Lothian A. Ager

This paper outlines procedures used in obtaining approval of a management program. After intense inter-division communication and cooperation, field personnel of the Fisheries, Law Enforcement, and Information-Education Divisions of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission presented an outline ofthis controversial plan to respective division chiefs for review and refinement. The program was presented to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission by the supervisory staff for approval. Local civic, conservation, and governmental bodies were contacted by field level personnel to...

Satisfactory procedures were developed for the artificial propagation of snook, Centropomus undecimalis, as were methods for capture, care, transport, and handling of the broodfish. Milt stored at 40' F. up to 12 hours was satisfactory for fertilization. Fecundity was determined to be approximately 45,000 eggs per pounds of body weight. Fertile eggs were bouyant at salinities greater than 2(1'/0<> Lack of agitation during the first 6 hours of incubation proved critical for consistent embryo development. Hatching occurred between 24 and 30 hours after fertilization at incubation...

Concurrent with other life history investigations of black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus (LeSeuer), in Lake Okeechobee, monthly examinations of stomach contents were made. Three food items--amphipods, oppossum shrimp, and fish--comprised the bulk of the diet. A change in diet occurred in early winter when the occurrence and numberoftendipeds dropped to a very low level, and again in late srping to early summerwhen tendipeds began to comprise a substantial portion ofthe diet. Data collected indicate tendipeds were primarily ingested as the pupae move toward the water surface and leave...

A mark-recapture study used in conjunction with a roving creel survey utilizing non-uniform probability sampling was conducted in two 1,000 acre study areas on Lake Okeechobee. In one study area, 472 largemouth bass 216mm and greater total length were tagged and released prior to the creel survey. In the other study area, 201 largemouth bass 241mm and greater total length were tagged and released prior to the creel survey. Of 48 total recaptures from both years, only two fish had moved outside the creel survey area. Both surveys indicated under-utilization of bass less than 356mm total...

Ecological changes in plant communities in several Florida lakes have been noted by biologists in the past, but rarely have the parameters of these communities been documented for future reference. Soil moisture is an important factor in determining which plants will occur at particular elevations, but more important is the inundation tolerance of the various species. The purpose of this study was to compare the long range effects of water level fluctuation on the marsh vegetation of Lake Okeechobee. The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, in 1956, conducted a vegetational...