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Identification of fish habitat hotspots for use in prioritizing conservation and restoration projects in coastal rivers

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Abstract

Coastal rivers provide habitat for fishes that have developed life-history strategies to take advantage of low salinity and high structural complexity. The coastal rivers of southeastern Florida have been ranked high for restoration at a national scale by conservationists because of the great potential for projects to benefit both human assets and aquatic communities. To help prioritize projects, a fisheries-independent monitoring dataset was analyzed to identify fish habitat using hotspot analysis and habitat suitability. An initial examination testing for broad seasonal changes (high vs. low freshwater inflow) in species distributions showed little change; thus, we concluded that static habitat (e.g., geomorphological features, shore types) was important for supporting fishes in this system. A river section, North Fork St. Lucie River, located 23–45 km from the river mouth and comprised of braided river channels and mangrove backwaters was a hotspot for economically important species such as common snook and red drum. The same river stretch supported a suite of regionally unique tropical species including opossum pipefish, smallscale fat snook, and bigmouth sleeper that had affinities for low salinity. Species were partitioned within this river stretch by salinity, depth, and shore type (e.g., smallscale fat snook compared to common snook used shorelines that were fresher, deeper, and had fewer mangroves). Restoration efforts can be prioritized by (1) maintaining low salinity (< 15) and reconnecting floodplains and riverine backwaters in the North Fork St. Lucie River, an area comprised of fish hotspots, and (2) exploring strategies to improve fish habitat in other areas currently less used.

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Data availability

All datasets generated or analyzed in the current study are available from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fisheries-Independent Monitoring program upon request.

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Funding

Field sampling and data analysis was supported with funds collected from the State of Florida Saltwater Fishing License sales, and US Department of the Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Aid for Sport Fish Restoration to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. Data analysis was supported by the South Florida Water Management District, Agreement 4600004103, PO 9500008189.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 8th Ave SE, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA

    Philip W. Stevens & Timothy C. MacDonald

  2. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 1220 Prospect Ave, Ste 285, Melbourne, FL, 39201, USA

    Richard Paperno

  3. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Habitat and Species Conservation, 5600 US1 N, Ft. Pierce, FL, 34946, USA

    Jeff L. Beal

  4. Ducks Unlimited, 5600 US1 N, Ft. Pierce, FL, 34946, USA

    Jeff L. Beal

  5. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 585 Prineville St, Port Charlotte, FL, 33953, USA

    H. Nathan Miller

  6. South Florida Water Management District, Applied Sciences Bureau, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL, 33406, USA

    Phyllis A. Klarmann & Christopher R. Malinowski

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  1. Philip W. Stevens
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Stevens, P.W., Paperno, R., Beal, J.L. et al. Identification of fish habitat hotspots for use in prioritizing conservation and restoration projects in coastal rivers. Environ Biol Fish 106, 221–235 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-022-01226-8

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