Assessment of Stonecat (Noturus flavus) populations in the Missisquoi and LaPlatte rivers of Vermont

Duration

June 2011 - September 2016

Narrative

Stonecat Noturus flavus are known to populate two rivers in Vermont, the Missisquoi and LaPlatte rivers located in the Lake Champlain watershed, and as such is a state listed endangered species and species of greatest conservation need. Little was known about Stonecat populations in Vermont including their abundance and other population parameters in the Missisquoi and LaPlatte rivers, distribution and habitat availability and use, and population viability and persistence. This project assessed Stonecat populations in both rivers resulting in quantifying population parameters necessary to assess risks to populations. The project identified risk assessment models that offer opportunities for further evaluation of the likelihood of sustaining Stonecat populations in Vermont in the face of possible sources of mortality.

Research Products and Activities

Peer Reviewed Publications

• Puchala, E.A., D.L. Parrish, and T.M. Donovan. 2016. Predicting the stability of endangered Stonecats (Noturus flavus) in the LaPlatte River, Vermont. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 145: 903-912. | Abstract | 

Thesis

• Puchala, E.A. 2015. The status of Stonecats (Noturus flavus) in the LaPlatte and Missisquoi rivers, Vermont. M.S. Thesis. University of Vermont, Burlington.

Presentations

• Puchala, E.A., and D.L. Parrish. Endangered stonecats in Vermont: differential mortality effects on the likelihood of sustainability. 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Little Rock, AR, 8-12 September 2013.
• Puchala, E.A., and D.L. Parrish. Modeling the potential effects of intermittent perturbations on endangered stonecats. 144th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Quebec City, Quebec, 17-22 August 2014.
• Puchala, E.A., and D.L. Parrish. Endangered stonecats in Vermont: a risk assessment approach. 145th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, Portland, Oregon, 16-21 August 2015.