USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

   

Current Status:

The little-wing pearly mussel faces water quality degradation resulting from industrial and sewage effluents and the runoff of silt and other water pollutants from poorly designed construction, development, mining, agricultural, and forestry activities. Further, the spread of the exotic zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) represents a potential threat to the survival of this species. Zebra mussels outcompete native mussel fauna, and infestations in the water column can physically disrupt normal breeding and feeding behavior.

Achievements:

Although little measurable progress has been made in establishing new mussel populations or in stabilizing existing populations, substantial recovery efforts for all the State's federally listed mussels are under way. Research is continuing on maintaining captive mussel populations, mussel cryopreservation, and potential impacts of the exotic zebra mussel on native mussels.

Current Recovery Needs:

Recovery of the little-wing pearly mussel will require additional research to develop new propagation techniques, reintroduction into unoccupied historical habitat, and determination of the factors that are causing declines in the wild. Also, technology is needed for cryopreservation of freshwater mussel genetic material.

Section 6 Funding and Activities:

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries received $18,983 in FY 1991 and $30,716 in FY 1992 to assess the health of mussel and fish communities in upper Tennessee River tributaries and conduct mussel reintroduction research.

Partnerships

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries: Responsible for managing the State's mussel population and maintaining a geographic data base on mussel distribution, the Department provides valuable information on the distribution of federally listed mussels. Through its environmental review process and site surveys, the Department helps protect these species and has funded a study to develop techniques to maintain captive mussel populations. The agency is also developing a pilot project to educate residents living along an important mussel stream on the importance of protecting aquatic resources.

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation: This State agency is responsible for maintaining a geographic data base on mussel distribution and conducts surveys to identify the distribution and abundance of native mussels.

The Nature Conservancy: This private organization has an active land protection program in the upper Tennessee River system and an office that provides public education on the value of aquatic resources. The Conservancy works with government agencies to coordinate programs benefitting mussels and with landowners to protect riparian habitat.

Recovery Plan Status:

Plan approved 9/22/89.