Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 54

STAYING ALIVE:
High Survival Rates for Clarion River
Translocated Freshwater Mussels
by Marilyn Can
Master's Biology Candidate
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
F
reshwater mussels are one of the most imperiled
groups of organisms in the world. In Pennsylvania,
13 of our 67 species are federally endangered or
threatened. Part of the solution is reestablishing mussel
populations. Between 2015 and 2018, the Pennsylvania
Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), Western
Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), United States Forest
Service (USFS), and others methodically translocated and
collected data on 37,518 mussels moved into the Clarion
River from the Allegheny River in what was the largest
relocation of mussels in the Pennsylvania history. My
job was to take information, collect new data, and help
determine what it means.
Backstory
The Clarion River was deemed lifeless in 1909 when
various sources of pollution caused its waters to run
" black like ink " . Environmental regulations have since
led to improved water quality and scattered reports of
Clarion River mussel detections since 1993. The mussel
observations likely came about from baitfish hitchhikers,
54
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater
photo-Marilyn Can
because Piney Dam on the lower Clarion River acts as
a barrier between the Clarion River and mussel-rich
Allegheny River.
About this hitchhiking: Mussels are unique, obligate
parasites on fish. Each mussel has a variety of host
fish species that its larvae must attach to in order to
transform into juveniles and drop off. Fish become
vessels for spreading and expanding mussel populations.
In turn, mussel beds filter the water and stabilize the
stream bottom, engineering a better habitat for fish
and other critters. Mussels and our interests align-any
waterway with mussels is a place worth recreating,
as mussels indicate stream health, clean water, and a
stronger ecosystem.
Helping mussels helps us, and there was a prime
opportunity to save mussels and establish mussel
communities in the Clarion River. Allegheny River
mussels faced risks from planned bridge and pipeline
construction, so these projects served as a source of
mussels to repopulate the Clarion River. Since mussel
translocation, the PFBC, WPC, and USFS have carefully
monitored their survival and growth. This performance
data is vital to mussel conservation, as long-term studies
are lacking, especially in Pennsylvania.
For my master's thesis at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania (IUP), I had the opportunity to contribute
to the ongoing monitoring of these translocated mussels.
I analyzed, surveyed, and monitored data, examined
fishandboat.com

http://www.fishandboat.com

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022

Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 32
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 34
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 54
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 56
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 57
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 63
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - 64
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - May/June 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20240102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20231112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20221112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20211112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/201780102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20121112
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com