Welcome to the Rotenone Stewardship Program
Information Site

Fishery managers rely on a wide variety of tools for the management and assessment of fish populations to maintain diverse and productive aquatic ecosystems and high quality recreational fisheries. One of the most valuable tools is rotenone, a chemical commonly used by fishery professionals throughout North America for the past 50 years to control fish and as a sampling aid. The use of rotenone and other fish management substances is the only method, other than complete draining, that will eliminate entire populations of fishes. Complete elimination of fish is often needed to accomplish management objectives such as eradicating undesirable or exotic fish, eradicating competing fish in rearing facilities, treating drainages prior to impoundment, restoring threatened or endangered species, and eliminating fish to control diseases. Rotenone is the only sampling method that provides for an accurate estimate of diverse fish communities. Despite the continuing need for rotenone in fish management, its future availability is uncertain.

Drip cans are used to dispense rotenone in flowing water	Boats are used to dispense rotenone in large lakes

The use of rotenone by fishery managers is increasingly under attack today by citizens concerned about environmental and human health impacts. This controversy appears to be rooted in three main areas:

1. persons who oppose changes to a perceived natural situation or oppose the use and development of fish monocultures
;
2. persons who are alarmed by the perception of widespread application of chemicals that might be dangerous to people and the environment; and
3. persons who oppose killing of fish by any means.

Recently, rotenone's use has resulted in considerable adverse public reaction and negative publicity. It was the manner in which rotenone use used, not the chemical, that contributed to these incidents. In order to assure its use in the future, the American Fisheries Society applied for a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Federal Aid (Administrative Grants AP98-012), to develop and implement a Rotenone Stewardship Program. The Society recognized that there was a need to balance reasonable environmental safeguards with the more prudent use of rotenone.

Helicopters are used to dispense rotenone in small high lakes	Back-pack sprayers are used to treat wet areas in meadows

To date, the Rotenone Stewardship Program has

1. written a Rotenone Use Manual for the safe and effective use of rotenone that emphasizes planning and public involvement,
2. convened a symposium at the 2000 AFS National Meeting in St. Louis, Rotenone Use in Fishery Management: Are the Rewards Worth the Risk?,
3. plans on publishing the proceedings from the symposium within the year,
4. produced a public information brochure Better Fishing Through Management: How Rotenone is Used to Help Manage Our Fishery Resources More Effectively,
5. conducted a survey of current rotenone uses and limitations to help define the needs of the Rotenone Stewardship Program,
6. published the results of the survey in the May 2000 issue of Fisheries,
7. developed a leaflet for dissemination to the public by fish and wildlife agencies using rotenone in specific projects, and
8. written an editorial for the May 2000 issue of Fisheries on the value of rotenone in fish management and the need for its stewardship.

This site includes a list of experts for fishery managers to contact regarding specific categories of information on rotenone. Plans are underway to continue the Rotenone Stewardship Program and provide annual updates on use restrictions, experts in rotenone use, contemporary issues and solutions, and the registration status of rotenone.

At the core of the Rotenone Stewardship Program is the axiom that rotenone continues to be a very valuable tool in fisheries without which, many management options will be lost. Fish and wildlife agencies need to take the lead in insuring its future availability. A commitment now to follow the Rotenone Stewardship Program recommendations on the safe and effective use of rotenone, that emphasizes planning and public involvement, is critical. Our fisheries depend on it.

Document Viewing Instructions

Many of the documents on this site are in Adobe PDF format. The Rotenone Use Manual is best viewed with Acrobat Reader 4.0, which displays pages immediately while the file downloads. Acrobat Reader 3.0 will download the whole file before displaying any pages. Click on the button below if you need to install the Acrobat Reader plug in or to upgrade to Reader 4.0.

The Rotenone Stewardship Program is made possible, in part, due to a grant from the Rotenone Task Force (Foreign Domestic Chemicals Corporation and Prentiss Incorporated).

Rotenone Use in Fisheries Management Manual (PDF)

Relationship Between Rotenone Use in Fisheries Management and Parkinson's Disease