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Results for “Ohio Journal of Science”

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23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2019

Sex-based differences in spawning behavior account for male-biased harvest in Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus)

Sex- and size-specific reproductive behaviors can increase the vulnerability of certain demographic components of fish populations to exploitation, potentially leading to unsustainable harvest. Lake Erie’s largest walleye ( Sander vitreus ) spawning population, which aggregates on the Ohio reef complex during spring, is subject to angling. Information on the sex composition of harvest or how reproductive behavior might influence harvest is lacking. To address these uncertainties, we implanted 337 reef-spawning individuals with acoustic transmitters, and their spawning behavior on the reef complex was monitored for 4 years using acoustic telemetry. Males arrived on spawning grounds earlier and remained on them longer than females. These behavioral differences led us to predict that recreational angler harvest during the spawning season would be male-biased. Creel surveys confirmed this prediction, although sex composition of the harvest was influenced by angling technique. Collectively, these findings suggest that sex-based differences in reproductive behaviors bias the recreational harvest toward males on the reef complex during the spawning season. This male-biased harvest seems unlikely to pose an undue risk to Lake Erie’s walleye fishery.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2026

Identifying overlap between native fish movements and a possible seasonal Grass Carp deterrent in the Sandusky River, Ohio, USA

Riverine fishes are vulnerable to habitat fragmentation caused by interrupted access to vital habitats. Fragmentation using artificial structures can be used to limit the spread of invasive fishes by inhibiting movement between critical habitats. Thus, tradeoffs exist between maintaining connectivity for native species and restricting movement of invasive fishes. A nonphysical deterrent has been proposed to prevent invasive Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) from reaching spawning habitats in the Sandusky River, a tributary to Lake Erie, during late spring–summer. However, this timing overlaps with spawning periods of a suite of native fishes. We used acoustic telemetry and ichthyoplankton surveys to examine movement and spawning activity of multiple native species and to assess potential impacts of deterrent operation on reproduction. All species used the proposed deterrent location during the Grass Carp spawning period, and their movements corresponded with larval fish collections, indicating upstream spawning. These findings suggest the deterrent could unintentionally restrict native species’ access to essential habitats. Balancing habitat connectivity and invasive species control will likely depend on species-specific responses and careful timing of deterrent operation.

Ohio↗
USGS2013

Including independent estimates and uncertainty to quantify total abundance of fish migrating in a large river system: walleye ( Sander vitreus ) in the Maumee River, Ohio

Walleye (Sander vitreus) in Lake Erie is a valuable and migratory species that spawns in tributaries. We used hydroacoustic sampling, gill net sampling, and Bayesian state-space modeling to estimate the spawning stock abundance, characterize size and sex structure, and explore environmental factors cuing migration of walleye in the Maumee River for 2011 and 2012. We estimated the spawning stock abundance to be between 431,000 and 1,446,000 individuals in 2011 and between 386,400 and 857,200 individuals in 2012 (95% Bayesian credible intervals). A back-calculation from a concurrent larval fish study produced an estimate of 78,000 to 237,000 spawners for 2011. The sex ratio was skewed towards males early in the spawning season but approached 1:1 later, and larger individuals entered the river earlier in the season than smaller individuals. Walleye migration was greater during low river discharge and intermediate temperatures. Our approach to estimating absolute abundance and uncertainty as well as characterization of the spawning stock could improve assessment and management of this species, and our methodology is applicable to other diadromous populations.

Ohio↗
USGS2020

Modelling grass carp egg transport using a 3-D hydrodynamic river model: The role of egg retention in dead zones on spawning success

Invasive grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) are known to spawn in the Sandusky River, Ohio, USA, within the Great Lakes Basin, and are threatening to expand throughout the Great Lakes. Successful spawning is thought to require that eggs remain in suspension until hatching, which depends on river hydrodynamics and temperature-dependent egg development. Previous modelling efforts used one-dimensional hydrodynamic models that simplify egg movement by not simulating low-velocity zones within the river. To examine the effect of low-velocity zones on egg transit times and hatching rates, we developed a novel coupling of a biophysical Lagrangian particle tracker and three-dimensional hydrodynamic model on the Sandusky River during a high-flow event. The model successfully predicted egg-capture data for a range of developmental stages and revealed a mechanism that resuspends eggs trapped in low-velocity zones. The resuspension mechanism increases the residence time of grass carp eggs in spawning tributaries and can lead to successful hatching occurring in shorter distances than previously estimated. Grass carp potentially spawning in shorter tributary lengths has widespread implications for efforts preventing establishment in the Great Lakes Basin.

Ohio↗
USGS2024

Reproduction of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in the Maumee River, Ohio: Part 1—Spawning area identification using bidirectional drift modeling

Control of invasive grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ) populations in the Western Lake Erie Basin merits adaptive management guided by the best available science. Presently (2024), capture of mature grass carp in rivers during spawning season is most efficient, so knowing when and where grass carp are spawning is essential information for natural resource agencies. Using bidirectional drift modeling and grass carp ichthyoplankton samples captured in the Maumee River during the 2017–2019 spawning seasons, this study identified 12 probable grass carp spawning areas in the lower 96.5-kilometers of the Maumee River. These spawning areas were located both above and below the Grand Rapids/Providence low-head dams. Three areas showed evidence of multiyear use, while nine had multi-event use. Spawning activity had no definitive diel variation and occurred at an average photoperiod of 15.15 h. The maturation metric ADD15, or annual degree days above 15 degrees Celsius, generally exceeded the 655 threshold for spawning; however, some spawning occurred when ADD15 ≤235, indicating spawners likely matured in a warmwater discharge. The probable spawning areas were generally characterized by mean velocities between 0.4 and 2.1 m per second (with locally higher velocities possible), areas of high turbulence produced by dam spillways or bedrock outcroppings, channel constrictions, confluences, islands, and bridges with piers in the water. Spawning suitability indices (SSI), based on velocity, varied considerably between spawning areas and SSI models. These results could be used to inform control efforts and predict potential grass carp spawning locations in other rivers under threat of invasion.

Ohio↗