SEAFWA Journal Volume 3, March 2016

Reservoir tailwaters can be an important resource for developing quality trout fisheries, especially when managed with special regulations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 508-mm minimum-length limit and a 1 fish day^-1 creel limit on increasing abundance and size of the brown trout (Salmo trutta) in the Cumberland River below Lake Cumberland, Kentucky. Annual stockings of catchable-sized brown trout remained relatively stable throughout the study at approximately 31,000 fish (503 fish km^-1). The purpose of the new regulations, which...

The Grandfather Mountain crayfish (Cambarus eeseeohensis) was described in 2005 from the Linville River in western North Carolina and considered to be endemic to the mainstem Linville River upstream of Linville Falls. Because of its limited distribution and the presence of non-native crayfish in the Linville River watershed, this species was considered imperiled. However, there has been limited survey effort for Grandfather Mountain crayfish and therefore the extent and nature of threats to persistence of the species were mostly unknown. We conducted surveys (n = 41) in 2011 throughout the...

Population monitoring of wildlife species requires techniques that produce estimates with low bias and adequate precision. Use of infraredtriggered camera (hereafter; camera) surveys for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; deer) population density estimation is popular among land managers. However, current camera surveys do not provide an estimate of precision critical for accurate density estimation. We believed that incorporating spatial aspects of sampling into the analytical process would allow for both estimates of precision associated with density and an ability to calculate...

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) began the ShareLunker program (currently sponsored by Toyota) in 1986 to promote public involvement in the management of trophy largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides; LMB) fisheries in Texas. The program provides anglers an opportunity to donate trophy LMB (≥ 5.9 kg) to a selective breeding and stocking program managed by TPWD, with the goal of increasing the production of trophy-sized fish in Texas reservoirs. Although the program was known to be successful at promoting trophy LMB fishing in Texas, it was not known whether selective breeding...

Diverse groups of anglers fish the variety of trout waters managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and in 2008 these trout anglers contributed approximately US$174 million to North Carolina's economy. Given the importance of these coldwater resources and their popularity with anglers, the NCWRC initiated a management planning process in 2010 that relied upon collaboration with trout anglers and resource management partners to revise its original Trout Management Plan adopted in 1989. Input meetings were held with staff representing multiple NCWRC divisions and...

The middle Trinity River in Texas supports one of the premier trophy alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) fisheries in the world. Published data on alligator gar life history and population characteristics are sparse, yet these data are needed to inform conservation and management. Using data from over 850 fish collected between 2007 and 2014, we described the size structure, population abundance, angler exploitation, and vital rates of this unique population. Collection of fish relied heavily on angler cooperators and included a three-year mark-recapture effort and the removal of...

Lake Norman, North Carolina, has a popular fishery for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), but in 2001, annual surveys by Duke Energy documented the unauthorized introduction of Alabama bass (M. henshalli). Concerns over the effects of this introduction on the existing largemouth bass fishery prompted this study, the objective of which was to use the existing standardized sampling program to document expansion of the Alabama bass population and describe changes in the population characteristics of largemouth bass in Lake Norman. Following Alabama bass introduction, the species quickly...

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds are shallow coastal habitats that are increasingly exposed to the effects of sea-level rise (SLR). In the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), an area especially vulnerable to SLR, the abundance and distribution of SAV food resources (seeds, rhizomes, and tissue) can influence the carrying capacity of coastal marshes to support wintering waterfowl. Despite the known importance of SAV little is known about their distribution across coastal landscapes and salinity zones or how they may be impacted by SLR. We estimated SAV cover and seed biomass in coastal...

Elk were introduced in 2001 to the Cataloochee Valley area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM). In 2008, the National Park Service transferred responsibility for elk management outside GRSM to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). Expansion of elk outside of GRSM boundaries presents recreational opportunities for residents and tourists but also increases human-elk conflict and associated property damage, cost of preventive action, and administrative burden for NCWRC staff. Therefore, NCWRC commissioned an integrated biological, economic, and social assessment...

Despite decades of interest and research, many questions remain about seasonal movements and habitat use of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), particularly in the Southeast. The advent of GPS-based telemetry has made detailed studies of year-round movements feasible. We assessed monthly habitat use for adult male (n = 15) and female (n = 15) deer at Barksdale Air Force Base in northwestern Louisiana using GPS radio collars collecting locations at hourly intervals over approximately one year. Males had larger monthly home ranges (97-380 ha) than females (44-181 ha), particularly in...