Through the Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring (MSIM) Project, Iowa State University and the Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau have a partnership to sample small streams throughout the state for fish diversity. John Olson coordinated the efforts this year using backpack electroshocking units and the assistance of enthusiastic MSIM technicians.
Through their efforts this fall, the crews documented several rare fish species such as the trout-perch, pirate perch, and grass pickerel, while bolstering our knowledge of stream fish communities in Iowa. Although many people call any small fishes "minnows", Iowa's small streams can harbor dozens of different species of darters, chubs, shiners, suckers, catfish and many other overlooked small fish species.
John and the crews were able to sample 18 different small streams in 2017 and captured fishes with names like tadpole madtom, brook lamprey, warmouth, and creek chub.