Fish reintroduced into Sligo Creek

Friends of Sligo Creek (FoSC) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reintroduced six species of fish into Sligo Creek on May 1.

Prior to the event, there were only 11 fish species living in Sligo Creek, but, as of May 1, six more species were reintroduced, including 150 rosyside dace, five longnose dace, 20 silver jaw minnows, 65 tessalated darters, 40 fantail darters and one common shiner. All in all, approximately 300 more fish were relocated.

Several FoSC volunteers, DEP officials, families in the Silver Spring area, a Gazette photographer and writer and Montgomery County Councilman Tom Perez came to the event. At around 8:30 a.m., DEP biologists and 11 FoSC members collected the fish from the Northwest Branch while others picked up trash and weeded garlic mustard plants. As part of the festivities, school children also colored a sign that said "Welcome Home Fish." Then, at 12:20 p.m., the fish were transferred into buckets to be released into the creek near the Dennis Avenue Recreation Center.

DEP representatives Keith Van Ness, a senior aquatic biologist, and Diane Davis, Planning Specialist III for the Watershed Management Division, were both involved in the fish release. Davis was particularly active in promoting the event while Van Ness headed the project and helped collect the fish on May 1.

Ann Hoffnar, FoSC Co-President, said that as long as the fish survive, the reintroduction was a success. "If they live, then the Creek's better," said Hoffnar. "[FoSC and the DEP] are hoping that they've done enough so that the fish might live. This is just a test. They will continue to do various improvements." In the upcoming months, DEP will monitor the future health of the creek and fish, and FoSC hopes to set up monitoring groups as well.

For more information, check out this Silver Chips article.