E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

NPS Fisheries Program Updates:

Humpback chub translocations

Brian Healy

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Grand Canyon National Park
Cooperators

•Funded by Reclamation, NPS, USGS
Background – Humpback Chub 

Translocations

 USFWS 1994 Biological Opinion – Establish a 2nd

“Spawning Aggregation” of humpback chub

 Valdez et al. 2000 – Developed plan for establishing 

second population of humpback chub in Grand 

Canyon

 Cons. Measure: USFWS 2008 Biological Opinion –

tributary humpback chub translocations

 USFWS 2011 Biological Opinion
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Background – Humpback Chub 

Translocations

Valdez et al. 2000:

 Options Considered:

 Expand existing mainstem/metapopulation – achieved 

with Temperature Control Device

 Tributaries – translocate from the LCR

 Tributary and Mainstem – initially dropped from 

consideration 

 Tributaries considered:

 Havasu and Shinumo

 Bright Angel excluded due to “large number of 

predators.......”
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Background – Humpback Chub 

Translocations
Translocations - Current Efforts

 Translocations of Juvenile Humpback Chub from the 

Little Colorado River to Shinumo and Havasu Creeks

 Bright Angel Creek? 

 Continuing trout control

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Translocation Goals

 Experimental

 Establish 2nd Spawning Population in Grand Canyon

 Provide rearing habitat for Juvenile Humpback Chub

 Augmentation of Colorado River Aggregations
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Grand Canyon – Translocation Sites
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Translocation – Evaluation

 Questions:

Will Translocated Humpback Chub:

1. Survive/remain?

2. Grow?

3. Reproduction?

4. Contribution to the Maintem Aggregations?

 Field Monitoring Framework:

 Twice per year

 Mark-recapture (all fish PIT-tagged at release)

 “Apparent” Survival Estimates

 Population Estimates

 Remote PIT tag Antenna - Emigration (Shinumo only)

Joe Tomellari
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Tributary Translocations

Shinumo Creek:

 302 in June 2009

 300 in June 2010

 300 in June 2011

Havasu Creek:

 242 in June 2011

 300 in May 2012

 300 planned for May 2013

Melissa Trammell/NPS
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Apparent Survival – Havasu Creek

 Latest Estimates:

 Havasu – October 2012

 2011 cohort only

 Monthly: 0.94 (0.93 – 0.95)

 Annual: 0.49 (0.41 – 0.56)

 2012 cohort: too few sampling 

occasions (only October 2012)

Amy Martin Photos
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Apparent Survival – Shinumo Creek

 Latest Estimates:

 Shinumo – 1 year after release

 2009 cohort: 0.22 

 2010 cohort: 0.23

 2011 cohort: 0.41
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Population Estimates – Havasu Creek

 Once/year: May

 Translocated and Non-translocated Humpback Chub 
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Population Estimates - Shinumo 

 Twice/year: June and September (2010-2012) 

300 300
Growth –

Robinson and Childs 2001 : LCR Growth
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Growth –
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Growth –
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Reproduction?

 Shinumo 2012: 

 No ripe fish

 82 fish (of 179) > 199 mm

 Havasu 2012:

 6 ripe males (7 total)

 74 fish (of 206) > 199 mm
 48% as of April, 2012

 38% of 2011 cohort

 Antenna efficiency:

??

• In progress: 2012 analysis

Emigration - Shinumo
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Will Translocations Augment Colorado River 

Humpback Chub Aggregations?

 See Bill Persons/Randy VanHaverbeke –

GCMRC/USFWS
Reports/Publications 

 Spurgeon (2012) Masters thesis. University of 

Missouri

 Spurgeon et al. (In Prep). Translocations of large river 

fishes: implications for conservation of endangered 

humpback chub. 

 Trammell et al. 2012. Humpback chub translocation to 

Havasu Creek, Grand Canyon National Park: 

implementation and monitoring plan. NPS Natural 

Resource Report Series. 

 Spurgeon et al. (In review). Settlement of humpback 

chub into novel food webs: considering species 

interactions in translocation studies. Journal of 

Aquatic Biology. 
Questions?
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Growth

Havasu Creek (5-months – 2011)

13.8 mm/30d (0.46 mm/day)

Little Colorado River : 

8.8 mm/30d (0.29 mm/day)

(Robinson and Childs 2001)