Orangespotted Sunfish - Management Recommendations

Management Recommendations

This species is not as vulnerable to human induced change as most freshwater fish. The orangespotted sunfish lives in lakes largely surrounded by agricultural areas, so collaboration between managers, farmers and other watershed managing organizations in the region is necessary. Watershed disorders, such as increased sedimentation and turbidity, must be addressed first by management planners when designing a plan for Lepomis humilis. Not much data has been collected on the changes of floodplain waters, and more is needed to fully understand the needs of the orangespotted sunfish before management can be implemented. One solution to decrease lake sedimentation is through a process of ‘lake drawdowns,’ which are installed by managers to compact sediments and controlled by pumps. The drawdowns mimic pre-dam conditions that would naturally harden and compact sediment. This process can be expensive, but it has already been implemented by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Swan lake of Illinois through their habitat rehabilitation and enhancement project (HREP). Seasonal drawdowns can increase river connectivity and has been seen to increase habitat for L. humilis populations. Water pollution by energy plants, such as the one monitored by TDEC, is a long-term problem that will have to be taken into account by managers for many years. More studies should be done in all documented locations of L. humilis to assess the current population assemblages, and to track any future changes that occur. Monitoring can be done through the use of nets or electrofishing to measure population densities. At present, no lands need to be protected for this non-endangered fish, but careful consideration should be taken if new damns are created that fragment the orangespotted sunfish’s habitat.