According to researchers at Penn State, the effort to save the Chesapeake logperch is groundbreaking since there are few restoration projects of this scale aimed at preventing a species from being added to the federal endangered species list. The research team, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, has identified that the fish is a unique subspecies exclusive to the lower Susquehanna River. This further emphasizes the importance of restoring its population. The Chesapeake logperch is a small, yellow- to olive-colored fish with dark bars resembling a zebra pattern. It is typically just a few inches long, with a small mouth and a short, conical snout. It was historically found in the lower drainages of the Susquehanna and Potomac rivers, but it has not been sighted in the Potomac since the late 1930s.
To ascertain the distinctiveness of the Chesapeake logperch, Percina bimaculata, the researchers gathered thousands of logperch specimens from various locations, including the Allegheny River, Lake Erie tributaries, lower Susquehanna River, and specimens stored at the Illinois Natural History Survey from the Mississippi River drainage. They conducted comprehensive measurements and counts on the specimens, examining characteristics such as the presence of scales on the nape, pectoral fin rays, lateral-line scales, and gill rakers. The research team concluded that the Chesapeake logperch in the lower Susquehanna River and certain tributaries differs from closely related fish found in other drainages. This highlights the urgency of the project to rescue and reintroduce the fish into its native habitat.
Over the course of four years, the research group led by Jay Stauffer, a distinguished professor of ichthyology at Penn State, collaborated with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to restore the logperch population in the lower Susquehanna. The team conducted underwater snorkel surveys, capturing Chesapeake logperch and identifying their preferred habitats. The fish were collected from the Susquehanna River below Holtwood Dam in Pennsylvania, six tributaries, just below Conowingo Dam in Maryland, and the Susquehanna Flats at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Approximately 2,000 Chesapeake logperch were bred and raised in Penn State facilities before being reintroduced to suitable habitats within their historical range in the Susquehanna River drainage. The team also tagged the cultured fish for later identification and placed electronic tags on fish released into Conodoquinet Creek to monitor potential migration patterns.
The Chesapeake logperch has faced past pollution threats, but it is currently threatened by invasive fish species such as the northern snakehead, flathead catfish, and blue catfish, which are rapidly colonizing the lower Susquehanna River. The population of Chesapeake logperch has significantly declined in the river and its tributaries. Already classified as endangered in Pennsylvania and Maryland, there is a looming possibility of the Chesapeake logperch being added to the federal endangered species list. This could have detrimental consequences for the lower Susquehanna River and surrounding areas.
Stauffer believes that the effort to save the Chesapeake logperch is remarkable, particularly because there are not many restoration projects of this magnitude that aim to prevent a species from being federally listed. The motivation for such an endeavor when the fish lacks commercial or recreational value is understandable. Stauffer emphasizes the importance of preserving the biodiversity of aquatic systems, as the extinction of a species is irreversible. Despite initially considering the Chesapeake logperch project to be his final research project, Stauffer now intends to continue working on it to ensure its success.
Contributors to the research include Jonathan Freedman, a former graduate student; Douglas Fischer from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission; and Robert Criswell, retired from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
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