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Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation And Outlook Report : Results Of The 2015 Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Crop Reporting Survey, Karen Hudson, Thomas J. Murrary

Reports

The hatchery-based shellfish aquaculture industry in Virginia continues to grow adding significant value to the Commonwealth’s seafood marketplace. Today, watermen harvest both hard clams and oysters from the Commonwealth’s public resources, albeit at rates diminished from historic levels. At the same time, Virginia’s watermen-farmers, utilizing production from a land-based hatchery, are providing additional quantities of quality shellfish to consumers. This survey, in its 10th year, is intended to continue annual assessments with which to gauge growth and inputs in Virginia’s hatchery-based shellfish aquaculture industry. This report is based upon an industry survey completed during the first quarter of 2016. While …

The Status Of Virginia's Public Oyster Resource 2015, Melissa Southworth, Roger L. Mann

Reports

This report summarizes data collected during 2015 in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The report is composed of two parts, part one, oyster recruitment (shell string) in Virginia and part two, dredge survey of selected oyster bars in Virginia.

Evaluating Recruitment Of American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Potomac River (Spring 2016), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) is a valuable commercial species along the Atlantic coast of North America from New Brunswick to Florida. Landings from Chesapeake Bay typically represent 60% of the annual United States commercial harvest (ASMFC 2012). American Eel is also important to the recreational fishery as it is often used live as bait for Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) and Cobia (Rachycentron canadum). In 2012, Chesapeake Bay commercial landings of American Eel (771,536 lbs) were 72% of the U.S. landings (personal communication from the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division). Since the 1980s, harvest along the U.S. Atlantic Coast …

Evaluating Recruitment Of American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Potomac River (Spring 2015), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American Eel in November 1999. The FMP focuses on increasing coastal states’ efforts to collect American Eel data through both fishery‐dependent and fishery‐independent studies. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young‐of‐year (YOY) American Eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American Eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these surveys began in 2000 with full implementation …

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2014, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham

Reports

Through 2014, the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program has maintained a 19-year database of records for tagged and recaptured fish. The program is a cooperative project of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission-VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary (under the VIMS Marine Advisory Program).

Monitoring Relative Abundance Of American Shad And River Herring In Virginia Rivers 2014 Annual Report, Eric J. Hilton, Rob Latour, Brian Watkins, Ashleigh Magee

Reports

Concern about the decline in landings of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) along the Atlantic coast prompted the development of an interstate fisheries management plan (FMP) under the auspices of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Management Program (ASMFC 1999). Legislation enables imposition of federal sanctions on fishing in those states that fail to comply with the FMP. To be in compliance, coastal states are required to implement and maintain fishery-dependent and fishery-independent monitoring programs as specified by the FMP. For Virginia, these requirements include spawning stock assessments, the collection of biological data on the spawning run (e.g., age-structure, sex ratio, and …

Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation And Outlook Report : Results Of The 2014 Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Crop Reporting Survey, Karen Hudson, Thomas J. Murrary

Reports

The Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation and Outlook Report has been produced annually by Virginia Institute of Marine Science extension partners affiliated with Virginia Sea Grant since 2005. The survey and report provides annual assessments with which to gauge growth and inputs in Virginia’s shellfish aquaculture industry. This report is based upon an industry survey completed during the first quarter of 2015.

Scaling Ecosystem Services To Reef Development : Effects Of Oyster Density On Nitrogen Removal And Reef Community Structure, M. Lisa Kellogg, Jeffrey C. Cornwell, Michael S. Owens, Mark Luckenbach, Paige G. Ross, Thomas A. Leggett, Jennifer C. Dreyer C. Dreyer, Bowdoin Lusk, Alan Birch, Edward Smith

Reports

Eighteen native oyster experimental reefs (16-m2 each) were restored using six oyster densities (0, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 250 adult oysters m-2) with three replicates of each density at each of two sites: one subtidal site in Onancock Creek, Virginia and one intertidal site in Hillcrest Oyster Sanctuary within The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve. A science-based monitoring program explored quantitative relationships between structural and functional characteristics of these restored reefs. Structural parameters examined included oyster abundance, oyster size/biomass, surface shell volume, reef topographic complexity and sediment characteristics. Functional parameters included denitrification rates and macrofaunal abundance and biomass. Data …

Johns Point Landing Living Shoreline – Ecological Monitoring : Final Report To Gloucester County, Donna Marie Bilkovic, Molly Mitchell, Robert Isdell

Reports

VIMS monitoring activities consisted of three components:

• Monitoring of marsh vegetation establishment after planting

• Documenting ribbed mussel and oyster recruitment and growth in experimental bags of oyster shell at the living shoreline

• Monitoring infaunal communities prior to and after living shoreline implementation

Evaluating Recruitment Of American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Potomac River (Spring 2014), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American Eel in November 1999. The FMP focuses on increasing coastal states’ efforts to collect American Eel data through both fishery‐dependent and fishery‐independent studies. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young‐of‐year (YOY) American eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American Eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these surveys began in 2000 with full implementation …

Biofiltration Potential Of Ribbed Mussel Populations, Donna Marie Bilkovic, Molly Mitchell

Reports

Our primary study objective was to characterize the ribbed mussel population and estimate their water processing potential along the York River, Virginia.

Linking Structural And Functional Characteristics Of Restored Oyster Reefs : A Restoration Project In The Virginia Coast Reserve, M. Lisa Kellogg, Jeffrey C. Cornwell, Michael S. Owens, Mark Luckenbach, Paige G. Ross, Bowdoin Lusk

Reports

Eighteen native oyster reefs (16-m2 each) were restored using six oyster densities (0, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 250 adult oysters m-2) with three replicates of each density at an intertidal site in The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Coast Reserve. Reef construction was successful and continues to provide a range of oyster biomass densities useful for exploring relationships between oyster reef structural and functional parameters. Between April 2012 and July 2013, a science-based monitoring program explored quantitative relationships between structural and functional characteristics of these restored reefs. Structural parameters examined included oyster abundance, oyster size/biomass, surface shell volume, reef topographic complexity …

A Model For Estimating The Tmdl-Related Benefits Of Oyster Reef Restoration : Harris Creek, Maryland, Usa, M. Lisa Kellogg, Mark Brush, Elizabeth W. North, Younjoo Lee

Reports

A user-friendly, web-accessible model has been developed that allows restoration practitioners and resource managers to easily estimate the TMDL-related benefits of oyster reef restoration per unit area, run restoration scenarios in Harris Creek, MD to optimize restoration planning and implementation, and calculate the benefits of the chosen plan. The model is rooted in scientifically defensible data and is readily transferable to systems throughout the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore. The model operates in five vertically well-mixed boxes along the main axis of the creek. Exchanges among creeks are computed using a tidal prism approach and were compared to exchanges provided …

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2013, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham

Reports

Through 2013, the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program has maintained a 18-year database of records for tagged and recaptured fish. The program is a co- operative project of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission-VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary (under the VIMS Marine Advisory Program).

Monitoring Relative Abundance Of American Shad In Virginia Rivers 2013 Annual Report, Eric J. Hilton, Robert Latour, Brian Watkins, Ashleigh Magee

Reports

Concern about the decline in landings of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) along the Atlantic coast prompted the development of an interstate fisheries management plan (FMP) under the auspices of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Management Program (ASMFC 1999). Legislation enables imposition of federal sanctions on fishing in those states that fail to comply with the FMP. To be in compliance, coastal states are required to implement and maintain fishery-dependent and fishery-independent monitoring programs as specified by the FMP. For Virginia, these requirements include spawning stock assessments, the collection of biological data on the spawning run (e.g., age-structure, sex ratio, and …

Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation And Outlook Report : Results Of The 2013 Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Crop Reporting Survey, Karen Hudson, Thomas J. Murrary

Reports

The shellfish aquaculture industry in Virginia continues to grow, adding significant value to the state’s seafood marketplace. Today, watermen continue to harvest both hard clams and oysters from the state’s public resources, albeit at diminished rates. At the same time, Virginia’s watermen-farmers are providing growing quantities of additional quality shellfish to consumers. In recent years, folliowing the lead of the hard clam industry, a significant transition to intensive aquaculture of native oysters is underway. The once-extensive oyster planting utilizing wild seed has contracted primarily as a result of endemic oyster diseases and increasing wildlife predation of seed oysters. In its …

Estimating Relative Abundance Of Young-Of-Year American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Virginia Tributaries Of Chesapeake Bay (Spring 2013), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American Eel in November 1999. The FMP focuses on increasing coastal states’ efforts to collect American Eel data through both fishery-dependent and fishery-independent studies. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young-of-year (YOY) American Eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American Eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these 4 surveys began in 2000 with full …

Virginia Coastal And Ocean Resource Issues, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science

Reports

Fisheries, aquaculture and marine recreation in Chesapeake Bay and the coastal ocean are important economic engines adding greatly to the economy of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia’s commercial harvest ranks 3rd largest and 7th in total value nationwide. Research at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) shows that Virginia’s water-dependent resource-based industries, including commercial and recreational fisheries, shellfish aquaculture and recreational boating, annually generate $2.53 billion in sales and approximately $1.25–$1.5 billion in income, supporting over 20,000 jobs. . . .

Evaluation Of Striped Bass Stocks In Virginia, Monitoring And Tagging Studies, 2010-2014 Progress Report, 1 September 2012 - 31 August 2013, Philip W. Sadler, Matthew W. Smith, John M. Hoenig, Shelley E. Sullivan, Robert E. Harris, Lydia M. Goins

Reports

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 September 2012 through 31 August 2013. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2013 spring spawning run, estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging, and the results of the study that documents the prevalence of mycobacterial infections of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for …

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2012, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham

Reports

Through 2012, the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program has maintained a 18-year database of records for tagged and recaptured fish. The program is a cooperative project of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission-VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary (under the VIMS Marine Advisory Program).

Monitoring Relative Abundance Of American Shad In Virginia Rivers 2012 Annual Report, Eric J. Hilton, Rob Latour, Brian Watkins, Ashleigh Magee

Reports

Concern about the decline in landings of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) along the Atlantic coast prompted the development of an interstate fisheries management plan (FMP) under the auspices of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Management Program (ASMFC 1999). Legislation enables imposition of federal sanctions on fishing in those states that fail to comply with the FMP. To be in compliance, coastal states are required to implement and maintain fishery-dependent and fishery-independent monitoring programs as specified by the FMP. For Virginia, these requirements include spawning stock assessments, the collection of biological data on the spawning run (e.g., age-structure, sex ratio, and …

Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation And Outlook Report : Results Of The 2012 Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Crop Reporting Survey, Thomas J. Murray, Karen Hudson

Reports

The shellfish aquaculture industry in Virginia continues to grow, adding significant value to the state’s seafood marketplace. Today, watermen continue to harvest both hard clams and oysters from the state’s public resources, albeit at diminished rates. At the same time, Virginia’s watermen-farmers are providing growing quantities of additional quality shellfish to consumers. In recent years, folliowing the lead of the hard clam industry, a significant transition to intensive aquaculture of native oysters is underway. The once-extensive oyster planting utilizing wild seed has contracted primarily as a result of endemic oyster diseases and increasing wildlife predation of seed oysters. In its …

Estimating Relative Abundance Of Young-Of-Year American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Virginia Tributaries Of Chesapeake Bay (Spring 2012), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American Eel in November 1999. The FMP focuses on increasing coastal states’ efforts to collect American Eel data through both fishery-dependent and fishery-independent studies. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young-of-year (YOY) American Eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American Eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these 4 surveys began in 2000 with full …

Evaluation Of Striped Bass Stocks In Virginia, Monitoring And Tagging Studies, 2010-2014 Progress Report, 1 September 2011 - 31 August 2012, Philip W. Sadler, Mathew W. Smith, John M. Hoenig, Shelley E. Sullivan, Robert E. Harris, Lydia M. Gions

Reports

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 September 2011 through 31 August 2012. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2012 spring spawning run, estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging, and the results of the study that documents the prevalence of mycobacterial infections of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for …

Evaluating Recruitment Of American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Potomac River (Spring 2012), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American eel in November 1999. The FMP focuses on increasing coastal states’ efforts to collect American eel data through both fishery-dependent and fishery-independent studies. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young-of-year (YOY) American eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these surveys began in 2000 with full implementation …

Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Situation And Outlook Report : Results Of The 2011 Virginia Shellfish Aquaculture Crop Reporting Survey, Thomas J. Murray, Karen Hudson

Reports

The shellfish aquaculture industry in Virginia continues to grow, adding significant value to the state’s seafood marketplace. Today, watermen continue to harvest both hard clams and oysters from the state’s public resources, albeit at diminished rates. At the same time, Virginia’s watermen-farmers are providing growing quantities of additional quality shellfish to consumers. In recent years, folliowing the lead of the hard clam industry, a significant transition to intensive aquaculture of native oysters is underway. The once-extensive oyster planting utilizing wild seed has contracted primarily as a result of endemic oyster diseases and increasing wildlife predation of seed oysters. In its …

Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2011, Susanna Musick, Lewis Gillingham

Reports

Through 2011, the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program has maintained a 17-year database of records for tagged and recaptured fish. The program is a co-operative project of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (under the Virginia Marine Resources Commission-VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) of the College of William and Mary (under the VIMS Marine Advisory Program).

Monitoring Relative Abundance Of American Shad In Virginia Rivers 2011 Annual Report, Eric J. Hilton, Rob Latour, Brian Watkins, Ashleigh Magee

Reports

Concern about the decline in landings of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) along the Atlantic coast prompted the development of an interstate fisheries management plan (FMP) under the auspices of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Management Program (ASMFC 1999). Legislation enables imposition of federal sanctions on fishing in those states that fail to comply with the FMP. To be in compliance, coastal states are required to implement and maintain fishery-dependent and fishery-independent monitoring programs as specified by the FMP. For Virginia, these requirements include spawning stock assessments, the collection of biological data on the spawning run (e.g., age-structure, sex ratio, and …

Estimating Relative Abundance Of Young-Of-Year American Eel, Anguilla Rostrata, In The Virginia Tributaries Of Chesapeake Bay (Spring 2011), Troy D. Tuckey, Mary C. Fabrizio

Reports

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) adopted the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the American eel in November 1999. The FMP focuses on increasing coastal states’ efforts to collect American eel data through both fishery-dependent and fishery-independent studies. Consequently, member jurisdictions agreed to implement an annual survey for young-of-year (YOY) American eels. The survey is intended to “…characterize trends in annual recruitment of the YOY eels over time [to produce a] qualitative appraisal of the annual recruitment of American eel to the U.S. Atlantic Coast” (ASMFC 2000). The development of these surveys began in 2000 with full implementation …

Evaluation Of Striped Bass Stocks In Virginia, Monitoring And Tagging Studies, 2010-2014 : Progress Report, 1 September 2010 - 31 August 2011, Philip W. Sadler, Matthew W. Smith, John M. Hoenig, Robert E. Harris, Lydia M. Goins

Reports

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 September 2010 through 31 August 2011. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2011 spring spawning run, estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging, and the results of the study that documents the prevalence of mycobacterial infections of striped bass in Chesapeake Bay. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for …