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At least 559 records · Page 31Linked to original sources
USGS1978

Age, growth, and food of northern pike in eastern Lake Ontario

Northern pike ( Esox lucius ) from eastern Lake Ontario were sampled with gill nets and trap nets in 1972-1973. Fish of age-groups IV, V, and VI were predominant in the catch. Although males were slightly longer after the 1st yr of life, females gained a 25-mm advantage in the 2nd yr and a 30-mm advantage in the 3rd yr. In later years, the increments of growth of males and females were similar. All males were mature after 2 yr and females after 3 yr. The stomachs of northern pike contained only fish; the alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) was the principal forage species consumed. Electivity indexes for alewives, white perch ( Morone americana ), and yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ), the three most common species in the diet, indicated a positive selection for alewives that increased from June to October during a period when the relative abundance of alewives steadily decreased.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1978

Fecundity of the bloater (Coregonus hoyi) in Lake Michigan

Using ovaries sampled seasonally from Lake Michigan bloaters in 1968-1969, we determined that one complement or modal group of eggs is produced each year and spawned mainly during January, February, and March. Fecundities estimated for 65 fish taken in October ranged from 3,230 eggs in one medium-size bloater (241 mm long) to 18,768 in the longest (305 mm). We regressed these estimates on lengths and weights of the parental fish to provide a quantitative basis for later evaluating long-term changes in reproductive potential. The resulting rectilinear regression on weight accounted for 75% of the total variation in fecundity.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1979

Medication inhibits tolerance to seawater in coho salmon smolts

Applications of 10 therapeutic and two anesthetic agents to healthy smolts of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) by conventional methods were followed by two different posttreatment circumstances. In condition I, fish were treated and then transferred directly to 28‰ seawater for 10 days; in condition II, fish were treated and held in fresh water for 4 days before their medium was gradually changed over a 4-hour period to 28‰ seawater. In condition I, no mortality occurred among fish treated with 2,4-D, trichlorofon, simazine, quinaldine, or light to moderate doses of MS-222. About 10% mortality occurred among fish treated with formalin and nifurpirinol. High mortality in seawater followed treatments with copper sulfate, hyamine 1622, potassium permanganate, malachite green (one protocol), and heavy doses of MS-222. In condition II, mortality was reduced but still high for copper sulfate and potassium permanganate, much lower for malachite green and hyamine 1622, and zero for the other agents. The results indicate that additional recovery time in fresh water is necessary between some treatments and exposure to salt water.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1979

Mortality of experimentally descaled smolts of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in fresh and salt water

Removal of slime from 25% of the body caused no deaths among smolts of coho salmon in fresh water or in seawater (28‰). Removal of slime and scales from the same percentage of body area caused no deaths in fresh water, but 75% mortality within 10 days in seawater. The 10-day median tolerance limit was 10% scale removal immediately before the smolts entered seawater. Mortality was highest when the scales were removed from the area of the rib cage. Recovery of smolts in fresh water from a loss of scales that would be lethal in seawater occurred rapidly; 90% of the fish regained tolerance to seawater within 1 day.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1980

Effects of environmental pH and calcium on ammonia toxicity in channel catfish

The twenty-four-hour median lethal concentrations (24-hour LC50) of total ammonia nitrogen (TA-N) to channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) at pH 7, 8, and 9 (total hardness, 40 mg/liter; temperature, 21–25 C) were 263.6 ± 11.3 (SE), 38.8 ± 1.8, and 4.5 ± 0.2 mg/liter, respectively. The 24-hour LC50 of un-ionized ammonia nitrogen (UIA-N) concentration at pH 8 was significantly higher (1.82 ± 0.06 mg/liter) than at pH 7 or 9 (1.39 ± 0.06 and 1.49 ± 0.12 mg/liter). Enrichment of the water to 440 mg/liter total hardness at pH 7 significantly increased the 24-hour LC50 of TA-N and UIA-N (356.3 ± 16.4 and 1.79 ± 0.07). Fish exposed to 25 mg/liter TA-N for 12 hours at pH 7 and 8 showed no differences from control fish in hematocrit, percent total plasma protein, or plasma and muscle chloride. Plasma sodium showed no difference between control and experimental groups at pH 7; however, a significant decrease occurred in fish exposed to 25 mg/liter TA-N at pH 8. No differences in blood pH were found between the control groups and fish exposed to 100 and 200 mg/liter TA-N at pH 7, and to 10 and 25 mg/liter TA-N at pH 8. Plasma sodium depletion is suggested as a contributing mechanism of ammonia toxicity.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1980

Effects of recreational river traffic on nest defense by longear sunfish

An underwater camera system was designed to record the behavior of male nest-guarding longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotus) during periods of boating activity. Boats traveling at slow speeds near nests usually drove males from their nests, increasing the likelihood of egg predation. Boats moving at higher speeds or further from nests caused little or no displacement of males, but increased turbidity and possible success of predators. Location of a nest near cover increased the male's ability to protect his nest during repeated surface disturbances.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1980

Channelization and livestock impacts on salmonid habitat and biomass in western Washington

We examined salmonid habitat and biomasses in 50–70‐m pairs of altered and control sections of small (discharges less than 0.3 m 3 second −1 ) streams around Puget Sound in western Washington in 1978–1979. Altered sections had been channelized or used by livestock. Channelization significantly reduced overhead cover, sinuosity, wetted area, and woody bank cover while increasing bank grasses. Total habitat area declined in altered areas. These impacts most damaged the quality of habitat for cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki) over 70 mm in length. Biomass of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) did not decline significantly in altered sections except in areas severely damaged. Zero‐age trout (cutthroat and steelhead, Salmo gairdneri) suffered no loss of habitat quality, although larger trout did, except in areas of severe physical impact. Short‐term effects of machinery operation in the one stream for which data were obtained included biomass depletions of all salmonid species and size classes. Channelization and livestock use appeared to reduce quality of winter habitat for salmonids. In altered sections with stable bottoms, no recent damage history, relatively little silt and sand, and adequate riffle areas, the reduction in overhead cover appeared to lead to higher standing crops of salmonids, suggesting that fish production in many streams of the Puget Sound area may be light‐limited.

Washington↗
USGS1980

Karyological analysis of Ctenopharyngodon idella, Aristichthys nobilis, and their F1 hybrid

Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp) and Aristichthys nobilis (bighead carp) have a diploid chromosome number of 48 with no acrocentric chromosomes. The hybrid of these species is triploid with 72 chromosomes. The frequencies of metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes suggest that the hybrid receives two maternal and one paternal set of chromosomes.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1981

An empirical methodology for estimating entrainment losses at power plants sited on estuaries

A model based on empirically derived age‐, time‐, and space‐variant entrainment susceptibility data may be used for estimating conditional entrainment mortality of aquatic organisms, particularly fish and shellfish, caused by operation of one or more power plants on an estuary. Model application requires knowledge of the morphometry of the water body, the power‐plant flow rates, the probability of entrainment survival, and the duration, distribution, and abundance of entrainable age‐groups. A novel feature of the model is that organism distribution and movement within the model are defined by information derived from field samples rather than by hydrodynamic principles and equations.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1981

Estimation of alewife biomass in Lake Michigan, 1967-1978

The buildup of salmonid populations in Lake Michigan through annual stockings of hatchery-reared fish may become limited by the quantity of forage fish, mainly alewives Alosa pseudoharengus, available for food. As a part of a continuing examination of salmonid predator-prey relations in Lake Michigan, we traced changes in alewife biomass estimated from bottom-trawl surveys conducted in late October and early November 1967–1978. Weight of adult alewives trawled per 0.5 hectare of bottom (10-minute drag) at 16 depths along eight transects between 1973 and 1977 formed a skewed distribution: 72 of 464 drags caught no alewives; 89 drags caught less than 1 kg; and 2 drags caught more than 100 kg (maximum 159 kg). Analysis of variance in normalized catch per tow indicated highly significant differences between the main effects of years and depths, and highly significant differences in the interactions of years and transects, years and depths, and transects and depths. Five geographic and depth strata, formed by combining parts of transects wherein mean catch rate did not differ significantly, were the basis for calculating annual estimates of adult alewife biomass (with 90% confidence intervals). Estimated biomass of alewives (±90% confidence limits) in Lake Michigan proper (Green Bay and Grand Traverse Bay excluded) rose gradually from 46,000 (±9,000) t in 1967 to 114,000 (±17,000) t in 1973, declined to 45,000 (±8,000) t in 1977, and rose to 77,000 (±19,000) t in 1978.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1981

Forage species in lakes and reservoirs of the western United States

Fisheries management in the western United States has concentrated on salmonid species, particularly in streams. Forage‐fish management in lakes and reservoirs is not highly developed, and has emphasized introductions of both predators and prey. In coldwater lakes, kokanees Oncorhynchus nerka have been established widely as the principal forage for salmonids and often support a sport fishery themselves. Introductions of other forage organisms in coldwater lakes and reservoirs, notably the opossum shrimp Mysis relicta and redside shiner Richardsonius balteatus have had mixed results due in part to food competition with resident species. A variety of exotic predator and prey species have been introduced in coolwater and warmwater reservoirs. Results have varied greatly, and include establishment of successful sport fisheries, elimination of native fishes, failure of introduced predators or prey, and predation on stocked salmonids. Native forage species generally have been overlooked by management, although there appears to be a large potential for their utilization, particularly with coadapted salmonid species. Better screening procedures for exotic introductions and a concerted investigation of the ecological requirements of both native and introduced predator‐prey combinations are required for intelligent management of western lakes and reservoirs.

western United States↗
USGS1982

Alewives and rainbow smelt in Lake Huron: midwater and bottom aggregations and estimates of standing stocks

The continued availability of adequate amounts of forage fish, primarily alewives Alosa pseudoharengus and rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax , is critical to the success of ongoing programs aimed at rebuilding lake trout Salvelinus namaycush populations and maintaining other salmonid stocks in Lake Huron. These forage species are distributed at middepths as well as on or near the bottom. Acoustic methods were integrated with midwater and bottom trawling to characterize the population and estimate the biomass of the forage stocks. The average sizes of alewives and rainbow smelt caught at middepths were smaller than those caught in bottom trawls; however, most size ranges in the bottom trawl catches were also present in the midwater catches. Subadult and adult fish (both species) were rarely caught concurrently in midwater and when they were caught together the fish were invariably large subadults and small adults. Biomass estimates for the pelagic component were determined from trawl catches and echogram counts. The regression of echogram counts ( X ) on trawl catches ( Y ) was Y = -2.69 + 0.983 X (r 2 = 0.766) at the fish densities investigated. The pelagic biomasses of alewives and rainbow smelt in United States waters of Lake Huron were estimated at 17,200 t in July 1974, 22,000 t in July 1975, and 19,000 t in August 1976. Biomass estimates of the stocks in midwater were usually larger in spring than in fall, probably due to seasonal differences in distribution rather than in abundance. Estimates for the demersal component of the combined alewife-rainbow smelt forage stock, calculated from stratified random sampling of the spring bottom trawl catches for 1973 through 1980 went from 35,000 t in 1973, to a high of 83,000 t in 1975, and to 72,000 t in 1980; the estimates in fall went from 31,000 t in 1973, to a high of 56,000 t in 1977, and to 43,000 t in 1980. Biomass estimates calculated from spring catch data were usually larger than those calculated from fall data. Estimates of the midwater stocks, coinciding with the spring and fall bottom trawl surveys, indicated that between 20 and 30% of the total biomass was in midwater.

Lake Huron↗
USGS1982

Sampling nearshore estuarine fishes with rotenone

Sampling with rotenone is an effective method for providing abundance estimates of estuarine fishes at nearshore locations. However, the determination of recovery rates for individual species is critical for estimating abundance by this technique. Recovery rates in this study varied greatly among species, but did not vary among station types (cove or shoreline) or sample years (1976 or 1977). Tagged fishes, used to establish recovery rates, did not change in weight due to the sampling procedures from time of introduction to time of collection. Total adjusted abundance estimates ranged from 157 to 18,300 fishes/hectare and from 36 to 4,080 kg/hectare for fishes greater than 124 mm in Texas estuaries. Mean number and weight of fishes per hectare were generally greater at cove stations than at shoreline stations. Timing for the application of rote‐none in estuaries is important to avoid extensive bird predation.

Texas↗
USGS1982

Gasometer: An inexpensive device for continuous monitoring of dissolved gases and supersaturation

The “gasometer” is a device that measures differential dissolved-gas pressures (δP) in water relative to barometric pressure (as does the “Weiss saturometer”), but operates continuously without human attention. The gasometer can be plumbed into a water-supply system and requires 8 liters/minute of water or more at 60 kilopascals. The gasometer's surfaces are nontoxic, and flow-through water can be used for fish culture. The gasometer may be connected to a small submersible pump and operated as a portable unit. The gasometer can activate an alarm system and thus protect fish from hyperbaric (supersaturation) or hypobaric gas pressures (usually due to low dissolved oxygen). Instructions are included for calculating and reporting data including the pressure and saturation of individual gases. Construction and performance standards are given for the gasometer. Occasional cleaning is required to remove biofouling from the gas-permeable tubing. PDF

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1982

Reproduction and early-life accommodations of landlocked alewives to a southern range extension

Reproduction and first-year growth and food habits of landlocked alewives Alosa pseudoharengus in Claytor Lake, Virginia were examined and compared to descriptions for populations in the species' established New England-Great Lakes range. Alewives in mesothermal (2–27 C) Claytor Lake are shorter-lived (3 years) but grow faster, mature earlier (age 1), and have higher relative and absolute fecundities than have been reported for populations in colder northern waters. The 1979 spawning period extended from early May to early August, beginning at least 1 month earlier and lasting 4–9 weeks longer than in northern lakes. Changes in ovary condition during the spawning period suggest that alewives may be fractional spawners. Evidence of spawning was found in littoral areas throughout the lower 15 km of the reservoir. Growth in length of age-0 Claytor Lake alewives was linear through September and terminated in late autumn. Total first-year growth was reduced in 1979 (maximum of 130 mm total length, TL) from previous years (average of 160 mm TL), although it was substantially greater than recorded in the Great Lakes and the northeastern United States. The longer growing season, rather than accelerated in-season growth, appears to account for larger size achieved in Claytor Lake. High annual growth limits predation by Claytor Lake game fish on early spawned age-0 alewives by late summer. As elsewhere, larval and juvenile alewives (6–70 mm TL) fed primarily on copepods and cladocerans. Age-0 alewives longer than 35 mm TL demonstrated positive size-selection for cyclopoid copepods comparable to that shown by adults. Our findings suggest that self-sustaining alewife populations can be established in many inland waters but raise concerns regarding their forage value and community impacts.

Virginia↗