Reintroducing Native Fish to Sligo 2004

written by Ann Hoffnar and Sally Gagne

Saturday May 1, 2004 about 11:00 a.m., members of Friends of Sligo Creek, children from nearby schools, and others began gathering at the Dennis Avenue Recreation Center on Sligo Creek Parkway. They were there to welcome home the fish.

Earlier that morning, Keith VanNess, Senior Aquatic Specialist for Montgomery County and four of his staff had left in a caravan of trucks with 11 members of Friends of Sligo Creek. Equipped with waders, nets and plastic drums with air bubblers, they were off to nearby Northwest Branch in search of the Creek’s former residents to bring them to Sligo.

Back at the Rec Center, kids and parents and Friends set about to make the fishes’ new home ready. They checked the water quality by seeing what bugs are in among the rocks. They pulled out invasive plants and picked up litter. The children were in charge of coloring the “Welcome Home Fish” sign.

Dorothy Jachim pulls garlic mustard from the bank.

About noon, the fish came (over 300 of them) with names like Rosyside Dace and Silverjaw Minnow.

The crowd waited excitedly while Van Ness and the other scientists helped the fish adjust to their environment: making sure the water temperature remained constant, and gradually mixing the Sligo Creek water into the buckets of Northwest Branch water.

The children were invited to reach in the tubs and “shake hands” with the fish (gently!) to welcome them.

After what seemed hours, but really was 20 minutes, VanNess and the others waded into the creek with tubs of fish, gradually submerging them so the fish could swim into the creek. Back home once again.

Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Perez watches the fish release.

The lower fish is a fantail darter and the upper one is a tesselated darter.

These newly introduced fish are more sensitive and have more specialized habitat needs than the 11 now found in the creek. If they survive, it will mean that the water quality in Sligo Creek has improved. The County and Friends of Sligo Creek will monitor during the next months and years and we are all hoping these fish thrive.

Species of fish released and the approximate count of each. Click on any image to see a larger version.

Rosyside Dace:150