Cape Fear Shiner - Conservation

Conservation

The Cape Fear shiner is only known from five different populations, two of which are extremely small and run a high risk of extinction. The other three populations are more stable and are estimated to number between 1500 and 3000 individual fish that are reproductively viable.

The Cape Fear shiner was recognized as "Endangered with Critical Habitat" on September 25, 1987 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Since 1987, the shiner has dwindled both in range and population. This fish is also protected from being captured and traded by the Lacey Act. The shiner is not believed to have had historically large populations.

This minnow has been endangered by dam construction on the Cape Fear River, which has led to the flooding and destruction of its shallow water habitat. The small number of geographically separated populations may also threaten the species’ genetic health, although a 2004 study concluded that genetic diversity was still relatively high. A deterioration of water quality due to pollution at some of the sites has also threatened the shiner. Experiments have shown that the shiner is highly sensitive to contaminating chemicals, and experts believe that the wild population of this species can be wiped out by a single toxic chemical spill.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has been working to protect this species. Some of the conservation methods used to protect this species include studying its biology in the wild and donating $16,000 in 1998 to help maintain a captive population at the North Carolina Zoo. Since the first successful captive breeding in 1997, this species has bred easily in captivity. An experiment was carried out in 2001 in which 900 captive-bred shiners were released temporarily into the wild to judge water quality at potential reintroduction sites.

In the fall of 2005, work crews began removing the Carbonton Dam, which had destroyed part of the shiner's habitat. After the work that removed the dam finished in February 2006, the lake fell back to its historic creek levels, allowing the Cape Fear Shiner to expand its range back into the area that was previously unsuitable for inhabitation because of the dam.