Brook Trout Outcome:Logic & Action Plan

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources conducts regular censuses of brook trout populations, prioritizes restoration in western Maryland, and partners with county DOTs to improve aquatic organism passage (AOP) and resiliency.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation focuses on fish passage and riparian habitat improvement projects in the Chemung and Susquehanna watersheds and conducts annual trout stream surveys.
• Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission monitors brook trout populations and identifies new populations through extensive stream sampling.
• Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources monitors brook trout distribution, maintains a Coldwater Stream Database, and partners with Trout Unlimited for restoration efforts.
• West Virginia Division of Natural Resources assesses brook trout populations with partners, maintains a Stream Fish Database, and implements a breeding and reintroduction program.
• Federal agencies support restoration efforts and conduct research on factors affecting brook trout populations, including habitat stressors, environmental changes, and competition from invasive species.  
• Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture funds management projects, updates distribution maps, and facilitates collaboration among state and federal agencies and NGOs. 

• The Maryland Department of Natural Resources conducts regular censuses of brook trout populations, prioritizes restoration in western Maryland and partners with county departments of transportation to improve aquatic organism passage and resiliency.
• The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation focuses on fish passage and riparian habitat improvement projects in the Chemung and Susquehanna watersheds and conducts annual trout stream surveys.
• The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission monitors brook trout populations and identifies new populations through extensive stream sampling.
• The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources monitors brook trout distribution, maintains a Coldwater Stream Database and partners with Trout Unlimited for restoration efforts.
• The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources assesses brook trout populations with partners, maintains a Stream Fish Database and implements a breeding and reintroduction program.
• Federal agencies support restoration efforts and conduct research on factors affecting brook trout populations, including habitat stressors, environmental changes and competition from invasive species.  
• The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture funds management projects, updates distribution maps and facilitates collaboration among state and federal agencies and NGOs.
• Track the work of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to conduct a state-wide brook trout occupation census and genetics survey and analysis in the Upper Savage River watershed and Big Pipe Creek.  
• Track the work of the Fish and Boat Commission to monitor brook trout reintroduced to Limestone Run in Pennsylvania.
• Track the work of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to monitor brook trout populations in Little Stony Creek, the North River, the St. Mary’s River and other waterways; monitor stream temperatures in several wild brook trout streams; and determine the genetic composition and health of recently established brook trout populations.

2025    

• The Brook Trout Action Team led two workshops in Pennsylvania and Maryland, titled “Blueprint for Building Partnerships and Recommendations for Scaling Brook Trout Restoration in Stronghold and Persistent Patches”.

2024

• The Brook Trout Action Team completed a GIT-funded project titled “Facilitating Brook Trout Outcome Attainability through Coordination with CBP Jurisdictions and Partners.”
• Aiman Raza (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) published thesis titled “Using Environmental DNA to Study Brook Trout Populations in the Headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay.”

2022

• Hargrove et al. published “Landscape and stocking effects on population genetics of Tennessee Brook Trout.” The study revealed significant variation in genetic diversity and hatchery introgression, with weak correlations to landscape characteristics, emphasizing the importance of genetic data for informed conservation management amidst complex historical influences and challenges in defining population drainages.

2021

• Completed STAC workshop, Understanding Genetics for Successful Conservation and Restoration of Resilient Chesapeake Bay Brook Trout Populations.
• Rogers et al. published “A comparison of brook trout passage at road culverts to Broadscale Assessment Criteria in a Pennsylvania headwater stream.” The study found that the NAACC protocol for prioritizing culvert removals underestimated brook trout passage through certain culverts, suggesting that adjustments to emphasize culvert type and outlet characteristics could improve predictions of fish passage in stream connectivity restoration efforts.  

2019

• Incorporated data on the impacts of acid mine drainage, unconventional oil and gas development, and other habitat stressors into brook trout decision-support tools.
• Incorporated data on brook trout population genetics into brook trout decision-support tools.
• Streamlined the process through which Chesapeake Bay Program partners report on their progress toward restoring brook trout habitat.
• Reviewed and refined the documents that guide our work with new knowledge about brook trout conservation.

2018

• Informed state and local decision-makers of priority areas for brook trout conservation.
• Worked with Chesapeake Bay Program communications experts to develop strategies and products to answer state and local decision-maker requests for information.
• Used workshops and webinars to ensure brook trout decision-support tools inform state and local conservation plans.
• Explored whether eDNA can be used as a cost-saving measure in brook trout monitoring.

2017

• Identified 10 “Priority Level 1” areas for brook trout conservation. There are two areas in each of the five watershed states that are home to native brook trout.