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

Non-native Fish Control 

in Tributaries:

Grand Canyon National Park

Brian Healy, Fisheries Program Manager

Clay Nelson, Fisheries Biologist

Emily Omana Smith, Fisheries Biologist

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Grand Canyon National Park

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

Cooperators

•Funded by Reclamation and NPS

•Volunteers (several thousand hours)
Trout Control Projects 

Shinumo Creek –

Rainbow Trout

Bright Angel Creek –

Rainbow and Brown Trout

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

Project Background

 Trout Control: conservation Measures for Humpback Chub 

(USFWS 2008, 2011) 

 NPS Management Policies: Exotic Species Management

Shinumo Creek

 Shinumo Creeks: Rainbow trout introduced 1920’s and 1930’s 

(US Forest Service and NPS)
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Shinumo Creek - Background

 Non-native fish control:

“Essential precursor to humpback chub translocation...” (USFWS 

2008)

 Goal: improve survival of humpback chub

 Uncertainties:

 Electro-fishing impact upon native fish/humpback chub?

 Effectiveness?
Shinumo - Methods

Electro-fishing:

 Pre-translocation

 May, June 2009

 2.8 km+ (translocation 

reach)

 Post-translocation

 2009 angling/netting 

only

 2010-2012:

 Translocation reach 

angling/netting

 Upstream: electrofishing

Joe Tomelleri Illustrations
Shinumo – Trout Control Methods

2009 Electro-fishing

 Single-pass - no 

abundance estimation

2010 – 2012 Electrofishing

 3-pass depletionabundance estimation

Angling/Netting

 No abundance 

estimation

 Beneficial Use: 

 To the extent practical

 Consumed the majority 

of trout removed

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

 Abundance/survival:

 Humpback chub and Bluehead sucker

 Mark-recapture (netting)

 Tagged Blueheads captured during electro-fishing

 Density (Electro-fishing):

 Number of fish per 500 meters

 Bluehead sucker, speckled dace, rainbow trout

 Trend analysis

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Shinumo Creek – Trout Removed

Reach/Trip Translocation Reach Upstream

Angling/ Netting Electro-fishing Electro-fishing

May/June 2009 

(pre-trans.)

292 694 0

2009 (posttrans.)45 0 0

2010 391 0 538

2011 260 0 498

2012 302 0 916

TOTAL: 1,290 694 1,952
Shinumo Creek - Results

 86-94% of RBT 

removed (2010-2012 –

electro-fishing)

 Trout capture efficiency 

related to fish size 

(range 0.38 to 0.88)

 Annual HBC/BHS 

survival

 “Apparent Survival”

 Emigration + mortality

 (Stayed + survived)

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A
Humpback Chub Survival and 

Trout Density

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

Limited 

control
Humpback Chub Survival and 

Trout Density

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

Limited 

control
Rainbow Trout Size Structure

 Spurgeon et al. in review: RBT > 200 mm more likely to 

be piscivorous
Bluehead Sucker Survival and 

Trout Density

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

No 

Data *
Bluehead Sucker Abundance

 Electro-fishing:

 Stable trend in 

upstream areas 

(electro-fishing)

 Mark-recapture:

 *Few recaptures Sept. 

2010 (No estimate)

 Decline observed

No 

* Data
Bluehead Sucker Abundance

 Electro-fishing:

 Stable trend in 

upstream areas 

(electro-fishing)

 Mark-recapture:

 *Few recaptures Sept. 

2010 (No estimate)

 Decline observed

 Fire/ash deposition?

 July 2010

 Low recruitment

 HBC lower body 

condition (Spurgeon 2012)

No 

Data
Speckled Dace Abundance

 Stable trend/slight 

increase

 M/R Annual estimate 

only: 2012 and beyond 

(June)

 SPD Mark-recapture:

= labor intensive

No 

Data

No 

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

 Efficiently remove RBT using electro-fishing

 Expect compensatory response - future control needed

 Trout abundance - appears to be related to juvenile 

humpback chub apparent survival

 Questions: 

 Higher HBC apparent survival related to low emigration?

 Actual RBT abundance in translocation reach?

 Control methods don’t appear to be impacting natives

 Humpback chub predation upon natives? (see 

Spurgeon et al. in review/poster session)

 Disturbance (fire/flood) = confounding factor?

Summary – Shinumo Creek
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

 Next steps:

 Incorporate antenna data into survival models (“true 

survival”)

 BHS recruitment/size structure

 Reports/Publications:

 In preparation. Annual Report, NPS Publication Series.

Summary – Shinumo Creek
 Bright Angel Creek: 

 Major source of Brown Trout to Grand Canyon

 Brown trout may be greater threat others

Bright Angel Creek – Background

Speas 2003

Bright Angel 

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

Bright Angel Creek Trout Reduction 

Project

 Purposes:

1. Benefit endangered humpback chub/other native 

fishes in the Colorado River.

2. Restore and enhance, to the extent feasible, native 

fishes that once flourished in Bright Angel Creek.

 Actions: Remove Brown and Rainbow Trout

1. Install and operate a weir (fish trap)

2. Electro-fishing for monitoring and removal
Background

 Potential Humpback chub translocation site (BioOPs)

 >120 Days over 16 degrees C
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Project Background

Bright Angel Creek

 2003 – Feasibility Study

 2006 – EA Completed

 2006-2007:

 Weir Installed

 Fall and Spring electrofishing

 Only Brown Trout 

Removed

 No funding

 2010-2013 – Continued 

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

Methods – Electro-fishing

 Field Methods (2010-2013):

 Backpack electro-fishing

 Multiple-pass depletion with block nets

 Count/measure all fish (release native fish alive)

 Mark bluehead suckers (PIT tag, >150 mm)

 Analysis/Evaluation:

 Calculate abundance using depletion methods (all fish)

 Trend Analysis

 Bluehead sucker survival/recruitment: Mark-recapture

 Size structure (all fish)
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Methods – Electro-fishing Effort

 Stream Length

 Through 1/8/2013

 Bright Angel Creek = 21km/13 miles

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

Results – Electro-fishing

 October 2010 – January 2012 (preliminary)

 Proportion removed (3-passes): 70 – 91% 

 Lower than Shinumo Creek (more complex habitat)
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Results – Electro-fishing

 Bluehead sucker survival: Preliminary/In progress

 Number of BHS captured/tagged:

 October 2010: 4

 January 2011: 46

 October 2011: 77

 January 2012: 63

 BHS 2011 Survival: 

 Bright Angel ~ 11% 

 Shinumo: 45-47%
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Results – Electro-fishing

 2012-13: Species composition (In progress: 1/8/13)

 Counts from data sheets (data entry incomplete)

Phantom 

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

Weir Design – 2006 - 2012
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Weir Design – 2013
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Weir Results –

 2012-13 Installed early October – operate through 

early/mid-March

 Expanded slightly to more fully encompass spawning 

periods

 Weir Captures:

 2010-11: 105 Brown trout, 107 Rainbow trout

 2011-12: 32 Brown trout, 55 Rainbow Trout

 2012-13: 145 Brown trout, 21 Rainbow trout (through 

December, in progress)
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Phantom Ranch Boat Beach, circa 1911 

Questions? 
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

Brown Trout 2010

Brown Trout Length Frequency

0

2

4

6

8

10

200240280320360400440480520560600640

Total Length (mm)

No. Fish

Joe Tomelleri Fish Art

N = 104

Average size = 382
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Rainbow Trout 2010

Rainbow Trout Length Frequency

0

2

4

6

8

10

200240280320360400440480520560600640

Total Length (mm)

No. Fish

N = 90

Average size = 362

Joe Tomelleri Fish Art
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

Results – Weir Captures (BNT)

BAC Brown Trout Capture 10/27-1/10

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

10/27/201010/30/2010

11/2/201011/5/201011/8/2010

11/11/201011/14/201011/17/201011/20/201011/23/201011/26/201011/29/2010

12/2/201012/5/201012/8/2010

12/11/201012/14/201012/17/201012/20/201012/23/201012/26/201012/29/2010

1/1/20111/4/20111/7/2011

1/10/2011

Date

No. Fish

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Morning Water 

Temperature (C)

BNT n=104

H2O temp C
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Results – Weir Captures (RBT)

BAC Rainbow Trout Capture 10/27-1/7

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

10/27/201010/30/2010

11/2/201011/5/201011/8/2010

11/11/201011/14/201011/17/201011/20/201011/23/201011/26/201011/29/2010

12/2/201012/5/201012/8/2010

12/11/201012/14/201012/17/201012/20/201012/23/201012/26/201012/29/2010

1/1/20111/4/20111/7/2011

1/10/2011

Date

No. Fish

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Morning Water 

Temperature (C)

RBT n=90

H2O temp C
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

Trout Re-captures

Species

Length 

(mm) Tag Number

Date 

Tagged

Days at 

Large

Location 

Tagged 

(RM)

Initial 

Length

Brown Trout 390 3D9.1C2D17D301 4/1/2009 582 86.4 367

Brown Trout 330 3D9.1C2D2132F3 4/2/2009 582 88.5 263

Rainbow Trout* USGS20916 ? ? ? ?

Rainbow Trout 450 USGS13283 3/30/2009 590 60.2 402

Rainbow Trout 479 USGS20911 ? ? ? ?

Brown Trout 551 3D9.1BF1CD4EDE 5/21/2005 2018 87.4 230

Tag found in 

332mm BNT 

digestive tract 3D9.1C2D8F0483 ? ? ? ?

Brown Trout 297 3D9.1BF255F9ED 9/20/2007 1178 82.5 229

Brown Trout 296 3D9.1BF1D12101 ? ? ? ?

Brown Trout 480 3D9.1C2D3D9D7D ? ? ? ?

Rainbow Trout 295 USGS12706 ? ? ? ?
Rainbow Trout Size Structure

 Spurgeon et al. in 

review): RBT > 200 mm 

piscivorous

(or aggressive)

 Or histograms (use 

JUNE

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