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Tomas J. Ivasauskas

Publications and source records attributed to Tomas J. Ivasauskas.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Relationships among catch, angler catisfaction, and fish assemblage characteristics of an urban small impoundment fishery

Urban fisheries provide unique angling opportunities for people from traditionally underrepresented demographics. Lake Raleigh is a 38-ha impoundment located on the North Carolina State University campus in Raleigh. Like many urban fisheries, little is known about angler use and satisfaction or how angling catch rate is related to fish availability in Lake Raleigh. We characterized the recreational fishery and fish assemblage with concurrent creel and boat electrofishing surveys over the course of one year. In total, 245 anglers were interviewed on 68 survey days. On average, anglers spent 1.7 h fishing per trip and caught 0.385 fish h –1. A large proportion of anglers (43.9%) targeted multiple species, whereas 36.5% targeted largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ), 10.0% targeted panfish (i.e., sunfishes [ Lepomis spp.] and crappies [ Pomoxis spp.]), and 9.6% targeted catfish ( Ameiurus spp. and Ictalurus spp.). Most anglers (69.4%) were satisfied with their experience, and overall satisfaction was unrelated to catch rate. Pulsed-DC boat electrofishing was conducted on 25 dates, and 617 fish were sampled. Angler catch rate was unrelated to electrofishing catch rate, implying that anglers' catch rate was independent of fish density or availability. Our results demonstrate that even minimally managed urban fisheries can provide high angler satisfaction, with limited dedication of management resources. Relationships Among Catch, Angler Satisfaction, and Fish Assemblage Characteristics of an Urban Small Impoundment Fishery (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316636550_Relationships_Among_Catch_Angler_Satisfaction_and_Fish_Assemblage_Characteristics_of_an_Urban_Small_Impoundment_Fishery [accessed Aug 11, 2017].

North Carolina↗

Development of a multimetric index for fish assemblages in a cold tailwater in Tennessee

Tailwaters downstream of hypolimnetic-release hydropeaking dams exhibit a unique combination of stressors that affects the structure and function of resident fish assemblages. We developed a statistically and biologically defensible multimetric index of fish assemblages for the Caney Fork River below Center Hill Dam, Tennessee. Fish assemblages were sampled at five sites using boat-mounted and backpack electrofishing gear from fall 2009 through summer 2011. A multivariate statistical approach was used to select metrics that best reflected the downstream gradients in abiotic variables. Five metrics derived from boat electrofishing samples and four metrics derived from backpack electrofishing samples were selected for incorporation into the index based on their high correlation with environmental data. The nine metrics demonstrated predictable patterns of increase or decrease with increasing distance downstream of the dam. The multimetric index generally exhibited a pattern of increasing scores with increasing distance from the dam, indicating a downstream recovery gradient in fish assemblage composition. The index can be used to monitor anticipated changes in the fish communities of the Caney Fork River when repairs to Center Hill Dam are completed later this decade, resulting in altered dam operations.

Tennessee↗

Effects of suture material and ultrasonic transmitter size on survival, growth, wound healing, and tag expulsion in rainbow trout

We examined the effects of suture material (braided silk versus Monocryl) and relative ultrasonic transmitter size on healing, growth, mortality, and tag retention in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss . In experiment 1, 40 fish (205–281 mm total length [TL], 106–264 g) were implanted with Sonotronics IBT‐96–2 (23 × 7 mm; weight in air, 4.4 g; weight in water, 2.4 g) or IBT 96–2E (30 × 7 mm; weight in air, 4.9 g; weight in water, 2.4 g) ultrasonic telemetry tags. In experiment 2, 20 larger fish (342–405 mm TL; 520–844 g) were implanted with Sonotronics IBT‐96–5 ultrasonic tags (36 × 11 mm; weight in air, 9.1 g; weight in water, 4.1 g). The tag burdens for all implanted fish ranged from 1.1% to 3.4%, and fish in both studies were held at 10–15°C. At the conclusion of both experiments (65 d after surgery), no mortalities were observed in any of the 60 tagged fish, most incisions were completely healed, and all fish in both experiments grew in length, although tagged fish grew more slowly than control fish in experiment 1. In both experiments, fish sutured with silk expelled tags more frequently than those sutured with Monocryl. Expulsion was observed in 45–50% of the fish sutured with silk and 0–25% of the fish sutured with Monocryl. Tag expulsion was not observed until 25–35 d after surgery. Fish sutured with silk exhibited a more severe inflammatory response 3 weeks after surgery than those sutured with Monocryl. In experiment 1, the rate of expulsion was linked to the severity of inflammation. Although braided silk sutures were applied faster than Moncryl sutures in both experiments, knots tied with either material were equally reliable and fish sutured with Monocryl experienced less inflammation and lower rates of tag expulsion.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗

Dispersal, mortality, and predation on recently-stocked rainbow trout in Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee

Forty-four hatchery-raised rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were implanted with ultrasonic tags and stocked into Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee, and tracked at least once per week for eight weeks to describe post-stocking dispersal rates, movements, and habitat use. Dispersal followed a three-stage pattern characterized by rapid movement away from each stocking site during the first week, relatively little dispersal during the next three weeks, and further dispersion during the final four weeks that fish were tracked. Rainbow trout exhibited a strong affinity for coves and were rarely encountered in the main channel. Tagged fish stocked in March exhibited lower mortality (Zweekly = 0.027) than those stocked in January (Zweekly = 0.062) during the first eight weeks post-stocking. Diets of potential predators in Dale Hollow Lake were examined. Walleye (Sander vitreus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), largemouth bass (M. salmoides), and holdover rainbow trout all preyed on recently stocked trout. Larger walleye were more likely to prey on stocked rainbow trout, and walleye of all sizes tended to prey on the smaller trout in each stocked cohort. Walleye were more likely to feed on rainbow trout during January than March. Effective stocking strategies should focus on reducing predation by stocking larger rainbow trout or by stocking when predation risk is minimized (i.e., March).

Tennessee↗