The Brook Floater Working Group

The Working Group

The Brook Floater Working Group (BFWG) is a collection of 39 representatives from 3 federal and 14 state agencies and 4 academic institutions. Our group is diverse and includes funded and unfunded representatives from partner states (see map) who specialize in mussel ecology/conservation and technical advisors that specialize in mussel survey methods, propagation and decision science.

Goals

Our primary objective is to increase range wide cooperative conservation efforts and strategic planning towards reducing further population losses and defining approaches for the recovery of Brook Floater throughout the species range from Georgia to Nova Scotia. 

1.We assess the status of Brook Floater within states by implementing the Brook    Floater Rapid Monitoring Assessment Protocol (Sterrett et al. 2018)

2.We assess the feasibility of increasing mussel propagation capacity in the Northeast.

3.We build upon an existing USFWS Brook Floater genomic database by contributing previously unsampled populations using a standardized collection protocol.

4.We work with state partners to develop consistent and coordinated monitoring at the state and regional scales to understand status and changes in Brook Floater populations throughout their range. 

Mode of Operation

The coordination, communication, and facilitation of the BFWG will be handled primarily by the BFWG Leadership team. We communicate as a group through teleconferences by also through email and other online resources. This project will require many challenging decisions. Significant decisions about the direction of the project are agreed upon by all BFWG members. All BGWG members are dedicated and accountable to consistent and thoughtful participation in discussions about Brook Floater.