Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons^™

Environmental Influences On Juvenile Fish Abundances In A River-Dominated Coastal System, Laure Carassou, Brian Dzwonkowski, Frank J. Hernandez, Jr., Sean P. Powers, William M. Graham, Kyeong Park, John Mareska

University Faculty and Staff Publications

We investigated the influence of climatic and environmental factors on variations in juvenile abundances of marine fishes in a river-dominated coastal system of the north-central Gulf of Mexico, where an elevated primary productivity sustains fisheries of high economic importance. Fish were collected monthly with an otter trawl at three stations near Mobile Bay from 1982 to 2007. Fish sizes were used to isolate juvenile stages within the data set, and monthly patterns in juvenile fish abundance and size were then used to identify seasonal peaks for each species. The average numbers of juvenile fish collected during these seasonal peaks in …

Prey Selection By The Northern Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon, Kyle O' Connell

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Prey selection and composition of the northern waternake, Nerodia sipedon was investigated between 8/2010 and 3/2011 by palpation of stomach contents in the field and conducting laboratory trials. 41 snakes were captured, five yielded prey contents. Fish parts, freshwater mussels, and an insect exoskeleton were found. No amphibians were found despite availability at study sites. Snakes in the laboratory underwent 22 trials, feeding on 11 occasions. Snakes fed on an equal number of both fish species, revealing no selection. Further research is needed to determine the rate of digestion of N. sipedon.

The Lobster Bulletin, Fall 2011, 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 Fall 2011 issue include:

• Lobster Institute to Present Two Workshops at the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association Weekend
• Number of Right Whales Up in Bay of Fundy
• Coming 2012 The Lobster Institute's 25th Anniversary
• A Full House for the Lobster Institute's Holiday Lobster & Wine Fest
• Research Report: Squid Outweighs Lobster in Rhode Island Fishery
• Research …

What Is The Value Of A Sea Turtle?: A Case Study Of The Conservation Ethics Of Sea Turtle Fishermen In The Caribbean Coast Of Nicaragua, Alicia Conte

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The sea turtle populations on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua have dramatically decreased as a result of human use and consumption. All species of sea turtles are endangered and at risk of extinction. This is an environmental issue because if sea turtles go extinct, many other plants and animals in marine ecosystems will be negatively impacted by this loss, and the environment will be drastically altered. This is also problematic for locals who depend on this resource for food and as a source of income. Conservation efforts have been initiated by an international NGO, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS); however, …

Rumbling In The Benthos: Acoustic Ecology Of The California Mantis Shrimp Hemisquilla Californiensis, E. Staaterman, C. Clark, A. Gallagher, M. Devries, T. Claverie, S. Patek

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Although much research has focused on acoustic mapping and exploration of the benthic environment, little is known about the acoustic ecology of benthic organisms, particularly benthic crustaceans. Through the use of a coupled audio–video system, a hydrophone array, and an autonomous recording unit, we tested several hypotheses about the field acoustics of a benthic marine crustacean, Hemisquilla califor­niensis. Living in muddy burrows in southern California, these large mantis shrimp produce low frequency ‘rumbles’ through muscle vibrations. First, we tested whether acoustic signals are similar in the field and in the laboratory, and discovered that field-produced rumbles are more acoustically and …

Interspecies Comparison Of Αii-Spectrin Abundance Between Chinook Salmon And Steelhead, Brielle D. Kemis, Ann L. Miracle, Katie A. Wagner, Christa M. Woodley

STAR Program Research Presentations

Salmonids, such as Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss), are a staple economic, recreational, tribal, and environmental resource, yet many populations are unsustainable. This study was part of a broad scale effort to monitor the impact of downstream migration obstacles on juvenile salmonid health and survival, which is an essential step towards increasing Smolt-to-Adult Return ratios (SARs). The objective of this study was to determine if juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead exhibit differing quantities of alphaII-Spectrin Breakdown Products (SBDPs) over two consecutive spring migration periods, indicative of neurogenesis rate and/or biological response to head …

The Lobster Bulletin, Summer 2011, 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 2011 issue include:

• Lobster Institute Cooperating Experts Directory a Valuable Asset
• Atlantic Lobster Sustainability Foundation Hosts First Lobster Science Symposium
• Research Report: Using the Invasive Green Crab in Food Product Development
• Research Report: Progress in the war against sea lice
• Maine Lobster Chef of the Year Finalists to Compete in Portland

Determinants Of Local And Migratory Movements Of Great Lakes Double-Crested Cormorants, Alban Guillaumet, Brian S. Dorr, Guiming Wang, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Richard B. Chipman, Heidi Scherr, Jeff Bowman, Kenneth F. Abraham, Terry J. Doyle, Elizabeth Cranker

Brian S Dorr

We investigated how individual strategies combine with demographic and ecological factors to determine local and migratory movements in the double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). One hundred and forty-five cormorants were captured from 14 nesting colonies across the Great Lakes area and fitted with satellite transmitters. We first tested the hypotheses that sexual segregation, density-dependent effects, and the intensity of management operations influenced home range size during the breeding season. The influence of these factors appeared to be limited in part due to random variability in foraging and dispersal decisions at individual and colony levels. We also designed a statistical framework to …

Effects Of Management On Double-Crested Cormorant Nesting Colony Fidelity, Bronson K. Strickland, Brian S. Dorr, Fred Pogmore, Gary Nohrenberg, Scott C. Barras, John E. Mcconnell, John Gobeille

Brian S Dorr

No abstract provided.

Interannual Variability In American Lobster Settlement: Correlations With Sea Surface Temperature, Wind Stress And River Discharge, Mahima Jaini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recruitment to benthic marine populations is fundamentally a biophysical problem. The American Lobster Settlement Index is an annual diver-based survey of the young-of-year American lobsters (Homarus americanus) found in inshore nurseries in New England, USA and Atlantic Canada at the end of the postlarval settlement season. The considerable interannual variability in the settlement index suggests that environmental factors play an important role in regulating planktonic larval supply and transport. In this study, I focused on the longest settlement time series from three oceanographically contrasting regions: Midcoast Maine, coastal Rhode Island and the lower Bay of Fundy. Sampling in these regions …

The Aquarium Trade As An Invasion Pathway In The Pacific Northwest, Angela L. Strecker, Philip M. Campbell, Julian D. Olden

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aquarium trade moves thousands of species around the globe, and unwanted organisms may be released into freshwaters, with adverse ecological and economic effects. We report on the first investigation of the ornamental pet trade as an invasion pathway in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, where a moderate climate and a large human population present ample opportunities for the introduction and establishment of aquarium trade species. Results from a regional survey of pet stores found that the number of fish (n=400) and plant (n=124) species currently in the aquarium trade is vast. Pet stores import thousands of …

The Lobster Bulletin, Spring 2011, 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 2011 include:

• “Give Back” Programs Becoming a Popular Way to Support the Lobster Institute
• 2011 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen’s Town Meeting Transcript Now Available
• Lobster Institute on Facebook
• Research Report: Gardner Pinfold Long-term Value Strategy for the Canadian Lobster Fishery report discussed at Town Meeting

Research Report: Right whale population monitoring explained at Town Meeting …

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Examining Trends In Taste Preferences, Market Demand, And Annual Catch In An Indigenous Marine Turtle Fishery In Southwest Madagascar, Kristin Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The worldwide exploitation of marine turtles has been common throughout human history, turtle products including carapaces for decoration and use, skin for leather, and eggs and meat for consumption. The hunting of marine turtles has long established economic importance among Madagascar's coastal inhabitants and is an activity traditionally associated with integral cultural and spiritual values. Due to overexploitation and a combination of relatively newer threats such as pollution, habitat loss, and incidental fisheries take, however, all marine turtle species in the Indian Ocean are considered to be endangered or critically endangered. Although Madagascar's marine turtles have been legally protected from …

Holyoke Dam, Connecticut River, 2011, Brett Towler

Fish Passage Data Archive

Holyoke Dam

Connecticut River

Massachusetts

Year data collected: 2011

The Lobster Bulletin, Winter 2011, 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 2011 issue include:

• Massachusetts Lobster Fishery Invited to Participate in New "Commonwealth Quality" Program
• Laitram Machinery Donates Lobster Cooking Equipment to the Lobster Institute & University of Maine
• 2010 Friends of the Lobster Institute
• Research Report: Does less bait mean fewer lobsters?
• Lobster Institute to Host 2011 Canadian/U.S. Lobstermen's Town Meeting - March …

Ameliorating The Effects Of The Digenetic Trematode, Bolbophorus Damnificus On The Channel Catfish Industry, Lester Khoo, David J. Wise, Linda M. Pote, Andrew J. Mitchell, Todd S. Byars, Marlena C. Yost, Cynthia M. Doffitt, Brian S. Dorr

Brian S Dorr

No abstract provided.

The Little Coal River Improvement Project, West Virginia: An Initial Study Of Sediment, Bacteria And Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Emily Vargo

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Little Coal River, located in southern West Virginia, has undergone many changes over the last few years in an effort to reverse the negative effects of various point source and non-point source pollutions. Marshall University, in cooperation with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Army Corp of Engineers, and the Coal River Group, has designed and implemented a plan for rehabilitation known as the Little Coal Improvement Project. Several improvement structures were strategically installed within the Little Coal River during the summer of 2007. The functions of these structures include sediment flushing and overall habitat improvement. Monitoring these …

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys) In West Virginia Streams, Samantha Taylor

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Blacknose dace (Rhinichthys) are one of the most common cyprinid fishes in eastern North America. They also have been a topic of debate for over 30 years because morphology-based systematics has failed to clearly define their taxa. Taxonomists classify the complex into two species and one subspecies: the eastern form, R. atratulus atratulus; and the western form R. obtusus obtusus, and southern form R. obtusus meleagris. This research uses the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and genomic RAG 2 gene in a phylogenetic analysis to help clarify species relations according to differences between each current species. Maps have been created to …