Translocation as a conservation tool: case studies from rare freshwater fishes in Scotland

The use of translocation of animals to an ecosystem to which they are not native as a conservation strategy is controversial, but may be the only choice where in situ intervention is not possible. This strategy has been used to establish conservation refuge site populations for three important species of rare freshwater fishes in Scotland. Eleven translocations have been initiated over the last four decades in Scotland, five of these have resulted in the successful establishment of conservation refuges populations of Arctic charr, powan and vendace. The outcome of the remaining six is not yet certain. The approach taken has enabled the protection of, not only important species, but also of the considerable and discrete between-population diversity in phenotype and genotype that is found in these species.