Wildlife Grants, & the BLM Fisheries Program