Great Smoky Mountains National Park Monitoring of rare fish species in Abrams Creek.

A project to restore populations of four rare fishes into Abrams Creek in the Little Tennessee River system has been underway now for 22 years. These fish, all on the U.S. Endangered Species List as endangered or threatened species, include: smoky madtom, Noturus baileyi (endangered); yellowfin madtom, N. flavipinnis (threatened); Citico (formerly duskytail) darter, Etheostoma [percnurum] sitikuense (endangered); and spotfin chub, Erimonax monachus (threatened). Captive propagation and reintroduction and annual, non-invasive monitoring techniques were used for this restoration effort. By the end of 2007, a total of 3239 smoky madtoms, 1,638 yellowfin madtoms, 3,430 darters and 11,367 spotfin chubs had been stocked into Abrams Creek. The smoky and yellowfin madtoms were stocked from 1986 to 2002. Smoky madtoms were stocked annually, and yellowfin madtoms periodically. Darters were stocked annually (except 2000) from 1993 to 2001. Spotfin chubs were originally translocated from the upper Little Tennessee River in 1986; captivity produced individuals were stocked periodically from 1994 to 2001. By summer 2000, there was evidence that all four species had reproduced in Abrams Creek. Abundance indices calculated from snorkel surveys at the reintroduction sites indicated increasing sizes for populations of three of the four fishes, and, by 2006, smoky madtom and darter indices were comparable to those in Citico Creek, the source for the reintroductions. Population dispersal over more than three creek miles from a stocking site was observed for both madtoms in 2004. Spotfin chubs failed to establish in Abrams Creek and restoration efforts for the species were shifted to the nearby Tellico River in 2001. Populations of the other three species have yet to become established in large reaches that differ for each species, prompting plans for additional monitoring, for research to further characterize habitat associations and availability, and for additional targeted reintroductions. Siltation from the area around the campground may partially explain why madtoms are more abundant downstream, beyond the area of siltation. Dam building by visitors near the campground may also be responsible for low madtom densities there. Darters have not become established in the lowest reaches of Abrams. Darter abundance was lower in 2008 than in past years, but not to a degree to cause concern. However, physical condition of the darters was mostly poor and a significant number were observed to be infested with myxosporozoan parasites, probably resulting from the stresses of two years of low flows and warmer water temperatures. Fin clips were collected in 2008 through 2010 for a study comparing genetic variation between the Citico Creek, Abrams Creek, and, eventually, Tellico River populations of the two madtoms and darter, as well as the Little Tennessee River (LTNR) and Tellico River populations of the spotfin chub. During late summer surveys in 2012, relatively large numbers of smoky madtoms and Citico darters were observed in nearly non-overlapping reaches and smaller numbers of yellowfin madtoms throughout nearly the entire surveyed area. Fallen trees changed habitat in 2013, but in 2014, Citico darter numbers returned to normal, though they were found at two new sites more than a mile downstream of previous observations. A smoky madtom was recorded in the lowest of the upper study sit