1. Freshwater Mussel Cultivation and Recovery at Virginia’s Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center by Michael J. Pinder, Nathan L. Eckert, Joseph J. Ferraro, & Brian T. Watson Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries

2. Program Goal Recover endangered mussel populations in the upper Tennessee River drainage Extirpated or Extinct 14% Non-listed 33% Federal Endangered 24% State Endangered 29%

4. South Fork Holston River AWCC 5 acre pond 0.25 acre pond Buller Fish Cultural Station

5. AWCC Water Sources 0.25 Acre Fishless Pond – Added 1998 5 Acre Musky Pond - Added 2004 South Fork Holston River

6. Mean Monthly Water Temperature 2004 Comparisons For Mussel Cultivation a b a a b b b b b b b b b b b ba a a a a a Monthly temperature means with the same letter are not significantly different (P > 0.05) a a b b * Incomplete data set * *

7. Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center

8. Mussel Holding Building

9. Adult Mussel Holding Tanks Benefits Habitat specialization Increased spawning chances Isolation of species/drainages flow Quarantine tank Quarantine tank outflow

10. Species Held at the AWCC--37 Margaritiferidae Cumberlandia monodonta Unionidae Amblemines Amblema plicata Cyclonaias tuberculata Elliptio crassidens Elliptio dilatata Fusconaia barnesiana Fusconaia ebena Fusconaia subrotunda Lexingtonia dolabelloides Plethobasus cyphyus Pleurobema oviforme Quadrula c. strigillata Quadrula pustulosa Quadrula quadrula Anodontines Alasmidonta atropurpurea Lasmigona holstonia Lasmigona costata Pyganodon grandis Lampsilines Actinonaias ligamentina Actinonaias pectorosa Dromus dromas Epioblasma brevidens Epioblasma capsaeformis Epioblasma f. walkeri Epioblasma triquetra Lampsilis fasciola Lampsilis ovata Lemiox rimosus Ligumia recta Medionidus conradicus Potamilus alatus Ptychobranchus fasciolaris Ptychobranchus subtentum Villosa iris Villosa perpurpurea Villosa vanuxemensis Pleuroceridae Io fluvialis

11. Species Held at the AWCC--37 Margaritiferidae Cumberlandia monodonta Unionidae Amblemines Amblema plicata Cyclonaias tuberculata Elliptio crassidens Elliptio dilatata Fusconaia barnesiana Fusconaia ebena Fusconaia subrotunda Lexingtonia dolabelloides Plethobasus cyphyus Pleurobema oviforme Quadrula c. strigillata Quadrula pustulosa Quadrula quadrula Anodontines Alasmidonta atropurpurea Lasmigona holstonia Lasmigona costata Pyganodon grandis Lampsilines Actinonaias ligamentina Actinonaias pectorosa Dromus dromas Epioblasma brevidens Epioblasma capsaeformis Epioblasma f. walkeri Epioblasma triquetra Lampsilis fasciola Lampsilis ovata Lemiox rimosus Ligumia recta Medionidus conradicus Potamilus alatus Ptychobranchus fasciolaris Ptychobranchus subtentum Villosa iris Villosa perpurpurea Villosa vanuxemensis Pleuroceridae Io fluvialis 23 of 37 species have become gravid

12. AWCC Lab

14. Mussel Propagation Units 75, 45 & 15 Gallon Tanks Top view - Tank floor w/ air supply 100 µm plankton net to collect juvenile mussels flow

15. Mussel Propagation Units 20-40 µm Sand Filter Ultra-violet Filter 20 µm Bag Filters Pool Heater 5,500 Gallon Water Tank

16. Recirculating Propagation System

17. Bucket Juvenile Rearing 2 buckets seeded together w/ a submersible pump Nytex chambers in upper bucket hold juveniles

18. Mussel Rearing Unit 50 µm bag canister filter 5 L round container

19. Growth of Ligumia recta in silica & limestone sand substrate

20. Intermediate Rearing System 300 micron filtration & higher flow rateLarger pan with more substrate

21. Spiny riversnail, Io fluvialis Size ranged from 3- 21mm at 90 days

22. Mussel Production and Release at the AWCC Number of Juveniles (1000’s) Year 4 5 4 9 8 12

23. Mussel Augmentation Reaches 1=Lower Powell, 2=Lower Clinch, 3=Clinch Islands, 4=Middle Clinch, 5=Upper Clinch, 6=N.F. Holston Powell River Clinch River N.F. Holston River Copper Creek M.F. Holston S.F. Holston Clinch R. Little R. Big Moccasin Cr. LEE SCOTT WASHINGTON WISERUSSEL TAZEWELL WYTHE BLAND SMYTH 10 miles 1 2 3 6 4 5

24. TN KY GA VA NC SC WV AL Recent Release Sites Within The Tennessee River System Upper Lower Clinch @ Cedar Bluff Clinch @ Richlands Clinch @ Sneedville, TN Powell @ 833 Bridge Powell @ Bales Ford, TN Clinch @ Clinchport S.F.Holston @ Friendship Clinch @ Cleveland

25. Lampsilis fasciola Released in 2001 and Recovered from 2002-05 at Clinchport, Clinch River, Virginia Year Class Shell length (mm) 100 19 23 13 15

26. Mussel Restoration Funding Virginia Nongame Tax Checkoff ESA Section 6 State Wildlife Grants NRDA Settlement Grants Certus – Cedar Bluff Lone Mountain – Powell River

27. Nathan Eckert - Freshwater Mussel Recovery Coordinator Joe Ferraro - Freshwater Mussel Propagation Specialist Amanda Wood - Biologist Assistant Jonathan Orr - Wildlife Worker Mike Pinder and Brian Watson – Regional Wildlife Diversity Biologists Staffing

28. Refine systems to maximize survival and growth Future Plans

29. Refine systems to maximize survival and growth Develop methods to propagate nongame fish for use as mussel hosts and recovery of endangered fish species Future Plans

30. Refine systems to maximize survival and growth Develop methods to propagate nongame fish for use as mussel hosts and recovery of endangered fish species Design a state-of-the-art facility to cultivate rare aquatic fauna Future Plans

31. AWCC Proposed New Site AWCC Proposed New Facility Site

32. Conceptual Site Plan for the AWCC Source: FishPro / Cochran & Wilken Inc. Consultng Engineers and Scientists

33. AWCC Building Floor Plan Source: FishPro / Cochran & Wilken Inc. Consultng Engineers and Scientists Propagation Lab Classroom / Meeting room Lobby / Outreach Office BR Machine Room AHAB room Open Area for: Juvenile Rearing Units Intermediate Growout Units Mussel Propagation Units Adult Mussel Holding Tanks Host Fish Holding Tanks Fish Propagation Units Kitchen

34. Thank You