Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons^™

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Shoal Chub (Macrhybopsis Hyostoma), Sturgeon Chub (M. Gelida), Sicklefin Chub (M. Meeki), Silver Chub (M. Storeriana), Flathead Chub (Platygobio Gracilis), Plains Minnow (Hybognathus Placitus), Western Silvery Minnow (H. Argyritis), And Brassy Minnow (H. Hankinsoni), Kirk D. Steffensen, Dane A. Shuman, Sam Stukel

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Throughout the past century, the Missouri River has been highly modified which has negatively affected the native fish community. Previous research quantified the reduction of several native Cyprinidae species and made several recommendations to aid in recovery. However, these recommendations were not implemented. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to assess the current population trends of eight native cyprinid species and develop the current management objectives. Over 335,000 fish were collected from the Missouri River along Nebraska’s eastern border with mini-fyke nets and otter trawls from 2003 to 2012. Target Cyprinidae species consisted of less than five percent (n …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Sauger (Sander Canadensis), Kirk D. Steffensen, Sam Stukel, Dane A. Shuman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Early fisheries investigation of the Missouri River fish community indicated that Sauger were common throughout Nebraska, including all major Missouri River tributaries. However due to many factors, their current range is restricted to the Missouri River and the lower reaches of a few tributaries. Hesse (1994) recommended listing Sauger as a state endangered species but this recommendation was never implemented. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to reevaluate the current population status of Sauger in the Missouri River along Nebraska’s border. Over 2,100 Sauger have been captured from the Missouri River along Nebraska’s eastern border since 2003. Sauger were …

Interactions Between Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus Delphis) And The Winter Pelagic Pair-Trawl Fishery Ff Southwest England (Uk), Marijke N. De Boer, James T. Saulino, Mardik F. Leopold, Peter J.H. Reijnders, Mark P. Simmonds

Mark P. Simmonds, OBE

During offshore and onshore studies (2004 to 2009), the interactions between pair-trawls and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) were studied to better understand the impact of bycatch. A ‘hotspot’ area where pair-trawls overlapped with high dolphin abundance was identified. We made comparisons between boat-based data collected in absence and presence of pair-trawlers. The relative abundance and group-size of dolphins was significantly higher in the presence of pair-trawlers. Dolphins were observed associating with towing and hauling procedures. Significantly, more carcasses occurred in areas with hauling-activity than those without. Body-temperatures obtained from carcasses found near operating pair-trawlers indicated that bycatch mostly occurred …

Variability In The Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Larval Scombrid Abundance In The Gulf Of Mexico, Sennai Y. Habtes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Accurate fishery-independent methods for assessing the abundance of marine fish stocks are important tools for proper pelagic fisheries management. The review and improvement of standardized sampling methods used in fisheries-independent sampling, and the establishment of improved models of abundance and population dynamics utilizing novel statistical techniques for fisheries management will further improve our understanding of the way in which marine fish stocks vary spatially and temporally. One of the most important and longest running surveys of fisheries-independent data in the Southeastern United States is the spring ichthyoplankton survey conducted through the Southeast Area Mapping and Assessment Program (SEAMAP).

These surveys …

Spatiotemporal Variation In Flow-Dependent Recruitment Of Long-Lived Riverine Fish: Model Development And Evaluation, Daisuke Goto, Martin J. Hamel, Jeremy J. Hammen, Mathew L. Rugg, Mark A. Pegg, Valery E. Forbes

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Abstract Natural flow regimes can play a major role as an overarching ecosystem driver in reproduction and recruitment of riverine fishes. Human needs for freshwater however have altered hydrology of many riverine systems worldwide, threatening fish population sustainability. To understand and predict how spatiotemporal dynamics of flow regimes influence reproductive and recruitment variability, and ultimately population sustainability of shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus), we develop a spatially explicit (1D) individual-based population model that mechanistically (via energetics-based processes) simulates daily activities (dispersal, spawning, foraging, growth, and survival). With field observations of sturgeon and habitat conditions in a major tributary of …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens), Kirk D. Steffensen, Sam Stukel, Dane A. Shuman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) occurrences in the Missouri River along Nebraska’s eastern border are historically sporadic and rare. Presently, the wild Lake Sturgeon population in this river reach may be extirpated. A Recovery Program initiated by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has stocked almost 150,000 hatchery-reared Lake Sturgeon into the lower Missouri River at several sites in Missouri. As a result, the number of Lake Sturgeon collected has increased. Since monitoring began in 2003, no Lake Sturgeon have been collected above Gavins Point Dam while 40 fish were collected downstream of Gavins Point Dam. The majority of …

Historical Vegetation Of Three Salmon-Bearing Watersheds In The Interior Columbia River Basin, Tyanna Smith

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

Land use practices can be a contributing factor to environmental degradation and have been the focus of many ecological studies. One aspect that is less addressed is land use history and the effects that past practices, such as logging and grazing, can have on the current landscape. This paper describes research and the synthesis of material on the environmental history and watershed characteristics for three watersheds located within spawning and rearing areas for Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River Basin in Northeast Oregon: upper Grande Ronde River, Catherine Creek, and Minam River. The Grande Ronde Basin is critical spawning …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus), Kirk D. Steffensen, Sam Stukel, Dane A. Shuman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus remains the most abundant riverine sturgeon species in North American despite the anthropogenic modifications that have occurred throughout their historic range; however, their populations have declined throughout Nebraska since the construction of Fort Randall and Gavins Point Dams. Therefore, the objective of this study was to present the current status of Shovelnose Sturgeon in the Missouri River along Nebraska’s border. Data was acquired from 2003 to 2012 from all reaches of the Missouri River along Nebraska’s eastern border. Catch rates of Shovelnose Sturgeon increased in a downstream trend and were highest in the reach below …

Rapid: Effect Of A Very Low Nao Event On The Abundance Of The Lipid-Rich Planktonic Copepod, Calanus Finmarchicus, In The Gulf Of Maine, Jeffrey Runge

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Test the hypothesis that a distinctly lower abundance of the planktonic copepod, Calanus finmarchicus in the Gulf of Maine follows the occurrence of very negative winter phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). In 2010, the station-based winter NAO index was -4.64, even more intense than the negative (-3.78) 1996 NAO winter index. If a two-year lagged relationship between very negative NAO winter indices and Calanus abundance in the Gulf of Maine is valid, cooler water from the Labrador Sea should replace Atlantic Temperate Slope Water in the GoM in 2012, inducing a major climatic ecosystem event on the New …

Developing Tools To Evaluate Spawning & Fertilization Dynamics Of The Giant Sea Scallop — Phase Ii: Field Trials In Experimental Populations, Richard A. Wahle, Peter Jumars

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Objective 1 — Sperm advection-diffusion model: Develop a two-dimensional spatial model to predict the concentration o f sperm and effective range of fertilization in a sperm plume at varying distances from a source population of spawning males under scenarios of synchronous and asynchronous spawning.

Objective 2 — Fertilization assays in field populations: Conduct a time series of fertilization assays over experimental populations of scallops to (a) further develop the methodology to assess ambient sperm loads in scallop populations over the course of the spawning season, (b) compare model predictions about spatial patterns of sperm concentration and fertilization generated in Objective …

Understanding Copepod Life-History And Diversity Using A Next-Generation Zooplankton Model, Andrew J. Pershing, Frederic Maps, Nicholas R. Record

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The main goal of our project is to understand the patterns of diversity and biogeography in marine copepods. To achieve this goal, we developed a unique modeling framework to simulate the trade-offs between growth, development, and fecundity in marine copepods.

We developed a new approach to modeling growth and development in metazoans. We applied this approach to marine copepods, and used it to understand relationships between copepod body size and temperature, copepod biodiversity patterns, and copepod biogeography. This project also provided support for experiments to look at how copepod body size impacts the particle size spectrum.

We used our model …

Rcn: Diadromous Species Restoration Research Network (Dsrrn), David Hart, Adria A. Elskus, Peter D. Vaux, Karen A. Wilson

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The primary goal of the Diadromous Species Restoration Research Network (DSRRN) was to advance the science of diadromous fish restoration, promote state-of-the-art scientific approaches to multiple-species restoration on a watershed scale, and facilitate interactions among scientists, managers, and stakeholders throughout the North Atlantic region.

This goal was achieved by a series of conferences and workshops over a five-year period between 2008 and 2013. In all, DSRRN organized two multi-day conferences with over 160 participants in attendance and five multiday workshops with an average of 25 participants. The objective of these workshops was to produce new directions for restoration science by …

The Lobster Bulletin, Summer 2014, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Summer 2014 issue include:

• In Memorium: Klaus G. Sonnenberg, 1946-2014
• Lobster Institute Adds Two New Board Members
• Changes in Leadership in Fishery Organizations
• Research Report: Green Crab Studied as Possible Lobster Bait
• Research Report: European Lobster Hatchery Aims to Release 60,000 Lobsters

Assessing Landscape Constraints On Species Abundance: Does The Neighborhood Limit Species Response To Local Habitat Conservation Programs?, Christopher F. Jorgensen, Larkin A. Powell, Jeffrey J. Lusk, Andrew A. Bishop, Joseph J. Fontaine

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Landscapes in agricultural systems continue to undergo significant change, and the loss of biodiversity is an ever-increasing threat. Although habitat restoration is beneficial, management actions do not always result in the desired outcome. Managers must understand why management actions fail; yet, past studies have focused on assessing habitat attributes at a single spatial scale, and often fail to consider the importance of ecological mechanisms that act across spatial scales. We located survey sites across southern Nebraska, USA and conducted point counts to estimate Ring-necked Pheasant abundance, an economically important species to the region, while simultaneously quantifying landscape effects using a …

Identifying The Role Of Non-Native Species In The Enhanced Trophic Transfer Of Mercury In The Food Web Of Lake Erie, A North American Great Lake, Kaylin M.S. Liznick

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Increasing mercury (Hg) concentrations in top predatory fish is concerning for human and wildlife health. This study examined the amount of Hg available to the food web of Lake Erie, and explored the role that two recently established non-native species, dreissenid mussels and round goby, have played in the trophic transfer of Hg to sport fish. A comprehensive sampling of total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) within Lake Erie water, sediment and seston with high temporal and spatial resolution describes environmental concentrations. In addition, biotic THg and MeHg are quantified in benthic invertebrates and three fish species. A steep spatial …

Harvest Incentives: A Tool For Managing Aquatic Invasive Species, Bob Wiltshire, Nathan Stone, Marshall Meyers, Bill Hyatt, Lori Williams, Jason Goldberg, Susan Pasko, Leah Elwell

National Invasive Species Council

Conclusion

The success of any harvest incentive program to address aquatic invasive species will depend upon numerous biological, socioeconomic, and legal considerations. Programs that encourage harvest may be a successful management tool in targeting small, distinct populations; in high priority areas within a larger invasion; or they may play a supplementary role within larger control programs. Their use, however, will require careful review, planning, and monitoring to ensure success and that they do not unintentionally lead to further spread of invasive species, cause additional harm to native species, or waste valuable resources.

Response Of Large River Fishes To A Prolonged High Water Event In The Missouri River, Nebraska, Nicholas Paul Hogberg

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Regulation and modification of large rivers to accommodate human uses have been a root cause of freshwater biodiversity declines. The Missouri River is among the most drastically-altered large river systems in North America, with a series of mainstem impoundments in the upper watershed altering flow characteristics downstream, and channelization throughout the lower river homogenizing instream habitat and reducing off-channel habitat. Precipitation events during the winter and spring 2010-2011 caused flooding of the greatest magnitude and duration since reservoir completion. The large magnitude and long duration of this flood made it unlike any flood in recent history and provided a unique …

Accuracy Or Precision: Implications Of Sample Design And Methodology On Abundance Estimation, Lucas K. Kowalewski

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Estimation of population size by spatially replicated counts (point-count method) has been used for many large-scale animal-monitoring programs, yet its application in aquatic environments has been limited. Multiple site-specific estimates of abundance can be averaged and combined with covariate data to predict total abundance across an area of interest. Covariate data also provide an understanding of the relationship between abundance and habitat use, which is a fundamental interest of many animal-population investigations. Design of sampling scenarios for point-count population-estimate surveys can influence the accuracy and precision of the population estimate. The first objective of this study was to examine how …

Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Margaritiferidae And Unionidae) Of The Buffalo River Drainage, Tennessee, Matthew Philip Reed

Masters Theses

The Buffalo River in Tennessee once hosted a rich population of freshwater mussels. During the 1980s, monitoring efforts demonstrated evidence of drastic declines and extirpation of entire assemblages. Increases in municipal development in the headwater tributaries and agriculture in the main stem of the Buffalo River are suspected causes for mussel community declines throughout the river. In 2011, collection data documented evidence of recovery in the lower Buffalo River. The aims of this project were: 1) to update the status, distribution, and species composition of mussels in the Buffalo River and its major tributaries through qualitative sampling, and 2) to …

Habitat Selection And Partitioning Among Darters In Two Tributaries Of The Clinch River, And Stream Restoration Effects On Substrate Profile, Daniel James Walker

Masters Theses

The group of fish referred to as darters is extremely biodiverse. Often, several closely related species will inhabit the same areas of streams, and prior research has investigated how these species may be partitioning the resources in low-order streams in which they are sympatric. The habitat partitioning of darters in two streams in the Clinch River system, Coal and Cove Creeks, was investigated. The study sites were picked due to their involvement in both physical and biological stream restoration efforts within the last several years, including the collection, translocation, and reintroduction of rainbow darters (Etheostoma caeruleum) from reference sites in …

The Lobster Bulletin, Spring 2014, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Spring 2014 issue include:

• Red Lobster Restaurants Under New Ownership
• Maine Department of Marine Resources Gathers Input in Advance of a Possible Lobster Management Plan
• 2014 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen's Town Meeting Held in Portland
• Research Report: Areas of interest and suggested further study concerning the Searsport Harbor Federal Navigation Project
• Research Report: University of Maine …

Tracking Movements Of Ambystoma Tigrinum Using Radio Telemetry, Heather L. Waye, Kirsten T. Sharpe

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2014

The eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is a widely distributed amphibian ranging from Northern Minnesota, down to Florida, and over to the east coast of the United States (Oldfield and Moriarty, 1994). As populations within the species are diverse and seldom studies have been done in the area of radio telemetry in tiger salamanders, there is a need for information in this field. This project was the first of its kind to be implemented in Minnesota.

In an effort to more fully understand the ecology of this species, this research attempts to provide vital information that will allow a better …

Microglia Respond To Both Permanent And Temporary Deaferentation In The Adult Zebrafish Olfactory Bulb, Amanda K. Mckenna

Masters Theses

The major goal of this study was to investigate a microglial response following deafferentation in the adult zebrafish, Danio rerio, olfactory bulb. Microglia were identified in the olfactory bulb using the 4c4 antibody and phagocytic-dependent labeling (DiA). Microglia responded to both methods of deafferentation namely, permanent (cautery) and temporary (Triton X- 100). On one and three days following both permanent and temporary deafferentation there was a significant increase in microglia in the treated olfactory bulb. At five and seven days after permanent and temporary deafferentation there was no longer a significant difference between the treated and untreated olfactory bulbs, …

The Salters Of Stanley Brook, Catherine V. Schmitt

Catherine Schmitt

No abstract provided.

From The Inside Out, And Through., Dominique Ovalle

The STEAM Journal

These photographs describe “Science” born of consumerism, hijacked by me, economically disenfranchised, or rather—temporarily embarrassed, artist. I was putzing around Malibu—my old college stomping ground, looking for free food; maybe a sample of some gourmet $5 chocolate, and all I got were these photographs.

Archaeological Data Provide Alternative Hypotheses On Pacific Herring (Clupea Pallasii) Distribution, Abundance, And Variability, Iain Mckechnie, Dana Lepofsky, Madonna L. Moss, Virginia L. Butler, Trevor J. Orchard, Gary Coupland, Frederick Foster, Megan Caldwell, Ken Lertzman

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Over the last century, Pacific herring, a forage fish of tremendous cultural, economic, and ecological importance, has declined in abundance over much of its range. We synthesize archaeological fisheries data spanning the past 10,000 y from Puget Sound in Washington to southeast Alaska to extend the ecological baseline for herring and contextualize the dynamics of modern industrial fisheries. While modern herring populations can be erratic and exhibit catastrophic declines, the archaeological record indicates a pattern of consistent abundance, providing an example of long-term sustainability and resilience in a fishery known for its modern variability. The most parsimonious explanation for the …

Determining Winter Flounder Spawning Sites In Two Connecticut Estuaries, Eric Schultz, Jose Pereira, Peter Auster

Jose J Pereira

Winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) come inshore during the late winter and early spring to lay their eggs in shallow bays and estuaries along the coast. Unlike most fish eggs, which are buoyant, these eggs are demersal and sink to the seafloor. This makes them vulnerable to burial from various types of natural and human caused disturbances (e.g., storms, mobile fishing gear, maintenance dredging). Our objective was to map spawning areas in two harbors and search for generalities among these sites that would allow us to predict where winter flounder might spawn in other areas. This would allow managers to avoid …

An Assessment Of Environmental Dna As A Tool To Detect Fish Species In Headwater Streams, Stephen F. Jane

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in the use of freely available DNA present in aquatic systems, otherwise known as environmental DNA (eDNA), as a tool for monitoring aquatic organisms. However, much remains unknown about the behavior of eDNA over a range of environmental conditions. This is particularly true in high gradient headwater streams, which have received less attention than other types of water bodies. In the summer of 2011, a headwater stream system with well established species distributions was sampled using eDNA techniques. Though species were detected where known to be present, detections also occurred where traditional …

Movement Patterns And Catch-And-Release Impacts Of Striped Bass In A Tidal Coastal Embayment In Massachusetts, Heather M. Tyrrell

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

An investigation into the spatial ecology and effects of catch-and-release angling on the physiology and behavior of striped bass was conducted. Fine-scale behavior was assessed by tagging fish with acoustic transmitters equipped with pressure and tri-axial accelerometer sensors and tracking them within a fixed array (n=34 receivers) in a Massachusetts estuary. Activity space changed significantly over the course of the season and increased with water temperature. Striped bass most frequently exhibited low levels of locomotory activity representing 67% of total activity measurements, with occasional high activity and burst swimming, often within the upper 3 m of the water column. Depth …

The Lobster Bulletin, Winter 2014, Lobster Institute, University Of Maine

Lobster Bulletin

The Lobster Bulletin newsletter includes research updates, and information on lobsters and the lobster industry. The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine is dedicated to protecting and conserving the lobster resource, and enhancing lobstering as an industry and a way of life.

Headlines in the Winter 2014 issue include:

• 2013 Lobster Landings in Maine Remain High
• Mouth of the Penobscot River Closed to Lobster Fishing—Though Lobsters Still Safe to Eat
• Pending Canada/E.U. Trade Agreement May Provide Boost to Lobster Exports
• 2013 Friends of the Lobster Institute
• Research Report: DMR's Status of the Lobster Fishery as Reported at the Maine …