Restoring a Brook Trout Metapopulation in Moore Springs Branch, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
Applicant: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Funded amount: $45,248
Other contributions: $114,272
This project will restore Brook Trout to 3.8 km (2.4 miles) of Moore Springs Branch (Twentymile watershed) in western NC within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This involves removal of non-native Rainbow Trout in 3.1 km of Moore Springs Branch using the piscicide Antimycin and translocation of roughly 600 Brook Trout per year over two years (2024 & 2025) to reestablish the species in Moore Springs Branch. There will also be pre-and post project monitoring with electrofishing.
This project not only will expand the size of a current brook trout patch, but will also restore wild brook trout to a catchment where it had been extirpated. Restoration of wild brook trout has clear and direct, measurable benefits to fishing opportunities through increases to the local brook trout population. The project lead is a known expert in brook trout translocation. There are also good monitoring and outreach components, and the project is on public land.
- Barrier 16 of Moore Springs Branch, GSMNP
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