Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2003

Theses/Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication

Articles 1 - 20 of 20

Full-Text Articles in Aquaculture and Fisheries

Analysis Of The Spatial Dynamics Of The American Lobster (Homarus Americanus) Fishery Along The Coast Of Maine, Kevin M. Scheirer Dec 2003

Analysis Of The Spatial Dynamics Of The American Lobster (Homarus Americanus) Fishery Along The Coast Of Maine, Kevin M. Scheirer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American lobster (Homarus americanus) supports the most valuable commercial fishery in the northeastern United States, thus the fishery is critical to Maine's economy. No systematic study has been done to collect information about, identify, and quantify the spatial dynamics of the Maine lobster fishery. This project helps to provide a better understanding of Maine's lobster fishery dynamics, and it will aid f'iture efforts to improve the stock assessment of Maine's lobster fishery. The analysis consists of three distinct parts: (1) comparison of data collected by two separate fishery dependent sampling programs; (2) spatial analysis of electronic logbook data; and …


Specific Dynamic Action, Growth And Development In Larval Atlantic Cod, Gadus Morhua, Jessica A. Geubtner Dec 2003

Specific Dynamic Action, Growth And Development In Larval Atlantic Cod, Gadus Morhua, Jessica A. Geubtner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The larval stage of marine fish is a period of rapid growth and development. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are approximately 4-5 rnm in length upon hatch and feed endogenously from their yolk sac for the first week. After this time, larval cod must successfully capture live prey to survive and to fuel high growth rates of greater than 10%d". Previous studies have found that during exogenous feeding and at growth rates greater than 8%d1 larvae experience what appears to be cost free growth, where mass specific metabolic rate does not decrease with increasing mass. Due to size and condition constraints …


The Role Of Larval Thermal Tolerance In The Distribution Of Blue Mussel Species Within The Gulf Of Maine, Susan J. Limbeck Dec 2003

The Role Of Larval Thermal Tolerance In The Distribution Of Blue Mussel Species Within The Gulf Of Maine, Susan J. Limbeck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two species of blue mussel, Myrilus edulis and Myrilus trossulus, are sympatric throughout much of the Canadian Maritime Provinces and into the Gulf of Maine. While the distribution of M edulis extends south to the Mid-Atlantic, that of M. trossulus ends abruptly in the Gulf of Maine. I have hypothesized that these differences in adult distribution are the result of species-specific variation in larval thermal tolerances. Previously, it has been shown that when reared at 20 OC, from 36 hour post-fertilization through settlement, M. trossulus had significantly higher mortality rates than M. edulis. This study examined whether species-specific differences in …


An Investigation Of The Cumulative Impacts Of Shrimp Trawling On Mud Bottom Fishing Grounds In The Gulf Of Maine: Effects On Habitat And Macrofaunal Community Structure, Anne W. Simpson Dec 2003

An Investigation Of The Cumulative Impacts Of Shrimp Trawling On Mud Bottom Fishing Grounds In The Gulf Of Maine: Effects On Habitat And Macrofaunal Community Structure, Anne W. Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the widespread occurrence of trawl fisheries on mud-bottoms, there is limited knowledge concerning the effects of trawling induced disturbance on these habitats and their resident macrofaunal communities. I investigated the cumulative impacts of seasonal commercial shrimp trawling on infaunal habitat and macrofaunal community structure on two mud-bottom fishing grounds in the Gulf of Maine from June 2000 - December 2001. One fishing ground located near the Outer Pumpkin Ledges (Pumpkin) experienced trawling activity during the 2000-2001 fishing season. In contrast, the other fishing ground near Monhegan Island was not trawled during the same period because shrimp abundances were low. …


Resilience Of Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus Droebachiensis) Populations Following Fishing Mortality: Marine Protected Areas, Alternate Stable States, And Larval Ecology, John Vavrinec Iii Aug 2003

Resilience Of Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus Droebachiensis) Populations Following Fishing Mortality: Marine Protected Areas, Alternate Stable States, And Larval Ecology, John Vavrinec Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis has been aggressively fished in Maine since 1986 resulting in severe population declines throughout portions of the state. This research used Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to evaluate the potential for recovery in depleted sea urchin populations. It was necessary to not only look at the direct impacts of the MPAs, but also at larval transport / supply and community interactions to gain a better understanding of the system. We found that MPAs in the Gulf of ~a!ne were of varied utility to restoring depleted sea urchin populations depending on location and community structure. MPAs …


Life History Of The Northern Madtom, Noturus Stigmosus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae), In The Licking River, Kentucky, Jonathan F. Scheibly May 2003

Life History Of The Northern Madtom, Noturus Stigmosus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae), In The Licking River, Kentucky, Jonathan F. Scheibly

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Jonathan F. Scheibly on May 9, 2003.


Fluctuations In Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Counts At Three Lower Columbia River Spawning Sites, Eric Michael Loomis May 2003

Fluctuations In Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Counts At Three Lower Columbia River Spawning Sites, Eric Michael Loomis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several hypotheses were developed to explore the pronounced increase in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) returning to spawning grounds at the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis Rivers, three tributaries of the lower Columbia River. The study was conducted using data compiled over a ten-year span from 1991-2001. Preliminary indications are that trends in climate are linked to these increases, with the absence of El Niño events and fluctuations in winter precipitation as likely explanations of these phenomena. The unique nature of Chinook life cycles causes them to utilize a variety of habitats that require ideal conditions for maximum survival rates. Correlations between …


The Use Of Acoustics To Resolve Nightly Excursions Of Hyperbenthos, Heather U. Abello May 2003

The Use Of Acoustics To Resolve Nightly Excursions Of Hyperbenthos, Heather U. Abello

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acoustic analysis of die1 vertical migration in the Darnariscotta River estuary, Maine, showed a fairly regular nightly increase in biovolume (mm3 m'3) of organisms in the water column, presumed to be due to emergence, the entry of hyperbenthic organisms into the water column. Timing of these events was significantly correlated with time of sunset and time of sunrise for more than 50% of the dates where emergence and re-entry could be identified, between June and October 2002. Emergence traps indicate that the mysid shrimp, Neomysis americana, is the predominant migrator. Daily fluctuations in irradiance influence the timing of emergence fiom …


Lipid Solubilization By Marine Benthic Invertebrates, Ian M. Voparil May 2003

Lipid Solubilization By Marine Benthic Invertebrates, Ian M. Voparil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work characterized the size of lipoidal colloids in benthic invertebrates' guts, using contact angle dilutions and imaging the fluorescence of the hydrophobic probe Nile Red. Deposit feeders and Nereis virens ingesting sediment were found to have micelles rather than emulsions in the gut. Gut fluids from Arenicola manna (a deposit-feeding polychaete) readily formed emulsions when incubated with mussel meat (Mytilus edulis; 80 g-mussel L"-gut fluid), suggesting that micelles form due to a paucity of emulsifying lipids in the gut. Lipid tracer contained in emulsion droplets was twice as likely to be captured by sediment than was tracer in micelles. …


Vaccines For Infection Salmon Anemia Virus, Nathan Edward Charles Brown May 2003

Vaccines For Infection Salmon Anemia Virus, Nathan Edward Charles Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Infectious salmon anemia (ISA) virus is an emerging pathogen of fanned Atlantic salmon. Due to the massive economic losses inflicted by the ISA virus, effective measures to control future outbreaks are necessary. An attractive method for preventing ISA virus from infecting stocks of Atlantic salmon is vaccination. DNA vaccination is a proven cheap, effective means of protecting fish from aquatic viruses. In this thesis DNA vaccination of Atlantic salmon was investigated. Three different strains of ISA virus were cultured and purified by density gradient ultracentrifugation. ISA virus RNA was isolated and used to amplify full-length cDNAs of five ISA virus …


Population Dynamics And Spatial Analysis Of The Maine Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus Droebachiensis) Fishery, Robert C. Grabowski May 2003

Population Dynamics And Spatial Analysis Of The Maine Green Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus Droebachiensis) Fishery, Robert C. Grabowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fisheries research on the green sea urchin in Maine has been limited despite its importance to the state's fishing industry. The objective of this thesis was to generate critical information for the management and monitoring of the Maine green sea urchin fishery. In particular there are three main areas of interest: (1) an investigation of biological reference points; (2) spatial analysis and biomass estimation, and (3) the development of a simulation framework approach to determine an optimal sampling strategy for the fishery-independent survey program. Biological reference points are markers conlrnonly used to monitor and manage fisheries. For the Maine sea …


Male Reproductive Dynamics In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Jamie S. Heisig Apr 2003

Male Reproductive Dynamics In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster Panulirus Argus, Jamie S. Heisig

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The population size structure of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, in the Florida Keys, Florida (USA) has undergone a dramatic shift as a result of fishing pressure on the large individuals of the population. Male lobsters are affected most by fishing because of sexual dimorphism in size and other studies have shown that male size has direct impacts on reproductive output (i.e., number of fertilized eggs/clutch) that are independent of female size. To assess more precisely the impact of male size on fertilization success, I conducted laboratory experiments and field observations to examine various male reproductive attributes over …


The Ecological Ramifications Of Disease And Density In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Argus, Donald C. Behringer Jr. Apr 2003

The Ecological Ramifications Of Disease And Density In The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Argus, Donald C. Behringer Jr.

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

In 1999, I discovered the first virus known to be pathogenic to any species of lobster. HLV-PA is a pathogenic herpes-like virus that infects juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, in the waters off south Florida (USA), and it alters the behavior and ecology of this species in fundamental ways. Gross signs of HLV-PA infection are lethargy, morbidity, cessation of molting, and discolored, “milky” hemolymph that does not clot. HLV-PA infects the hemocytes of host lobsters, specifically the hyalinocytes and semi-granulocytes, but not the granulocytes. When hemolymph from infected donors was injected into healthy juvenile lobsters, 90% of the …


Development Of A Gis Geodatabase As A Tool For Analyzing Spatial Relationships In The Species Distributions Of West Virginia Fishes, Nathan D. Bowe Jan 2003

Development Of A Gis Geodatabase As A Tool For Analyzing Spatial Relationships In The Species Distributions Of West Virginia Fishes, Nathan D. Bowe

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

One of the most complete references to date of fish species distribution in West Virginia is a 1995 book entitled “The Fishes of West Virginia” (Stauffer, et al.). In this project, geographic information systems (GIS) and relational database technology have been utilized to adapt that reference into a system where spatially arranged collection site features are related to distribution data through a series of common fields among tables in a geodatabase. The geodatabase is stored in an MDB-formatted database management system (DBMS) which is readable by Microsoft Access and useful in its own right as a means to query distribution …


An Ecological Study Of The Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma Maculatum, And Jefferson Salamander, A. Jeffersonianum, In West Virginia, Seth J. Myers Jan 2003

An Ecological Study Of The Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma Maculatum, And Jefferson Salamander, A. Jeffersonianum, In West Virginia, Seth J. Myers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The movements of Spotted Salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum, and Jefferson Salamanders, A. jeffersonianum, in and out of an ephemeral wetland in West Virginia were monitored for one breeding season using a drift fence lined with funnel traps. Significant movements of A. jeffersonianum coincided with rainfall and maximum daily air temperatures reaching a minimum of 5° C. Significant movements of A. maculatum coincided with rainfall and maximum daily air temperatures of at least 10° C. A. jeffersonianum preceded A. maculatum to the breeding site. Males of both species preceded females. The mark-recapture estimate of A. maculatum is 67 males and 25 females. …


Abiotic Factors Influencing The Breeding, Movement, And Foraging Of The Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus Holbrookii) In West Virginia, Keith A. Johnson Jan 2003

Abiotic Factors Influencing The Breeding, Movement, And Foraging Of The Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus Holbrookii) In West Virginia, Keith A. Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Haphazard searches and telemetry methods were used to track movements and habitat use of two recently discovered and only known populations of Scaphiopus holbrookii in West Virginia. It was the purpose of this study to determine the home range and habitat use of S. holbrookii. Toads were found to forage a mean distance of 13.5 in. (34.5 cm) from their burrows. Habitat consisted of open areas with soil textures of sandy loam, loamy sand, or sand. Radio- transmitters were surgically implanted in two specimens from one breeding site to provide data about habitat use and emergence. Data loggers were installed …


Metabolic Rates And Bioenergetics Of Juvenile Sandbar Sharks (Carcharhinus Plumbeus), W. Wesley Dowd Jan 2003

Metabolic Rates And Bioenergetics Of Juvenile Sandbar Sharks (Carcharhinus Plumbeus), W. Wesley Dowd

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The lower Chesapeake Bay and adjacent coastal waters serve as the primary summer nursery areas for juvenile sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. The large population of juvenile sandbar sharks in this ecosystem benefits from increased food availability that fuels rapid growth and from limited exposure to large shark predators. Juvenile growth and survival is the most critical life history stage for sandbar sharks, and juvenile nursery grounds will continue to play an important role in the slow recovery of this stock from severe population declines due to overfishing. The goal of this study was to assess …


Do Size Differences Of Juvenile Snapper (Pagrus Auratus) In Two Regions Of Shark Bay, Western Australia, Reflect Different Environmental Conditions, Nadia Tapp Jan 2003

Do Size Differences Of Juvenile Snapper (Pagrus Auratus) In Two Regions Of Shark Bay, Western Australia, Reflect Different Environmental Conditions, Nadia Tapp

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aspects of the population biology of juvenile Pagrus auratus in the western gulf of Shark Bay, Western Australia, were investigated to explore the causes of an observed size difference between 0+ fish (first year of life) in the northern and southern regions of that gulf. Five trawl surveys were conducted in each region of the western gulf, from November 2000 to December 2001, to collect juvenile P. auratus. The 0+ fish from the northern region were found to be consistently greater in length by between 10 and 20mm LCF, than those in the southern region, thereby confirming those observed size …


Isolation And Characterisation Of A Pax Group Iii Gene From The Freshwater Crayfish Cherax Destructor: Implications For The Evolution Of Muscle Regeneration, Robert B. White Jan 2003

Isolation And Characterisation Of A Pax Group Iii Gene From The Freshwater Crayfish Cherax Destructor: Implications For The Evolution Of Muscle Regeneration, Robert B. White

Theses : Honours

Pax genes encode transcription factors that are highly evolutionarily conserved and are vital for animal development. Vertebrate Pax group III genes Pax3 and Pax7 are required for proper development of muscular and central nervous systems. In their roles in muscular systems, Pax3 and Pax7 specify myoblasts (muscle progenitor cells). Pax3 is predominantly involved in embryonic myogenesis and specifies embryonic myoblasts. In contrast, Pax7 specifies adult myoblasts (muscle satellite cells), and has been demonstrated to be vital for adult muscle regeneration. Recent evidence also implicates a role for Pax7 in the conversion of certain stem cells to the myogenic lineage. The …


Diet Of The Sandbar Shark, Carcharhinus Plumbeus, In Chesapeake Bay And Adjacent Waters, Julia K. Ellis Jan 2003

Diet Of The Sandbar Shark, Carcharhinus Plumbeus, In Chesapeake Bay And Adjacent Waters, Julia K. Ellis

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus, is the most abundant large coastal shark in the temperate and tropical waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean. The Chesapeake Bay, Virginia and adjacent waters serve as a nursery ground for C. plumbeus as well as many other fauna. Characterizing the diet of a higher trophic level predator such as the sandbar shark sheds light on a small portion of the temporally and spatially complex food web in the Bay. This study describes the diet of the sandbar shark, highlighting differences in diet within various portions of the nursery area, as well as ontogenetic changes …