French Creek study on freshwater mussels, invasive species receives $53K grant

Sean P. Ray, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

May 18—A study focusing on fresh water mussels native to French Creek and the effect of invasive fish species on them has received a $50,000-plus grant from state government.

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, located in Pittsburgh, received $53,083 out of a total $320,866 in grant funding sent out by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The funding awards were announced on Friday.

Mary Walsh, aquatic zoology coordinator for the conservancy, said French Creek is a "wonderful place" for freshwater mussels, with 29 species of the animal documented.

However, the introduction of the round goby into the area is a cause for concern, as the fish is known to eat mussels. Round goby are native to eastern Europe, such as from the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. They began showing up in the Great Lakes region in the 1990s and have spread into other nearby waterways such as French Creek.

"They were thought to have been brought to the Great Lakes through ballast water introduction," Walsh said.

They first appeared in the French Creek Watershed at Lake LeBoeuf, located in Erie County. Walsh said it is likely they were brought over to the watershed through people dumping out their bait buckets after fishing.

Walsh said the project will be aimed at getting some "baseline information" about the status of mussels in the creek, such as their population numbers and genetic diversity.

The conservancy will be partnering with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and potentially Allegheny College for the project.

"There's some ongoing research into round goby in French Creek that both of those entities are working on," she said.

The exact grant amount to the conservancy was $53,083. DCNR's grants were issued through the Wild Resource Conservation Program and benefited nine projects across Pennsylvania, with an aim toward non-game animals, native plants and their habitats.

Walsh said the conservancy will likely undertake the project from July through September this year.

Sean P. Ray can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at .