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Gillnet Sampling Methods for Monitoring Status and Trends of Clear Lake Hitch in Clear Lake, Lake County, California

Open-File Report 2025-1018
Water Resources Mission Area
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
By: , , , , , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20251018

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Abstract

The Clear Lake Hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi) is a minnow endemic to Clear Lake, Lake County, California. This species is listed as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act and has been petitioned for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. In 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, initiated a Clear Lake Hitch monitoring program to generate information annually on relative abundance and size structure. The monitoring program was organized around a conceptual life cycle diagram, focused on life stages approximately ≥1 year of age, and incorporated a probabilistic study design involving approximately 10 days of short-duration (approximately 40 minutes) gillnet sampling undertaken during daytime. This report documents monitoring program activities from 2017 to 2023 and presents the results of an evaluation of the monitoring program. The evaluation was done after the 2023 sampling event, following 6 years of implementation, which is the approximate generation cycle of Clear Lake Hitch. The results of the evaluation indicated the following: (1) gillnets used in the monitoring program were effective at capturing Clear Lake Hitch aged 1 year or more; (2) the study design was effective at generating the information needed to characterize Clear Lake Hitch relative abundance and size structure, and meaningful operational efficiencies can be obtained by implementing simple changes; and (3) future sampling can be scaled to approximately 4–7 days of effort and maintain at least 80-percent confidence in detecting at least a 25-percent change in abundance, assuming past work productivity is maintained and future data are typical of previous data.

Suggested Citation

Feyrer, F., Young, M.J., Huntsman, B., Violette, V., Clause, J.K., Buxton, J., Palm, D., Wulff, M., Gronemyer, J., and Santana, L., 2025, Gillnet sampling methods for monitoring status and trends of Clear Lake Hitch in Clear Lake, Lake County, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2025–1018, 26 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20251018.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Study Area
  • Clear Lake Hitch Life Cycle
  • Methods
  • Results and Discussion
  • Conclusions
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Gillnet sampling methods for monitoring status and trends of Clear Lake Hitch in Clear Lake, Lake County, California
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2025-1018
DOI 10.3133/ofr20251018
Publication Date May 02, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) California Water Science Center
Description Report: viii, 26 p.; Data Release
Country United States
State California
County Lake County
Other Geospatial Clear Lake
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional publication details