Christian T. Waters

River herring (alewife [Alosa pseudoharengus] and blueback herring [A. aestivalis]) within the Albemarle Sound basin in North Carolina once supported large commercial fisheries that have declined dramatically since the 1970s. Overfishing, poor water quality, and habitat loss have been suggested as causes of this decline. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of water quality on the hatching success of blueback herring eggs in the Chowan River, a major tributary to Albemarle Sound. We combined eggs and milt obtained from running-ripe fish and placed incubators containing...

The purpose of this study was to assess the abundance, size composition, and food habits of the flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) poopulation in Sutton Lake near Wilmington, North Carolina, and to determine if the flathead catfish population could be diminished by repeated electrofishing over several months. Flathead catfish were collected monthly from June through October 1999 and removed using 2 boat-mounted electrofishing units. A total of 255 flathead catfish weighing 1,550 kg were collected. Individuals >600 mm total length dominated the catch. Fish accounted for 92% of the...