When Stream Restoration Works

Fishy Fridays

Weekly spotlight on fisheries science journal articles

 

Jeff Kopaska
AFS Executive Director
jkopaska@fisheries.org

I think about Midwestern rivers and streams often. Most times, it makes me sad. These systems historically had diverse fish communities, stable streambanks and streambeds, and ran clean and clear so you could see the various glacially deposited substrates of gravel and cobble on the stream bottom. Today (as you can see illustrated in the attached photo), those entities are just an imaginary vision, at least in Iowa. But I have hope. I believe that there is a future where we can prioritize water quality, engage in stream restoration, and achieve results. Today’s paper is an illustration that such work can have an impact on fish communities. The study shows that native fish communities improved in managed segments when compared to unmanaged segments. While the sample size is small, the illustration is that it can work. I look forward to it happening in more places, and I thank the authors for doing this work, and putting in the effort to publish it as well. Enjoy!

Do conservation actions improve native fish populations? Differences between managed and unmanaged reaches of a desert river give insight