Guidelines for Propagation and Translocation for Freshwater Fish Conservation

Abstract Reestablishment of locally extinct populations and augmentation of declining populations are management activities used with increasing frequency in the conservation of imperiled fishes in the United States. Unfortunately, these options were not always carefully or appropriately used in past cases, partly owing to a lack of guidelines that address scientifically-based protocols for propagation, translocation, reintroduction, and augmentation (PTRA). PTRA programs are an important management tool for the recovery of imperiled fishes when undertaken with careful planning, including everything from determining that PTRA is necessary to incorporating knowledge of life history and genetics into the PTRA plan. In addition, PTRA programs must also assemble advisory groups, obtain funding and permitting, construct and maintain propagation facilities, and raise community awareness of the program. Because such diverse skills are needed, successful PTRA programs should prepare for long-term partnerships to achieve the goal of recovery.