August CreekSpeak: How to keep an imperiled smelt alive: Lessons learned from conservation aquaculture

Thursday, August 18, 2022 7 PM via ZOOM 

Longfin smelt were once one of the most abundant fish species in the San Francisco Estuary and likely served as an important food source for predatory species. However, since the 1980s their population has declined considerably and current abundances are estimated to be 1% of historic (pre-1980s) abundances. Developing a captive culture of longfin smelt to be used as a sustainable source of research specimens and to supplement wild populations, as necessary, is one conservation management tool that has been under development since 2010. Longfin smelt have proven notoriously difficult to raise in captivity though, and high mortality during the larval stage has hindered the full development of a conservation aquaculture program. However, following changes to rearing protocols in 2019 based on the results of several physiological experiments to identify appropriate culturing conditions, survival has improved to the highest rates ever achieved, hinting at a potential breakthrough in the development of a longfin smelt conservation aquaculture program.

Join Putah Creek Council and Yuzo Yanagitsuru from NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and University of Washington, on Thursday, August 18 from 7-8pm on ZOOM to learn about his previous doctoral research on using physiology to improve conservation aquaculture of the imperiled longfin smelt.

Yuzo Yanagitsuru is a postdoctoral scholar at NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and University of Washington. He holds a Ph.D in Animal Biology from UC Davis, a M.S. in Zoology from University of Florida, and a dual B.S. in Ecology and Earth Science from UC San Diego. His research centers around using physiology to improve conservation practices for fishes and sustainability of aquaculture. 

CreekSpeak is Putah Creek Council’s six month speaker series on the nature, history, and culture of the Putah Cache Watershed, and more broadly, the state of California. CreekSpeaks take place on Zoom on the third Thursday of each month from May to November. Register for this event to learn more about how conservation aquaculture can be used in the conservation of longfin smelt.

To attend our August CreekSpeak, click Register Now! You will receive an email with information on how to attend this virtual event.

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