OKRMT FISH KILL TRAINING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS Wes Watkins Center Stillwater, OK April 7, 2015

MODULE IV

Parkhill Creek Fish Kill Case Study Example

Kills often reported first to game wardens oGame warden to local biologist oBiologist to Supervisor --- Supervisor to

ODEQ and to Tribes after confirmation of a fish kill

Biologist and Supervisor go on-site to investigate Do we have a fish kill? What is a fish kill?? o One fish, 20, 30…..One species, 2, 10…..Other

aquatic organisms?? o Explainable reasons for dead fish that are not

environmentally or sportfishing related???

Fish Kill determined!!

ODEQ -- General public reporting number

Investigation begins oDivide and conquer o Look for the obvious o Look for the start of the kill o Look for the end of the kill if readily discernible oPay attention to odors….colors oNote the condition of the fish…bulging eyes…color of gills oNote the locations…high in the weeds, on the bank oNote the amount of decay…..signifying how long ago did the

kill first occur o Take GPS coordinate of important locations…beginning and

end…source of contaminate….any oddities ODEQ field representative calls me to discuss oDetermined likely cause was nursery pollutant

Further discussion reveals Department of Agricultural is responsible for nurseries o Take water samples above and below the suspected

spill/inflow/release etc. oBe timely with the collection

Additional information oVisit with passersbys and landowners oAre there any noticeably missing species? oNote anything that is strange or out of the ordinary o Take notes. You will not remember what you think you will

oNotes will become evidence if you have to go to court oAvoid personal comments

Sizing It Up… First responder oNot expected to do a complete count

oChanging Conditions o You may have the only opportunity to document

o Important to document what you see acting in your role as a first responder o Take good pictures with some close-ups oCount how many representative ‘piles’ of fish you

see but don’t photograph o If possible measure a few representative fish for

reference Take good notes

How many fish?

Fish Count

Summary Be quick but be thorough Report as soon as you document the kill Document with detailed pictures, even with

your smart phone Take water samples if possible Take good notes Ask neighbors and passers by

Questions?

Jim Burroughs Jim.burroughs@odwc.ok.gov

Oklahoma Kill Response Management Team

Fish Kill Response for First Responders

Fish Identification

April 7, 2015

Expectations Very basic skillset (A.M. Radio version) oSmall number of species (or groups) oVery basic identification oCorrelated to groupings on fish kill

report form oField cheat-sheet (brochure/flip cards)

will be available

Fish Kill Report Form

May be revised

Fish ID Guide

Example

Identification Assistance Several individuals/groups of individuals

competent in fish identification oConservation Commission oODWC oOWRB oODEQ oUniversities

Catfish Anatomy

Dorsal Fin Adipose Fin Caudal Fin/Tail

Anal Fin

Pelvic Fin Pectoral Fin

Barbels

Scaly Fish Anatomy

Spinous Dorsal Fin Soft Dorsal Fin

Caudal Fin

Anal Fin Caudal Peduncle

Pelvic Fin Pectoral Fin

Lateral Line

Individuals Vary Flathead Catfish Flathead Catfish

Fish Groups to Cover Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted) Catfish (Blue, Channel, Flathead, Bullhead,

Madtoms) Crappie (Black and White) Sunfish (Bluegill, Green, Longear, etc.) Common Carp Shad (Gizzard, Threadfin, etc.) Minnows (less than 3 inches) Unknown Other?

Largemouth Bass

Jaw extends behind eye

Deep notch

Dark band

Irregular spots

Spotted Bass

Shallow Notch Horizontal Row of Dark Spots

Caudal Spot Tooth Patch on

Tongue

Sides plain or vertical bars

Shallow notch Cheek bars

Smallmouth Bass

Catfish

Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus

Deeply forked caudal fin

Free adipose fin Upper jaw protruding beyond lower

Randomly scattered spots

(or none)

Short base, rounded margin

Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus

Wedge shaped head, upper jaw projects beyond lower

Deeply forked caudal

No black spots Anal fin outer margin straight, long base

Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris

Mottled body

Head flattened between the eyes

Squared caudal fin

Projecting lower jaw Free Adipose Fin

Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis

Whitish chin barbels

Free adipose fin

Straight or rounded caudal fin margin

Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas

Gray or black chin barbels

Free adipose fin

Almost square or slightly notched caudal fin

Madtoms

Adnate (connected) Adipose Fin

Small – Generally <4 inches

Crappie

Faint vertical bars

6 anal spines

6 dorsal spines Small head, large mouth

White Crappie

7-8 dorsal spines

Black Crappie

Irregular blotching

Sunfish

Longear Bluegill

Green

Redear Warmouth

3 Anal spines

Elongated opercular flap

Small mouth

Short, rounded pectoral fin

Dark blotch in soft dorsal fin

Small mouth

Long, pointed pectoral fin

Large mouth

Dark blotch on soft dorsal

Short, rounded pectoral fin

Longear Sunfish

Bluegill Sunfish

Green Sunfish

Common Carp Cyprinus carpio

Long dorsal fin

2 pairs of barbels

Shad

Deep bodied, compressed Filamentous posterior dorsal fin ray

Blueish to green above with silvery or white sides

Gizzard Shad

Threadfin Shad

Terminal mouth

Chin speckled with black pigment

Caudal fin yellow in life

Blunt snout overhangs

subterminal mouth

Minnows

Common Minnows

Brandon Brown

Fathead minnow

Red shiner

Golden shiner

Livebearer - Mosquitofish

Brandon Brown

Darters

Brandon Brown

Brandon Brown Brandon Brown

Orangethroat Darter Orangebelly

Darter

Logperch

Redfin Darter

Fantail Darter

Gars Prominent broad snout, top of

head spotted Spotted Gar

Shortnose Gar

Short, broad snout

Snout and body without regular spots

Longnose Gar Snout long and slender ;

few spots, head and snout without spots

Suckers

Deep-bodied Sucker

Round-bodied Sucker

River Carpsucker

Smallmouth Buffalo

Deep-bodied Suckers

Semicircular Subopercle Bone

Subtriangular Subopercle Bone

Round-bodied Suckers

Very small scales Pappilose

Lips

White Sucker

Northern Hogsucker

Round-bodied Suckers Spotted Sucker

Lips Grooved

Dark spot at base of each

scale

Black Redhorse

Golden Redhorse

True Bass White Bass Longitudinal dark

stripes broken

Longitudinal dark stripes solid

Deeper body

Spinous and soft dorsal separate

Striped Bass

Redfin Pickerel

Ducklike beak

Banded Sculpin

Freshwater Drum

Blunt snout, subterminal

mouth

Lateral line

High arching back

Diamond shaped caudal fin

Paddlefish

Paddle-shaped snout

Heterocercal caudal fin (Shark-like)

Fish Kill Report Form

May be revised

Fish ID Guide

Example

Contact Information

brooks.tramell@conservation.ok.gov

Threatened and Endangered Species

Curtis Tackett – Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Federally Listed Aquatic Species in Oklahoma (5 fish, 5 mussels)

Leopard Darter - Threatened Arkansas River Shiner - Threatened Neosho Madtom - Threatened Ozark Cavefish - Threatened Arkansas Darter - Candidate Ouachita Rock Pocketbook - Endangered Rabbitsfoot Mussel - Threatened Scaleshell Mussel - Endangered Winged Mapleleaf - Endangered Neosho Mucket - Endangered

Leopard Darter Percina pantherina

Currently in the Little River drainage of OK and AR

In OK it is found in the Mountain Fork, Glover and Little Rivers and their larger tributaries

Occupy intermediate to larger streams in quiet pools and use riffle habitats for spawning

Arkansas River Shiner Notropis girardi

Historically was widespread throughout western OK but is now restricted to 500 miles of the Canadian River in OK, TX and NM

Inhabits large sandy bottomed rivers and is considered a habitat generalist

Can be very susceptible to changes in water quality and dewatering

Neosho Madtom Noturus placidus

Small catfish less than 3 inches in length Currently occurs in Kansas, Missouri and

Oklahoma Found in the Neosho and Spring River

drainages in Craig and Ottawa Preferred habitat is shallow riffles with

loose uncompacted gravel beds

Arkansas Darter Etheostoma cragini

Native to portions of the Arkansas River Basin

Found in the Neosho River watershed as well as the Cimarron River in western OK

Prefers medium sized streams with spring influence and vegetative cover

Ouachita Rock Pocketbook Scaleshell

Arkansia wheeleri Leptodea leptodon

Inhabits stable stream bottoms that contain gravel, sand, and other substrate materials

Inhabits the Kiamichi and Little Rivers in SE OK

Federally listed in 1991

Occupies medium to large rivers with stable channels and good water quality

Inhabits gravel and sandy stream bottoms where it can bury itself almost entirely

Known fish hosts species is drum Inhabits the Kiamichi River in SE OK Federally listed in 2001

Scaleshell Range

Neosho Mucket Rabbitsfoot

Lampsilis rafinesqueana Quadrula cylindrica

Prefers stable gravel and finer sediment in near shore and backwater habitats of small rivers

Currently found in the Neosho and upper Illinois Rivers

Requires clear streams with gravel substrate and moderate to stable flows

Currently found in the Neosho, Spring, Verdigris, and Little Rivers

Winged Mapleleaf Quadrula fragosa

Lives in medium to large sized rivers with high water quality

Currently found in the Little River in SE OK

Inhabits rivers with gravel, sand, and rubble substrates

Federally listed in 1991

Collecting T&E Species The collection of T&E species does require a permit If you are within a T&E species’ range or if a particular

T&E species is observed, report it to the USFWS immediately Currently only select individuals from certain agencies

are permitted to collect T&E species ODWC is working with the Tulsa FWS Office to create a

programmatic permit that would allow first responders to take T&E species samples since this can be a time sensitive matter if there is adequate stream flow

Conclusion There are 10 fish and mussel species that are federally listed in

Oklahoma that are found in different watersheds It is important to know the watersheds that these species occur

in so that first responders can be thinking about that as a priority If a fish kill is determined within the range of one of these

listed species then the secondary responder or coordinator will need to contact the US Fish and Wildlife Service to report “take” of a listed species Having a general idea of where these species are located

throughout the state as well as habitats they occupy can be important information for the follow up investigation

Other Wildlife Encountered During Fish Kills

Other Types of Wildlife Snakes Frogs Salamanders Turtles Birds Beavers Mussels Other types of wildlife that do not rely on water for respiration

usually indicate some sort of pollution event or disease related kill These animals could be preying upon the impacted fish and/or

mussel species or using the water for a drinking, basking, or swimming

Relic Mussel vs. Dying Mussel Mussels can be one of our best environmental indicators Usually dying mussels are not noticed until several days or

possibly even weeks after the point source kill has occurred If mussels are observed at the site of a kill it is important to try

to recognize if these are dying mussels or relic shells that had succumbed to natural causes Stream needs to be clear and wadeable with shoreline access If mussel shells are picked clean of all tissue and the shell is

split open with a lot of wear then if is probably natural If shell is partially open with tissue still intact but mussel is not

behaving normally then it is probably a dying a mussel This can be difficult to determine

Relic Mussel vs. Dying Mussel

Conclusion Always be aware of other types of wildlife that

could be affected by a kill event Look for other dead wildlife as well as wildlife

in distress Be sure to note this and report this information

to the secondary responder Also be able to determine if the kill has only

impacted fish – are there other wildlife in the area that are healthy and behaving normally?

Fish Behavior and Condition

Fish behavior is directly affected by toxins and other environmental stressors therefore fish behavior and condition can give us some hints

as to what may have caused the kill.

Stressed Fish Behavior

Stressed Fish Behavior Cont.

Are Fish Gasping or Piping for Air?

Fish are at surface of water piping with mouths open

This usually indicates a drop in dissolved oxygen

Drops in DO can be a result of many different things such as algae blooms, high water temperatures, suspended solids or can relate to certain pollution events

Piping – Oxygen, Ammonia

Are Fish Lethargic or Swimming Irregularly?

Fish swimming in circles Fish swimming sideways or upside

down Are bottom dwelling species seen

swimming at the surface – non typical behavior

Are fish thrashing or are they seemingly in distress

Lethargic – Toxic Algae Swimming Irregularly – Toxic Algae,

Heavy Metals, Chemical Wastes, Pesticides, Toxins

If Fish are Dead, What are Their Condition? Bulging Eyes Bloated Body Cavities – can give some indication as to when kill occurred Physical Injuries (puncture wounds, gashes etc.) Overall Discoloration – (dark, light, patchy color) Body Covered By Substance (oil, mucus film, algae, etc.) Hemorrhaging (is body red in appearance or bleeding) o Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS?)

Questions?

Curtis Tackett Fisheries Biologist

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation curtis.tackett@odwc.ok.gov