REVIVE: A feasibility assessment tool for freshwater fish conservation translocations in Mediterranean rivers

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2023-03, Vol.862, p.160595-160595, Article 160595
• Main Authors: Kalogianni, Eleni, Koutsikos, Nicholas, Karaouzas, Ioannis, Smeti, Evangelia, Kapakos, Yiannis, Laschou, Sofia, Dimitriou, Elias, Vardakas, Leonidas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biodiversity; Conservation of Natural Resources; Cyprinidae - genetics; Cyprinids; Ecosystem; Endemic; Feasibility Studies; Fishes; Fresh Water; Introduced Species; Reintroduction; Rivers; Supplementation; Threatened; Water
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160595

Conservation translocation is a management action applied for population recovery of threatened freshwater fishes, often however with partially successful outcome, mainly due to inadequate feasibility assessment prior to the translocation. Up to date, feasibility assessments have been mainly focused on economically important species (e.g., salmonids) inhabiting perennial rivers, while little attention has been given to fish translocations in rivers in Mediterranean climate areas. In this study, we developed a robust feasibility assessment tool for freshwater fish translocations in Mediterranean-type riverine ecosystems within an interdisciplinary, multispecies approach. The REVIVE tool integrates quantitative and semi-quantitative data, incorporates uncertainty and consists of two main components. The first component is the evaluation of the potential release water bodies (R-WBs) for their suitability for the planned translocation, incorporating a number of essential criteria for Mediterranean rivers, with emphasis on flow regime and habitat quantity. Additional criteria include the current and historical presence of the target species, water and biological quality, habitat suitability in terms of the ecological requirements of the target species, alien invasive species' pressure, and hydromorphological pressures, including their mitigation potential. The second component is the evaluation of the potential source water bodies (S-WBs) in terms of genetic compatibility and provision of a sufficient number of propagules. A trial application in a Mediterranean basin (Vassilopotamos River, Southern Greece) for the potential translocation of two threatened cyprinids in five R-WBs indicated the robustness of the tool. This integrative, flexible tool combines several elements identified as essential in reintroduction biology and can have wider applications, for a multitude of freshwater fish taxa and riverine systems, maximizing the success of planned translocation actions by natural resources' managers. Modifications to enable its transferability to other river types or fish taxa are also discussed. [Display omitted] •Feasibility assessments are crucial for successful conservation translocations•An assessment tool for fish translocations emphasizing on flow regime was developed•The tool assesses release and source water bodies of the fish translocation•Robust tool application for multispecies translocation in a Mediterranean river•Adaptations of tool criteria for