Assessing the Viability of Reintroduction of Locally Extinct Migratory Fish Brycon orbignyanus: Successful Growth, Dispersal and Maturation

Fishes

DaniloP. Streit¹  Éverton Zardo¹  Luisa Fontoura²  JuanR. E. Garcia³  JuanR. Esquivel-Muelbert³  Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert⁴ 

[1] Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 7712 Avenida Bento Gonçalves, Porto Alegre 91540-000, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil;Department of Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, 12 Wally’s Walk, Sydney 2109, New South Wales, Australia;Piscicultura Panamá, km 8 Estrada Geral do Bom Retiro, Paulo Lopes 88490-000, Santa Catarina, Brazil;School of Geography, University of Leeds, The School of Geography, Garstang North, Leeds LS72LL, UK;

关键词: conservation;    endangered;    fish;    migratory;    reintroduction;   

DOI  :  10.3390/fishes3040039

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The reintroduction of threatened fish species in areas where wild populations have been depleted due to anthropogenic impacts is an increasingly popular conservation tool and mitigation policy. Despite the importance of fish reintroduction for conservation purposes, little is known about its efficiency. Here, we assessed the viability of reintroduction of the endangered migratory fish, Brycon orbignyanus, in an area of the Upper Uruguay River basin where the species has not been reported for more than 30 years. We released 4000 yearling juveniles in the Pelotas River in 2014 and maintained 400 juveniles in captivity as a control population. After three years, a total of 13 individuals was recaptured, of which, 10 were considered sexually mature with first maturation being recorded in animals larger than 42 cm in total body length. The age–length comparison with a control population growth curve showed that recaptured fish were slightly bigger than those in captivity. Furthermore, important ecological attributes as schooling behavior and dispersal capacity were recorded for all recaptured individuals. Combined, our results suggest that the re-establishment of a self-sustained population of locally extinct species B. orbignyanus in the Pelotas River may be successful if sustained over time and supported by conservation policies.

【 授权许可】

Unknown