PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has announced that a conservation partnership, of which it is a part, received a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chesapeake Watershed Investment for Landscape Defense (ChesWILD) grant. The aim is to restore freshwater mussels to the West Branch Susquehanna River.
The grant was awarded to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), which, along with the project partners, will adopt a comprehensive approach to mussel and river restoration through research, education, and community outreach. The partners include the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania at Lock Haven, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, and PFBC.
“Freshwater mussel communities are absolutely essential to healthy rivers and streams, and these restoration efforts are critical,” said Nevin Welte, Pennsylvania’s State Malacologist. He added that the project would bring a unique expertise to the table from each partner, making a significant difference in the West Branch Susquehanna River.
Despite their crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health, freshwater mussels are among the most endangered native animals in North America. A single mussel can filter up to three gallons of water per day, contributing significantly to water quality. Mussels also serve as an important food source for native fish and other animals such as muskrats, otters, and racoons. However, freshwater mussel populations continue to decline due to habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species. Of the 53 species of freshwater mussels remaining in Pennsylvania, eleven are listed as threatened or endangered.
Historically, the West Branch watershed hosted a thriving mussel community before extensive coal mining and logging in the 1800s and early 1900s introduced pollution. Improved regulations and conservation efforts have significantly treated legacy sources of pollution, leading to improved water quality that now supports recreational angling.
Starting in 2024, the ChesWILD grant study will focus on freshwater mussel restoration upstream of the low head dam in the City of Lock Haven, Clinton County. As the dam prevents natural mussel restoration, the team will collect mussels to serve as broodstock for hatchery operations.
The public can contribute to the project by participating in a mussel tagging event during one of the environmental education days to be held at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania’s Lock Haven campus. The project will also offer hands-on opportunities for local conservation organizations and schools to participate in mussel-focused classroom programs.
VIDEO – Stocking Pennsylvania-Raised Mussels
Mussels in certain waterways of western Pennsylvania have endured extensive environmental damage for more than a century. However, in 2017, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) stepped in to lend a helping hand.
PFBCÂ brought reinforcements to Dunkard Creek in Greene County, located on the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border. The PFBC grew these mussels at the Union City Aquatic Conservation Center (UC ACC), which was transformed from a State Fish Hatchery and equipped with mussel propagation systems using funds from a settlement related to a fish and mussel kill incident in 2009.
In October 2022, with assistance from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Commission relocated nearly 500 juvenile Plain Pocketbook and Fatmucket Mussels to their new home in Dunkard Creek.
Over the next year, the Commission cultivated and stocked an additional 40,000 mussels to revitalize mussel populations and enhance waterways throughout the state. The PFBC has high hopes for future stockings, aiming for larger numbers of mussels, a greater variety of species, and ultimately, the recovery of endangered and threatened species within the state.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.