Fred A. Harris

A 50-year History of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society

We evaluated the accomplishments of the past 50 years of the Southern Division American Fisheries Society (SDAFS). We used minutes from the Southern Division annual meetings and various records to view past issues addressed by the division and activities of the SDAFS technical committees and chapters, and the evolution of the SDAFS annual meeting. Since its formation in 1952, the SDAFS has grown to about 2,000 members with 8 active technical committees, 20 chapters, and 8 student units. Issues addressed by the SDAFS have included a diversity of conservation and management issues including...

Catch/Release Bias in Reward Tag Exploitation Studies

A post card survey questionnaire was used to obtain information about the catch and release practices of anglers participating in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) tag reward exploitation studies at 2 North Carolina reservoirs. The surveys demonstrated that at least 60% of all tagged bass captured were released. The post card survey resulted in substantial reductions in the estimated exploitation rates at both reservoirs.

Effects of Internal Anchor Tags on Largemouth Bass Growth

From 1977 to 1979 largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were collected in spring from Lake Higgins in North Carolina and tagged with Floy FD-67 internal anchor tags. Tagged fish were released back into the lake and a recapture effort was made the next year. During the year following tagging, tagged bass generally achieved a smaller length increment than untagged bass of a comparable size. Weights of tagged bass tended to be less than similar size untagged bass, but only in the 326- to 350-mm size interval was the difference significant (P < 0.05).

Comparison Of Various Mark-Recapture Techniques For Estimating Abundance Of Largemouth Bass In Barkley Lake, Kentucky

Estimates of the number of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) 153 mm and longer in Crooked Creek Bay made by mark-recapture techniques were compared with rotenone estimates. Electrofishing was used to collect bass for marking, while electrofishing and angling provided recaptures. Estimates obtained by Petersen and Schnabel methods generally were lower than rotenone estimates. Both methods estimated the number of intermediate-size bass more accurately than adult bass. Size distributions of bass captured by angling, electrofishing, and rotenone recovery showed no differences in the...