This is a grant to support the continuation of the Fishes of Texas Program. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and their recipient, University of Texas at Austin, manage the Fishes of Texas program and the Native Fish Conservation Network (NFCN). This funding will support staff (i.e., research associate) operations that are required for continued stewardship of these important resources that are utilized by state and federal agencies as well as private and academic institutions. This effort has five main Objectives:
For Objective 1, the research associate will compile and collate all research, monitoring, and restoration projects conducted within the 20 Texas Native Fish Conservation Areas (NFCAs) since the initiation of the program in 2015, and update the status of those projects in the project web portal.
For Objective 2, the research associate will organize and, in coordination with TPWD, host webinars and workshops for NFCAs located in the Southern Great Plains, Chihuahuan Desert, and Edwards Plateau.
For Objective 3, the research associate will update and refine Conservation Plans for the referenced NFCAs relative to conservation needs and priorities identified in the webinars and workshops.
For Objective 4, the research associate will adapt the content from the conservation planning webinars and workshops to be integrated into the next update of the Texas State Wildlife Action Plan as well as make it available for use for funding allocations through the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.
For Objective 5, the research associate will summarize relevant information on conservation status of Texas freshwater fishes and adapt it for use in the revision of the Texas State lists of Threatened and Endangered Freshwater Fishes.
