Please join us for the BAE weekly seminar 

Tuesday, October 21, 1:10  2:00 pm, 2045 Bainer Hall 

Topic: "Protecting a small fish while moving lots of water in California: strategy and development of the refuge population and diverse research topics" 

Presenters: 

Joan Lindberg, Ph.D. 
Director, Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory 
Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering 

Tien-Chieh Hung, Ph.D. 
Assistant Director, Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory 
Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering 

Abstract 
Delta Smelt are small, silvery fish endemic to the upper San Francisco Estuary in northern California. They have gained notoriety over the past decade, as their principal habitat is caught in a battle between protecting natural aquatic resources and providing Californians with ample water. Delta Smelt were listed as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act in 2009. As the risk of extinction for the species increased, actions were taken to bring a portion of the wild population into captivity, a refuge, for conservation management of the Delta Smelt at the Fish Conservation and Culture Lab (FCCL). The refuge population program was founded in 20072008, and fish culture efforts have developed rapidly in conjunction with genetic management (Genetic Variation Lab, UC Davis) of the refuge population. The FCCL also puts significant effort toward research. Experiments are developed that yield both basic and applied results, and that can benefit fish culture methods. Some of the on-site projects and collaborative research topics will be introduced in this talk. 

Coffee and cookies will be served.