U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Aquatic Connectivity Grant

The Southeastern United States contains some of the most diverse aquatic biota in the world. The streams and rivers on which this biota depends are valuable conservation and economic resources. However, the ecological health of these rivers is threatened by human activities and climate change. The SARPâ¿¿s Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan identifies fragmentation of streams and rivers by dams and other barriers as a primary threat to the health of resident and anadromous fish species in southern rivers. Conservation success in the region requires an assessment of the degree of fragmentation of streams and rivers and potential impacts on fish populations. With a connectivity assessment, conservation actions can be prioritized and resources efficiently applied to removing or remediating barriers and connecting fish to the habitats they require to complete their life cycles. SARP and its partners, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, identified a need for a comprehensive dataset of fish barrier locations, attributes, and links to basic river maps. Recent efforts to meet these needs through various partnerships and funding mechanisms across the Southeast provide the opportunity to begin developing science-based, user-friendly tools to support conservation decisions by the Fish and Wildlife Service, State wildlife agencies and others.