OK, I'll admit it: I'm posting this mostly because I love fishing (Micropterus salmoides fears me) and this is a cool story. But even though the story is about a fish native to the PeeDee River, the natural history of the robust redhorse (that's a fish) is a cautionary tale about erosion, soil runoff, and the importance of protecting watersheds -- issues of local interest, I do believe.
The fish is cool, too. Did I say that?
Issues:
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I'd heard about the shad
I'd heard about the shad projects -- thanks for reminding me. I've got The Founding Fish on the list, right after I finish with Beautiful Swimmers and Striper.
But all is not entirely well in the Cape Fear, thanks in part to the introduction of a hybrid striper/white bass (aka Bodie Bass) species into Jordan Lake, which (oopsie!) escaped and has now begun competing for forage and conducting false spawning runs with the population of stripers native to the lower Cape Fear, depressing that population.
http://www.wildlife.state.nc.us/pg03_Fishing/pg3d22.htm
Effects are mentioned here (right under the shad entry!):
http://www.uncwil.edu/cmsr/aquaticecology/lcfrp/Fisheries/anadromous.htm
COOL! Melanie
COOL!
Melanie
North Carolina's Cape Fear
North Carolina's Cape Fear River has been the scene of some fish recovery as well. The Army Corps of Engineers and state and federal wildlife officials have been working together to improve American Shad habitat in various southern rivers. See for example:
http://www.coastalamerica.gov/text/regions/se/capefear.html
Duncan, if you haven't eaten Alosa sapidissima, you need to check it out. This fish is also the subject of John McPhee's recent book 'The Founding Fish.' Good reading.