Geology topics

Frank Panek

Publications and source records attributed to Frank Panek.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2013

Frequency and Severity of Trauma in Fishes Subjected to Multiple-pass Depletion Electrofishing

The incidence and severity of trauma associated with multiple-pass electrofishing and the effects on short-term (30-d) survival and growth of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis, and five representative co-inhabiting nontarget or bycatch species were examined. Fish were held in four rectangular fiberglass tanks (190 × 66 cm) equipped with electrodes, a gravel–cobble stream substrate, and continuous water flow. Fish were exposed to one, two, or three electroshocks (100-V, 60-Hz pulsed DC) spaced 1 h apart or were held as a control. The heterogeneous field produced a mean (±SD) voltage gradient of 0.23 ± 0.024 V/cm (range = 0.20–0.30 V/cm) with a duty cycle of 30% and a 5-s exposure. Radiographs of 355 fish were examined for evidence of spinal injuries, and necropsies were performed on 303 fish to assess hemorrhagic trauma in soft tissue. Using linear regression, we demonstrated significant relationships between the number of electrical shocks and the frequency and severity of hemorrhagic and spinal trauma in each of the nontarget species (Potomac Sculpin Cottus girardi, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas, Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides). Most of the injuries in these species were either minor or moderate. Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout generally sustained the highest incidence and severity of injuries, but those injuries were generally independent of the number of treatments. The 30-d postshock survival for the trout species was greater than 94%; survival for the bycatch species ranged from 80% (Fathead Minnow) to 100% (Green Sunfish and Channel Catfish). There were no significant differences in 30-d postshock condition factors despite observations of altered feeding behavior lasting several days to 1 week posttreatment in several of the study species.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2012

Age, Growth and Reproduction of the Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea) at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey.

Umbra pygmaea DeKay (Eastern Mudminnow) is one of four species of Umbridae in North America. There is little published life-history information on the species within its native range, particularly on age, growth, and reproduction. This study focuses on these aspects of the life history of this fish at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Morris County, NJ. A total of 336 fish of seven species was collected from June 1978 through May 1979, with the Eastern Mudminnow comprising 74% of the total. The average annual growth increment in total length for the Eastern Mudminnow was 15.3 2.06 mm, with age-1 fish averaging 40 mm total length and age-5 fish, the oldest collected, averaging 107 mm total length. The length-weight relationship was log10W = -5.291 + 3.182 log10TL mm for males and log10W = -4.999 + 3.032 log10TL mm for females. We observed no statistically significant sexually dimorphic differences in length-weight relationships in this population. The ratio of females to males increased from a low of 0.6 (predominance of male fish) at age-1 to a high of 4.6 (predominance of females) at age-5. Annual mortality for age 2–5 fish ranged from 40–76% with a mean of 59 13%. Age-specific fecundity estimates ranged from 250 eggs/female at age-1 to 2168 eggs/female at age-5. The relationship of number of mature ova to age was best described by the exponential function y = 149.29e0.5287x, where y = age-specific fecundity and x = age in years. Ova ranged from 0.1–0.2 mm in diameter in June and July and averaged 1.41 0.1 mm (range = 1.29–1.62 mm) in early February prior to spawning. Peak spawning occurred in mid-April at temperatures of 9–12 °C, and all females were spent by late April (13–15 °C).

Northeastern Naturalist↗

USGS2008

Fisheries and aquatic resources—fish health

Fish health research at Leetown had its origin in the 1930’s when the Leetown Fish Hatchery and Experiment Station was constructed. In 1978, the National Fish Health Research Laboratory, now a component of the Leetown Science Center, was established to solve emerging and known disease problems affecting fish and other aquatic organisms critical to species restoration programs. Center scientists develop methods for the isolation, detection, and identification of fish pathogens and for prevention and control of fish diseases.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2008

Mycobacteriosis in striped bass

Mycobacteriosis is a bacterial disease in which striped bass (rockfish) may be disfigured as a result of skin ulcers and internal lesions. The bass may also be skinny or in extremely poor condition due to the chronic nature of this wasting disease. Stripers are a highly prized target species for both recreational anglers and commercial fishermen. As such, the economic impact of diseased and devalued fish could be significant. In addition, some of the mycobacteria that commonly infect fishes can cause infections in people and therefore are a human health concern. The total extent to which the disease is occurring along the Eastern seaboard is unknown but the disease has been reported from stripers taken from North Carolina to New York. During 1998-99, skin ulcers attributed to mycobacterial infection were observed in up to 28% of the striped bass from some Virginia tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Data obtained during 2002—2003 from fish harvested in Virginia and Maryland waters indicated that, at least in some areas, over 80% of striped bass may be infected with the mycobacteria that are associated with the disease. Given the persistence over the last 8 years of this mycobacteriosis outbreak, this does not appear to be a short-term problem.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2008

Disease of coral and coral reef fishes

The Department of the Interior protects sensitive habitats amounting to about 3,600,000 acres of coral reefs and other submerged lands. These reefs are important ecosystems in 13 National Wildlife Refuges, 10 National Parks and in certain territorial waters such as the Wake Atoll.

Fact Sheet↗

USGS2008

Infectious salmon anemia virus

The occurrence of infectious salmon anemia virus in Atlantic salmon populations in the Northeast may threaten interagency recovery efforts for this endangered species.

Fact Sheet↗