Kentucky partnership with Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia will restore mussels in 180 miles of the Licking River
Kentucky’s Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources was awarded nearly $400,000 in Federal funding to restore rare and imperiled mussels in a four state partnership. The non-Federal match of $167,698 increases the total amount to be dedicated to the project to $565,118.
The targeted mussel restoration comprised of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia is aimed at augmenting rare and imperiled mussel populations in high-priority locations through captive propagation and reintroduction. Goals include restoration of mussel populations across 180 miles of the Licking River in three States to within 90% of their historic levels. Notably, the partners seek to restore viable populations of Federally-endangered fanshell mussel (Cyprogenia stegaria). States and their partners will also help prevent the extinction of the Federally-endangered catspaw mussel (Epioblasma obliquata obliquata), which is currently one of the rarest mussels in North America with less than 25 remaining individuals. Once restored, the Licking River mussels will serve as a source for translocation of species in need of repatriation elsewhere in their range.
For more information about each of the grant projects, visit http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG_Funding.htm
State Wildlife Grant-funded projects implement strategies and actions to conserve species identified in approved state wildlife action plans. Funding for the grants comes from Fiscal Year 2014 appropriations.
All 50 states and six territorial wildlife agencies have approved state wildlife action plans that collectively provide a nationwide blueprint for actions to conserve Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The plans were created through a collaborative effort among state and federal agencies, biologists, conservationists, landowners, sportsmen and -women and the general public.
