Fish Sticks
Well-known member
Yea the problem is even if they are wild born or hatchery origin, which i believe there is alot of both, that there is no life history or genetic adaptations that allow brook trout to be as successful in Big spring as a proper reintroduction translocation would have been. When that PFBC hatchery extirpated those brook trout they were replaced with ill suited hatchery fish with no adaptations. They persist because its one of the best temperature/habitat/food abundance combinations in a small area in the state for native brook trout.I don't think any of those fish are stockers. The post-restoration surveys of big spring showed a huge increase in YoY downstream of the ditch.
The ridiculous food supply of Big Spring gives you fish that have bigger bodies than you'd expect, making them appear similar to hatchery fish. But there's nothing wrong with any of the fins on any of those fish. Just my opinion.
However, fish that are more genetically homogeneous or less fit have documented lower amounts in some cases with growth, fertility, and survival.
There could be competition advantages over non native species with higher fitness, there could be improved fertility with higher fitness. And hatchery genes/lack of fitness can risk a populations long term survival/increase chance of extirpation.
Here is a paper published by Dr. Shannon White I just read a few days ago. It is basically discussing how important proper genetics are when considering a reintroduction and provides recommendations to managers who are trying to execute successful reintroduction. For anyone who is interested in what the true potential of big spring could be with a proper reintroduction this paper sheds light on how genetics can be used.
Before genetic analysis became the gold standard for doing reintroduction managers would select wild native brook trout from
Near by that had a similar life history (survival strategy-like free stone, limestone, lake run ect.). Genetic diversity is good to a point. Genes can be adapted to regional/local scales. If you throw in harchery genes, not only are these genes tailored just to grow a fat aggressive poorly survivable fish, but they can outbreed regionally or locally adapted genes that may have been acquired over a million years and if wnough introgression of hatchery genes happens they can be gone in relatively speaking a blink of an eye compared to how long it took to aquire them.
Big spring did not even get a translocation of wild fish with similar life history from near by(second best option)
Big spring got/still gets hatchery trash. like so many streams in PA there is such ample potential with management for conservation but its being managed for maximizing license sales like every other mile of running water in this state. Disgraceful.
Enjoy the article. You can get away with just reading discussion to see how much is SUPPOSED to go into a reintroduction to make it successful.