Pacific Fishers: In the Field

Defenders has taken an active part in supporting and advocating for science-based recovery that includes comprehensive feasibility analysis.

Comprehensive feasibility analysis takes into account:

  • the ability of source populations to withstand withdrawals
  • suitability of habitat for reintroduction
  • adequate monitoring and adaptive management to ensure that the maximum amount of information is gained from any reintroduction effort.

Specifically, Defenders:

  • Convened a scientist workshop at the 2004 Carnivore Conference to discuss guidelines for fisher reintroduction;
  • Worked in partnership with the FWS in 2005 to develop a facilitated workshop on barriers to fisher recovery;
  • Participated in the 2006 Fisher and Marten Conference hosted by the Western Section of the Wildlife Society.

Current efforts include:

  • Participation in the Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Plan technical committee on triggers and thresholds to discuss adaptive management’s impacts on the fisher.
  • Membership in the Stakeholder Representatives and Science Advisors for the Southern Sierra Fisher Assessment Project. The focus of this work is to analyze the current status of fisher habitat in the Sierra Nevada and to forecast likely effects of management actions such as fuel treatments and other disturbances (wildfire) on fisher habitat and populations. The ultimate products of the work will be habitat models and other tools that may be used by forest managers to assess the likely effects of forest management projects on fishers. Models of fisher habitat quality at both finer and coarser scales will be coupled with a vegetation dynamics computer model (LANDIS-II).

Past Efforts:

  • Convened a scientist workshop at the 2004 Carnivore Conference to discuss guidelines for fisher reintroduction;
  • Worked in partnership with the FWS in 2005 to develop a facilitated workshop on barriers to fisher recovery;
  • Participated in the 2006 Fisher and Marten Conference hosted by the Western Section of the Wildlife Society.