development of a delta smelt refugial population - california · development of a delta smelt...

Development of a Delta Smelt Development of a Delta Smelt Refugial PopulationRefugial Population

Bradd BaskervilleBradd Baskerville--Bridges and Joan LindbergBridges and Joan Lindberg

Fish Conservation and Culture Lab., ByronFish Conservation and Culture Lab., ByronBiological and Agricultural Engineering Dept.Biological and Agricultural Engineering Dept.

University of CaliforniaUniversity of California--DavisDavis

CALFED Science Program Workshop: July 24, 2008CALFED Science Program Workshop: July 24, 2008

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Sacramento Sacramento --

San Joaquin River DeltaSan Joaquin River Delta

Fish Conservation and Culture LabFish Conservation and Culture Lab

SWP & CVPPumping Plants

Smelt rearing Smelt spawning

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Fish Conservation and Culture Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory (FCCL)Laboratory (FCCL)

Aquaculture ProgramAquaculture ProgramDelta Fishes Research ProgramDelta Fishes Research ProgramRefugial Population Development Refugial Population Development ProgramProgram

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Fish Conservation and Culture Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory (FCCL)Laboratory (FCCL)

Aquaculture Program (500,000 smelt)Aquaculture Program (500,000 smelt)Toxicity studies Toxicity studies –– Werner et al, UCDWerner et al, UCDFemale influence on egg size Female influence on egg size ––Bennett & Teh, UCDBennett & Teh, UCDLarval feeding Larval feeding -- Sullivan, Kimmerer, SFSUSullivan, Kimmerer, SFSUReserve population at Livingston Stone Hatchery Reserve population at Livingston Stone Hatchery --FWSFWSGenetics Genetics –– May and Fisch UCD, with FWSMay and Fisch UCD, with FWSMock Release Site Study Mock Release Site Study –– DWR and DFGDWR and DFGPilot PitPilot Pit--Tag and Release Study Tag and Release Study –– Castillo, FWSCastillo, FWS

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Fish Conservation and Culture Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory (FCCL)Laboratory (FCCL)

Aquaculture ProgramAquaculture ProgramDelta Fishes Research ProgramDelta Fishes Research Program

Environmental factors influencing feeding behaviorEnvironmental factors influencing feeding behaviorGonadal maturation and spawningGonadal maturation and spawningNutrition Nutrition Larval behaviorLarval behavior

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Fish Conservation and Culture Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory (FCCL)Laboratory (FCCL)

Aquaculture ProgramAquaculture ProgramDelta Fishes Research ProgramDelta Fishes Research ProgramRefugial Population Refugial Population

Facility constructionFacility constructionBreeding plan Breeding plan Initiation of refugial population Initiation of refugial population

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Benefits of a refugial populationBenefits of a refugial population

Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Take restrictions are imposedTake restrictions are imposed

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Benefits of a refugial populationBenefits of a refugial population

Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Take restrictions are imposedTake restrictions are imposed

Should we wait to develop refugial population?Should we wait to develop refugial population?Urgency: risk loss of genetic diversity.Urgency: risk loss of genetic diversity.

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Benefits of a refugial populationBenefits of a refugial population

Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Take restrictions are imposedTake restrictions are imposed

Should we wait to develop refugial population?Should we wait to develop refugial population?Urgency: risk loss of genetic diversity.Urgency: risk loss of genetic diversity.

Refugial population serves as a genetic bank.Refugial population serves as a genetic bank.

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Benefits of a refugial populationBenefits of a refugial population

Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Delta smelt are at risk of extinction Take restrictions are imposedTake restrictions are imposed

Should we wait to develop refugial population?Should we wait to develop refugial population?Urgency: risk loss of genetic diversity.Urgency: risk loss of genetic diversity.

Refugial population serves as a genetic bank.Refugial population serves as a genetic bank.Supplementation of wild stock is not planned.Supplementation of wild stock is not planned.

Natural reproduction may be insufficient to recover Natural reproduction may be insufficient to recover the species.the species.

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New refuge siteNew refuge site

New canopy New canopy (above) (above)

New generator & powerNew generator & power(below)(below)

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Construction of refuge facilityConstruction of refuge facility

Larval and juvenile Larval and juvenile systems (above)systems (above)

Adult systems (below)Adult systems (below)

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Development of a Breeding PlanDevelopment of a Breeding Plan

Captive wild 2Captive wild 2--year old fish, BY 2006 year old fish, BY 2006 Developed plan in cooperation with:Developed plan in cooperation with:

UCD: Genetic analysis UCD: Genetic analysis -- Genetic Variation Lab Genetic Variation Lab USFWS: SubUSFWS: Sub--population of delta smelt for population of delta smelt for Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery.Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery.

Over 500 broodstock spawned this spring in Over 500 broodstock spawned this spring in existing FCCL facilityexisting FCCL facility

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New ProceduresNew Procedures

Controlled single pair crosses (SPC) Controlled single pair crosses (SPC) 1 male x 1 female1 male x 1 female

Eggs from multiple SPC are combined to Eggs from multiple SPC are combined to form a multiform a multi--family group (MFG)family group (MFG)Parents are maintained for an additional Parents are maintained for an additional yearyear

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5000 eggs 5000 eggs3000 eggs 8000 eggs 2000 eggs1000 eggs

Construction of a Multi-Family Group

-

Single crosses will be made and all eggs collected

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5000 eggs 5000 eggs3000 eggs 8000 eggs 2000 eggs1000 eggs

Construction of a Multi-Family Group

6000 eggs Multi-family composed of 6

single pair crosses

1000 eggs

Single crosses will be made and all eggs collected

1000 eggs from each female

1000 eggs 1000 eggs 1000 eggs 1000 eggs 1000 eggs

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5000 eggs 5000 eggs3000 eggs 8000 eggs 2000 eggs1000 eggs

Construction of a Multi-Family Group

6000 eggs -Multi family composed of 6

single pair crosses

1000 eggs

Single crosses will be made and all eggs collected

1000 eggs from each female will be combined to make a

multi-family.

1000 eggs1000 eggs 1000 eggs 1000 eggs 1000 eggs

Additional eggs will remain at the FCCL for production and research

Sub-populations of MFGs transported to LSNFH, as backup population

4000 eggs 2000 eggs 7000 eggs 0 eggs 4000 eggs1000 eggs

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Fecundity of 1Fecundity of 1--yr olds vs. 2yr olds vs. 2--yr oldsyr olds

y = 0.0001x3.8103

R2 = 0.871

01,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,000

10,000

50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

1-year old delta smelt2-year old delta smelt

Fecu

ndity

(# e

ggs p

er fe

mal

e)

Fork length (mm)

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2008 2008 –– “take” restrictions“take” restrictionsBY 2006 Natural Origin Fish (NOR) BY 2006 Natural Origin Fish (NOR)

No genetic information on NOR delta smeltNo genetic information on NOR delta smeltTypically annual fishTypically annual fish

Spawning pedigree (Fisch and May)Spawning pedigree (Fisch and May)Change in protocol Change in protocol

Decrease risk of inbreedingDecrease risk of inbreedingMaintain genetic diversityMaintain genetic diversity

Spawning ProtocolsSpawning Protocols

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Monitor status Monitor status & stage of & stage of broodfishbroodfish

Sort for ripe Sort for ripe females, malesfemales, males

Artificial Spawning of Delta SmeltArtificial Spawning of Delta Smelt

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Removal of gametesRemoval of gametes

Artificial Spawning of Delta SmeltArtificial Spawning of Delta Smelt

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Artificial Spawning of Delta SmeltArtificial Spawning of Delta Smelt

InIn--vitro vitro fertilizationfertilization

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Incubation of smelt eggsIncubation of smelt eggs

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Documenting single pair crossesDocumenting single pair crosses

Caudal fin clipsCaudal fin clipsGenomic Genomic

Variation LabVariation Lab

Length & weightLength & weight

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Single paired crosses made this seasonSingle paired crosses made this season

200 single pair crosses (full200 single pair crosses (full--sib crosses)sib crosses)

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12/4/07 1/13/08 2/22/08 4/2/08 5/12/08

Fecu

ndity

(#eg

gs p

er fe

mal

e)

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0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12/4/07 1/13/08 2/22/08 4/2/08 5/12/08

Fecu

ndity

(#eg

gs p

er fe

mal

e)

Single paired crosses made this seasonSingle paired crosses made this season

Second spawning events were observedSecond spawning events were observed

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0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12/4/07 1/13/08 2/22/08 4/2/08 5/12/08

Fecu

ndity

(#eg

gs p

er fe

mal

e)

Single paired crosses made this seasonSingle paired crosses made this season

Third spawning eventsThird spawning events

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0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12/4/07 1/13/08 2/22/08 4/2/08 5/12/08 6/21/08

Fecu

ndity

(#eg

gs p

er fe

mal

e)

Single paired crosses made this seasonSingle paired crosses made this season

Fourth spawnsFourth spawns

29

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

12/4/07 1/23/08 3/13/08 5/2/08 6/21/08 8/10/08

1st spawn2nd spawn3rd spawn4th spawn

Num

ber o

f fem

ales

spaw

ned

per d

ay

Spawning FrequencySpawning Frequency

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MultiMulti--family groupsfamily groups

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

2/2/08 2/22/08 3/13/08 4/2/08 4/22/08 5/12/080

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Num

ber

of e

ggs p

er M

FG

Num

ber

of S

PC p

er M

FG

44 multi44 multi--family groups, 2000family groups, 2000--7000 eggs per MFG7000 eggs per MFG

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Sampling of multiSampling of multi--familiesfamilies

Sample progeny of each MFGSample progeny of each MFGNewly hatched larvaeNewly hatched larvae50 days post hatch50 days post hatch100 days post hatch100 days post hatch

30 samples per SPC30 samples per SPCi.e. 6 SPC i.e. 6 SPC sample 180 fish sample 180 fish

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Breeding plan 2009 Breeding plan 2009 --

update update

Diversity of wild brood stock conservedDiversity of wild brood stock conservedHow many MFG’s do we really have?How many MFG’s do we really have?

Number of single pair crosses needed for an Number of single pair crosses needed for an effective population size?effective population size?Number and size of Multifamily groups?Number and size of Multifamily groups?

Can they be separated?Can they be separated?

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Establishing a pedigreeEstablishing a pedigree

Prioritize favorable crosses among MFGPrioritize favorable crosses among MFGVerify parent DNA at spawning to confirm Verify parent DNA at spawning to confirm which single pair crosses to keep. which single pair crosses to keep.

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FCCL FCCL ––

future plans beyond 2008future plans beyond 2008

BroodfishBroodfishSpawn successive generationsSpawn successive generationsAugment captive population with wild fishAugment captive population with wild fish

Address domestication selection:Address domestication selection:Tank effects, feeding, growth rate, predation, Tank effects, feeding, growth rate, predation, darker pigmentation, environmental conditions darker pigmentation, environmental conditions and tolerances and tolerances

Refuge facilityRefuge facilityPhase 1 Phase 1 –– nearly completed, nearly completed, Phase 2 Phase 2 –– planning for expansionplanning for expansion

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FCCL Staff: Julie Belo, Josh Bunge, Elizabeth Butler, FCCL Staff: Julie Belo, Josh Bunge, Elizabeth Butler, Luke Ellison, Kelly Hamby, Theresa Rettinghouse, Luke Ellison, Kelly Hamby, Theresa Rettinghouse, Dagmara Saini, Galen Tigan, Sophia Wan, Hannah Dagmara Saini, Galen Tigan, Sophia Wan, Hannah ZlabZlab

DWR: Field Division StaffDWR: Field Division Staff

UCD: Katie Fisch, Bernie May, Raul PiedrahitaUCD: Katie Fisch, Bernie May, Raul Piedrahita

USFWS: Bob Clarke, Scott Hamelberg, John Rueth, USFWS: Bob Clarke, Scott Hamelberg, John Rueth, Don CamptonDon Campton

Funding: DWR, IEP, CALFED, and SWBFunding: DWR, IEP, CALFED, and SWB

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements