Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Populations of giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) have been established in most of the lower 48 United States. However, establishment and spread of these populations has led to an increasing number of human-goose conflicts. Knowing the pattern of dispersal of these populations may be useful to wildlife managers interested in minimizing nuisance problems. Consequently, we analyzed band recovery data from six Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) of four midwestern states to determine if there was a common pattern of dispersal among these populations. We used negative binomial regression to test a series of models that included age at recovery, gender, number of years after initial population established, recovery year, and banding location (BCR) to explain dispersal distance. Mean dispersal distances were <100 km for all BCRs. We did not detect a consistent pattern of dispersal followed by giant Canada geese from different BCRs.

Rice seeds escaping collection by combines during harvest (hereafter, waste rice) provide quality forage for migrating and wintering waterfowl in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) and other rice growing regions in the United States. Recent sample surveys across the MAV have revealed abundance of waste rice in fields declined an average of 71% between harvest and late autumn. Thus, we evaluated the ability of common post-harvest, field-management practices to conserve waste rice for waterfowl until early winter via controlled experiments in Mississippi rice test plots in 2001 and 2003 and analyses of data from MAV-wide surveys of waste rice in rice production fields in 2000-2002. Our experiments indicated test plots with burned rice stubble that were not flooded during autumn contained more waste rice than other treatments in 2001 (P≤0.10). Waste-rice abundance in test plots did not differ among postharvest treatments in 2003 (P = 0.97).

License revenues are a substantial component of budgets for state natural resource agencies. Therefore it is important to retain license-paying residents and attract non-residents to maintain a revenue base. We addressed the problem of adjusting hunting and fishing licenses administered by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP). MDWFP provided data revealing total agency revenues generated approximately 40% of its annual budget. In 2004, license revenues alone generated U.S. $14.7 million, 22% of the $68 million annual budget. MDWFP intends to maintain or improve upon this despite stagnating funding from federal and state sources. We recommended increasing certain resident licenses by amounts of $2 to $20 to achieve this goal. If our recommendations are followed and average sales continue, hunting and fishing license revenues are projected to be approximately $16.3 million in fiscal year 2006, accounting for 26% of the projected $64 million budget.

Hardwood bottomland restoration is an expanding conservation practice in the southeastern United States. Understanding relative flood tolerance of bottomland seedlings is important to restoration success. Thus, we related height and diameter of Quercus phellos, Q. nuttallii, and Q. lyrata to elevation gradient in a 6-ha west Tennessee bottomland. We planted 3,771 seedlings from January-March 2004 in a randomized design such that all species had spatial representation across elevation gradients. Seedling height and root-collar diameter were measured in October and November 2004, and related to bottomland elevation using linear regression. Heights of Q. phellos and Q. nuttallii seedlings were positively related with elevation; no linear relationship was apparent for Q. lyrata. Root-collar diameter also positively correlated with elevation for Q. nuttallii. Our results suggest that Q. lyrata seedlings may be most flood tolerant among these species. Managers may consider planting Q.

Working toward fulfilling regional habitat objectives for migratory shorebirds, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) constructed moist soil units on three Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) to specifically be managed for stopover habitat. Units either were converted from agriculture land and fitted with water pumps or constructed at the base of a hill to collect rainwater. The most commonly observed shorebirds using these sites and other available habitat on the WMAs were killdeer (), pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos), and lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes). Managing for shallow water habitat on public lands, particularly during fall migration and/or drought years, is key to ensuring that priority shorebirds arrive on the wintering or breeding grounds in good condition. Recommendations include considerations of spatial placement and topography of shorebird units, control of vegetation, and monitoring protocols.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) provides unsuitable vegetative structure for northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) by out-competing native vegetation, impeding foraging and movement of bobwhite chicks, and increasing heat loads. During 2000-2002, we examined the efficacy of four herbicides (three grass-selective translocated herbicides [GSH]; Clethodim, Fluazifop/Fenoxaprop, and Quizalofop; and one non-selective translocated herbicide: Imazapyr) for bermudagrass control in burned and unburned experiments in a field on River Bend Wildlife Management Area, Laurens County, Georgia. Herbicide treatments reduced bermudagrass cover 30 day, 60 day, and one year post-application (P < 0.05). Imazapyr resulted in complete necrosis of bermudagrass at 30 and 60 days post-application in both burned and unburned experimental plots. The GSH were not as effective, reducing bermudagrass coverage by only 50%-51% and 29%-42% on all plots 30 days and 60 days post-application, respectively.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a popular recreational sport fish in estuarine environments like the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. However, catch rates of large largemouth bass are often low in these coastal systems. Larger largemouth bass (≥2,268 g) are sometimes thought to move upstream to less saline locations when salinity increases. We combined three approaches to explore movement of adult largemouth bass in relation to salinity and angler displacement: external tagging, acoustic telemetry, and fish releases at tournaments. Movement patterns were more varied at downstream sites than upstream sites. Behaviors of downstream fish included remaining in protected channels near the release location, moving upstream as salinity increased (<2ppt), or moving into the main river channel. Fish upstream generally remained near the release site.

Evaluations were made of management objectives across Tennessee for 25 largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) populations and 7 smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu) populations. Two models were used; one that calculated mortality caps based on target mean lengths and one based on minimum acceptable PSD or RSD. Mortality caps were calculated over a range of target mean lengths and PSD/RSD objectives and results from each model discussed. Both models suggested that current harvest restrictions for most populations were sufficient to protect fish up to at least 25.4 mm beyond current length limits and to maintain size structure balance within desired PSD ranges. Reservoir populations without size limits or low minimum length limits had mortality caps closest to observed total mortality, warranting additional sampling and possibly more stringent harvest restrictions.

The movement and habitat selection of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) was determined in a north-central Florida lake from 18 April 2002 to 1 May 2003 via radio telemetry. The study site was a steep-sided, 7-ha flooded limerock quarry, composed of six conjoined sub-basins. Twelve largemouth bass were internally implanted with radio transmitters (of no more than 18% of the total length of the fish). Limnetic areas were selected over littoral areas during the summer (May through October) and fall/winter (November through January) periods. Only one fish used littoral areas more than limnetic areas during this time. In the spring (February through April), habitat use switched. Sunken trees were the only structural habitat significantly used by largemouth bass (P < 0.05). Other structural habitats (aerators, feeders, fish attractors, and humps and boulders) had neutral preference values. Areas within 5 m of the shoreline were strongly avoided (P < 0.05).

Juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides; approximately 50 mm total length) were stocked into four ponds (0.9 to 5.3 ha) at a rate of 248 fish ha⁻¹ in late May 2003. Ponds were sampled the following spring to determine population characteristics. Largemouth bass survival ranged from 39% to 57% and appeared to be inversely related to pond size. Growth was rapid, with mean weight increasing from 1.8 g to 200-273 g in 300 days. Faster growing largemouth bass expressed greater relative weights. Catch rates of small (75 to 130 mm) bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) were highly correlated to pond size and bluegill may have reduced largemouth bass survival. Catch rates of large (130 to 150 mm total length) bluegills varied much less among ponds, but ponds with bluegill catch rates ≥100 fish/hour electrofishing were characterized by greater largemouth bass relative weights.

The species largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides is comprised of two subspecies: northern largemouth bass M.s. salmoides and Florida largemouth bass M.s. floridanus. It is uncertain whether largemouth bass is native to the Atlantic slope and New drainages of Virginia. There exists a widely-held perception that Florida largemouth bass or F1 northern x Florida hybrids provide more trophy catches than northern largemouth bass, which has led to widespread stocking of Florida largemouth bass into native northern and intergrade largemouth bass populations. Twenty-four Virginia populations of largemouth bass were screened for the frequencies of allozyme markers diagnostic for the two subspecies. The relative contributions of the Florida subspecies to the respective populations ranged from 0.32 in Occoquan Reservoir to 0.68 in Lake Robertson. No geographic pattern in genetic variation was seen.

We examined relations among creel statistics and stocking rates of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in small impoundments. Angling effort directed toward catfish varied from 2 to 790 hours ha⁻¹ and made up between 1% and 62% of the total angling effort. Anglers harvested nearly all of the channel catfish they caught in most impoundments. Harvest of channel catfish varied from 0.4 to 126 fish ha⁻¹ and 0.3 to 74 kg ha⁻¹ and was more closely associated with catfish angling effort than with stocking rate. Harvest rate declined asymptotically with increasing catfish angling effort. Catfish angling effort slightly increased and mean size of harvested channel catfish slightly decreased with increasing stocking rate. Stocking rate had a small influence on creel statistics compared to angling effort. Key words: channel catfish, creel, angler use, stocking

A mail survey was conducted in 2004 to solicit the opinions and attitudes of active resident anglers on the subject of handfishing for catfish in Missouri. Almost 90% of survey respondents had heard of handfishing prior to receiving our survey. However, only about 10% had ever participated in the activity. Anglers were essentially split in their opinions with roughly 33% of anglers in support of, 33% in opposition to, and 34% not having an opinion about allowing handfishing in Missouri. Less than 15% of those surveyed indicated that they would participate in handfishing if legalized in Missouri. However, over 70% of those surveyed that had previously participated in handfishing supported legalizing it in Missouri. Results of this survey indicated that there was not a clear majority for support or opposition to legalizing handfishing in Missouri, and handfishing is an activity that would likely have limited participation if legalized.

Demopolis Reservoir is a short-retention (three-day) mainstream impoundment where sedimentation over the past 50 years has caused separation of some backwater areas and sloughs that were historically connected to the reservoir during normal water level periods. We collected fish with direct-current electrofishing from closed-access backwater (separated from the reservoir unless flood events occur), open-access backwater, and mainstream riverine habitats four times a year over a year and a half to document species richness, diversity, evenness, and relative abundance of all fish and major sport fish. Species richness, represented by more than one individual, was the lowest in closed-access backwater habitats and highest in the open-access habitats. Fish communities were similar, but closed access habitats were more dissimilar from riverine habitats.

Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,640-ha refuge consisting of 405 ha open water (Banks Lake) and 1,235 ha of cypress swamp, marsh, and uplands located in southern Georgia. Fishes from Banks Lake, a system with problematic densities of both indigenous and nonindigenous aquatic vegetation, were collected during eight sampling periods in open water habitats from 1992 through 2003 to evaluate assemblage and sportfish dynamics. Stability and persistence analyses indicated that the fish assemblage was stable and persistent over time, though catch per unit effort of assemblage members was low in most years sampled. The bluegill population appeared stunted and was characterized by low relative weights (Wr) and proportional stock densities (PSD), while the largemouth bass population had low Wr and medium to high PSDs throughout the sample period. Length, weight, and structural indices for these fishes were characteristic of populations in a system with excessive vegetation.

Fisheries managers and anglers are concerned about the effects that increasing over-wintering populations of piscivorous double-crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus have on sport fishes across North America. We estimated the mortality of the largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides population due to predation by cormorants on a 2024-ha oxbow lake in southeastern Arkansas. Cormorants consumed an estimated 0.05%-6.20% of the largemouth bass population in 2001. Consumption ranged widely because of the variability associated with our estimates of the number of days per year that cormorants spent on the lake and the instantaneous estimate of number of cormorants feeding on the lake. Potential for competition between cormorants and largemouth bass was examined by determining diet overlap for fall, winter, spring, and all seasons combined. Diet overlap was greater than 60% only in the fall, but cormorant and largemouth bass diets were never significantly correlated.

Juvenile stages of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) depend on estuarine productivity for rapid growth and estuarine habitat diversity for predator protection. The distribution of juvenile striped bass within estuaries may be influenced by salinity. The potential influence of salinity on the suitability of estuaries as nursery areas was investigated in laboratory experiments using four age groups 67- and 91-d post hatch (25 C) and 112- and 133-d (28 C) post hatch of juvenile striped bass reared for 14 days at three different salinities (0, 5, and 10 ppt) representing conditions encountered in different estuarine zones of the Southeastern United States. We examined salinity effects on survival, growth rate, and nutritional condition. Nutritional condition was determined using the liver somatic index (IL), percent carcass lipid, hepatocyte cell size, and liver glycogen content. Survival exceeded 98% in all treatments.

Food habits of redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) populations in the Shenandoah River Basin, Virginia, were assessed during 2002 to identify dietary pathways and patterns potentially affecting mercury uptake. Aquatic insects (71% to 83%) were the principal food item of redbreast sunfish, while smallmouth bass mainly consumed aquatic insects (32% to 48%), crayfish (19% to 31%), and fish (22% to 29%). Principal food items of white sucker included aquatic insects (20% to 26%) and detritus (66% to 70%). Dipterans, ephemeropterans, and trichopterans were the main taxa of aquatic insects consumed by all species. As redbreast sunfish and smallmouth bass increased in size, redbreast sunfish diversified their diet, while smallmouth bass shifted from a diet mainly composed of aquatic insects to one primarily composed of crayfish and fish.

Developing and recommending protective flows for stream fishes requires precise information on how fishes use their habitat. Collections to establish fish-habitat relations are typically conducted during daylight hours, but because of diel habitat shifts exhibited by many warmwater stream fishes, we were concerned that determining protective flows only from day collections would result in recommended flows that were not protective. We tested for diel differences in habitat selection by stream fishes and evaluated the effects of these differences on simulated usable habitat area as flows varied. Logistic regression modeling and habitat-selection analyses for five fish species showed substantial differences between day and night habitat relations.

Since the late 1980s, range-wide bird conservation plans have been developed for a wide range of species and habitats. These plans provide a basis for setting population and habitat objectives, as well as identify assumptions that require further research and monitoring. Generally, bird conservation plans share four common components: a vision to sustain a high relative abundance, the development of specific population estimates and objectives, the development of habitat objectives within ecoregions, known as Bird Conservation Regions, and the acknowledgement of partnerships for conservation delivery at local and regional scales. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) was formed in 2000 to provide a forum for discussion and action among wildlife administrators charged with implementing bird conservation plans. Currently, high priority actions for the U.S.

The State Wildlife Grant program resulted from efforts to adequately fund wildlife diversity conservation by State and Territorial Wildlife Agencies through the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. From 2001 to 2005, State Wildlife Grants provided funding for programs for a broad array of wildlife species that were not eligible under other funding initiatives. It has also created a strong partnership between state, federal, and non-governmental agencies working toward conservation goals by requiring the development of Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies in the States and Territories. State Wildlife Grants are one of the mechanisms that can contribute to conservation of birds and other wildlife species in the Southeast. Key words: conservation, funding, strategy, wildlife, grants, birds

We present a framework for using Landtype Associations (LTAs), or subdivisions of ecological subsections, to develop integrated conservation strategies for priority bird and other taxa of conservation concern in the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region, using the Missouri Ozarks as a prototype. We profile LTAs amenable to the conservation of species in grassland, shrub-savanna, woodland-forest and wetland landscapes, provide examples of priority species associated with each, suggest conservation strategies at biologically appropriate spatial scales, and evaluate conservation opportunities and limits based upon current land use characteristics and socioeconomic factors. Key words: Landtype associations, ecological hierarchy, bird conservation, comprehensive wildlife conservation strategies

All-bird conservation, although relatively simple in concept, is extremely challenging at nearly every level when trying to implement. State wildlife agencies are often faced with budget constraints, staffing limitations, or logistical challenges (e.g., access to private lands). The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has been successful in overcoming many of these challenges through innovative partnerships that have co-funded positions with the Department, provided matching funds for grants, and facilitated large-scale research and habitat management projects for priority species. In addition, the Department's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy planning effort is helping to prioritize conservation efforts to ensure complete coverage of various bird conservation plans.

The South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) has integrated planning efforts among several major continental bird conservation plans in the United States, seeking common goals and objectives for habitat conservation to sustain, maintain, and increase populations of migratory birds and resident birds which utilize the Atlantic Flyway. One objective common to all these bird conservation plans is the need for surveys and monitoring of bird populations. Inherent to all surveys and monitoring protocols is the requirement of data storage and management. An attempt to address this need resulted in the development of a web-based data storage and management website called the SAMBI Waterfowl and Shorebird Bird Data Page. The website provides remote data entry and region-wide display of waterfowl and shorebird survey data. Currently, waterfowl and shorebird surveys are underway on a network of wildlife management areas and National Wildlife Refuges from Virginia to Florida.

A working group of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies' Science and Research Committee reviewed the rationale, design, and coordination of bird monitoring during 2004 to focus on the need for integration of information about bird status with budget, policy, and management decisions. “Rationale” promotes understanding of the role of monitoring in effective bird conservation and management, “design” of monitoring focuses on the effective and efficient use of monitoring resources, and “coordination” emphasizes the necessary infrastructure and resources for coordinated monitoring. Science-based management requires explicit objectives, management strategies and corresponding management actions, assessment, and periodic adjustment of management strategies. Distinctions between monitoring for status and trends versus monitoring to evaluate management have, however, become a source of debate among those responsible for bird monitoring.

The first continental bird conservation initiative for North America started under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) during the mid-1980s. About five years later Partners in Flight (PIF; focused on landbird species) came into being followed by the U.S. and Canada Shorebird Conservation Plans (USSCP and CSCP), the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan (NAWCP), and the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI). Soon after the establishment of NAWMP,priority areas for waterfowl conservation were identified for delivering conservation programs, now referred to as Joint Ventures. Soon after PIF was initiated, all of the United States and Canada was divided into Physiographic Areas, loosely based on areas defined by the Breeding Bird Survey. USSCP and NAWCP identified larger planning regions, which were essentially aggregations of previously identified planning units established under PIF.

In 1999, the Management Board of the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture (ACJV) embraced the vision and framework of the then newly emerging North American Bird Conservation Initiative. As a result, the ACJV expanded its objective of conserving waterfowl and wetlands habitat to all native birds and their associated habitats throughout the Atlantic Flyway. To meet this objective, the ACJV launched the South Atlantic Migratory Bird Initiative (SAMBI) in the Southeastern Coastal Plain Bird Conservation Region.

The Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (Strategy) is one component of Florida's Wildlife Legacy Initiative (Initiative), which is a program designed to create a strategic vision for conserving all of Florida's wildlife. The other two main components of the Initiative are partnership development and Florida's State Wildlife Grants Program. The state of Florida has an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of fish and wildlife conservation efforts. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Commission) is developing a long-range strategy for managing all wildlife in Florida, including birds, with the aim of averting future declines and keeping common species common. The Strategy will build a foundation for future wildlife conservation that will be solidified by opportunities for funding.

Contemporary wetland managers assigned to modified landscapes are faced with increasing complexity to maintain wetland functions and values and to meet the needs of many taxons. Historically, wetland management was driven by the drought of the 1930s when waterfowl populations were in serious decline. These conditions set the stage for a management dogma rooted in the storage rather than the manipulation of water and a focus on waterfowl. Although the first National Wildlife Refuge was for the protection of waterbirds in Florida, there was a strong focus on protecting and managing waterfowl habitats on breeding areas following the drought. Not only was the emphasis on the breeding grounds and waterfowl, but the focus was often on a single species, a selected life cycle event, or a specified time period. Thus, management often had the goal of maintaining high waterfowl populations continuously.

No paper was submitted with this abstract. Abstract was too long so please refer to pdf. Keywords: Wildlife agency partnerships, public support, funding

Beginning in September 1998, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) conducted a three-year creel survey on the trout fishery below Beaver Dam, Arkansas, to collect current information on angler effort, catch, and harvest. Angler catch rates for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) remained high (>1.0 fish/h) throughout the study. However, a reduction in angling effort coupled with a high rate of voluntary release resulted in low exploitation of the put-and-take rainbow trout fishery. The annual catch of brown trout (Salmo trutta) exceeded the number stocked in all three years suggesting that survival rates for this species are high. Conversely, mean catch rates for brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) (0.06 fish/h) and cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) (0.03 fish/h) were very low and the annual catch was typically much lower than numbers stocked.

Stomachs of 171 muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) ranging in length from 358 to 1270 mm were examined to evaluate fish diet and to estimate through bioenergetics modeling the predatory impact of muskellunge on smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the New River, Virginia. Fifty-five percent of muskellunge stomachs examined contained food. Ninety percent of muskellunge stomachs that contained food contained fewer than six items. Muskellunge exhibited an ontogenetic shift in diet at approximately 800 to 900 mm, changing from a diet consisting primarily of cyprinids to one consisting primarily of catostomids. Smallmouth bass comprised a relatively minor (4% by wet weight) component of muskellunge diet overall, although consumption of smallmouth bass did increase with muskellunge length. At an initial abundance of 100 age-1 fish, muskellunge were estimated to consume 0.18 kg•ha-1•yr-1 of smallmouth bass.

Population characteristics for black Pomoxis nigromaculatus and white crappies P. annularis combined were simulated using a dynamic pool model to determine if the current 254-mm length limit is practical at Lake Chicot, Arkansas. Catch curve regressions were used to estimate annual mortalities, and exploitation was estimated with two consecutive tag reward studies. Exploitation was adjusted for tag loss, tagging mortality, and non-reporting. Average annual mortality was 78% and adjusted exploitation was 17%. The model predicted no significant changes in PSD, RSD-P, RSD-M, or population abundance as a result of removing the length limit. However, the model predicted a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the number of crappies harvested and yield if the length limit is removed. The length limit probably has not affected most population characteristics because of low exploitation and high recruitment variability.

A method of evaluating white bass (Morone chrysops) populations sampled with gill nets during fall in Missouri's large reservoirs was developed by establishing objectives for growth, size structure, and age structure parameters. Growth objectives were 300 and 350 mm mean total lengths for age-1 and -2 white bass in reservoirs where gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) are the primary prey, and 330 and 380 mm in reservoirs where threadfin shad (D. petenense) are the primary prey. Objectives for size and age structure were determined by modeling population structures of white bass with acceptable growth and intermediate total annual mortality rates (about 40%-50%). Objectives for size structure (percentages of white bass ?age 1 that were also ?300 mm and 380 mm) were 65%-85% and 5%-25% for gizzard shad prey reservoirs, and 80%-100% and 30%-50% for threadfin shad prey reservoirs. The objective for age structure (percentages of fish ? age 1 that were ?

We measured total length and weight and estimated daily age of 50 young-of-year shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae) collected from a hatchery pond in southwest Georgia. Daily age was estimated using otoliths and was considered the median age of ring counts from one reader who counted rings in each otolith independently three times. This sample of young-of-year shoal bass averaged 28.55 days old, 24.04 mm in total length, and 0.13 grams in weight. Daily growth rates averaged 0.85 mm day-1. The length-weight relationship was described by the equation: weight = 0.0043e0.1399*length. The frequency distribution of daily ages was skewed, suggesting one main spawning period later in the season, lasting approximately 12 days, with young-of-year swim-up beginning 27 March 2003. These are among the first data on young-of-year shoal bass characteristics and we recommend further research to validate daily ring formation in otoliths of this species.

The interaction of prey fish body depth and predator gape size may produce prey assemblages dominated by invulnerable prey and excessive prey-to-predator biomass ratios. Peacock cichlids (Cichla ocellaris) were stocked into southeast Florida canals to consume excess prey fish biomass, particularly spotted tilapia (Tilapia mariae). The ecomorphologically similar largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) was already present in the canals. We present relations of length-specific gape size for peacock cichlids and largemouth bass. Both predators have broadly overlapping gape size, but largemouth bass ?126 mm total length have slightly larger gape sizes than peacock cichlids of the same length. Also, we experimentally tested the predictions of maximum prey size for peacock cichlids and determined that a simple method of measuring gape size used for largemouth bass also is appropriate for peacock cichlids.

The blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus fishery at Lake Texoma has been increasing in popularity. Guides that typically seek striped bass Morone saxatilis switch to blue catfish, particularly during the winter months when the largest individuals are most vulnerable. Low frequency electrofishing samples, collected since the early 1990s by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, indicate that population abundance is stable but concerns have been raised over the long term viability of the fishery in the face of increased angling pressure on the largest individuals. Baseline age and growth data, using otoliths, were collected from both the Red River arm and Washita River arm in 2003 (N = 333). Mortality rates were estimated using the Fishery Analysis Simulation Tools model. Growth rates, particularly of fish age ? 6, were highly variable. The oldest fish collected was age 16 and weighed 20.43 kg.

Catfishes are among the most frequently sought freshwater fishes in the United States. Yet despite the popularity of catfish angling, few angler surveys have been conducted to describe the demographics, social characteristics, and opinions of catfish anglers to assist in improving fisheries management in Missouri. Thus, the Missouri Department of Conservation conducted a statewide survey of licensed anglers in Missouri in 2002. The survey asked questions specifically related to angler demographics, species preferences, angling behavior, and angler opinions on catfish management. Our results indicate that catfish anglers in Missouri are a diverse group and their preferences often differ by demography. In general, Missouri's catfish anglers are primarily male (79%), between the ages of 36 and 55 years old (52%), and live mostly (73%) in rural communities or small towns. Seventy-five percent of catfish anglers indicated that channel catfish was their favorite species to harvest.

Upstream migration of the Cooper River, South Carolina, population of shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) is severely limited at Pinopolis Dam (river km 77). Shortnose sturgeon congregating and spawning in the tailrace of the dam has been documented but data is lacking on the group's population dynamics. From 1995 through 1999, the population was sampled in the tailrace with 91.4 m long bottom-set gillnets during the spawning season when fish were concentrated in the area. Fish captured during 1996-1998 were tagged for a multiple census mark-recapture population estimate using the modified Schnabel method. Most captured fish were measured and weighed, and the data were fit to a weight-length regression. Pectoral fin rays were removed from a sub-sample of 35 fish for determination of the spawning population's age structure. Length-at-age data were then used to develop a von Bertalanffy growth equation. Population viability was modeled with the MOCPOP 2.0 age-structure model.

Despite the large number of low-head dams on North Carolina streams and rivers, fishways have rarely been used to restore access to habitat upstream of dams. The goal of this study was to determine the use of a prefabricated Alaska steeppass fishway installed at a low-head dam on Black Creek, a blackwater tributary of the Neuse River near Smithfield, North Carolina. Between 21 February and 2 June 2003 study period, the ladder was used by 949 gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), 2 American shad (Alosa sapidissima), and 1 golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas). Upstream passage of gizzard shad was marginally correlated (P = 0.06) with stage height of a nearby stream. These results illustrate that fish passage should be considered not only for anadromous fishes but also riverine species that undertake a spring spawning migration or that make upstream movements for feeding or other life cycle requirements.

Our study attached a monetary value to marine resources associated with fishing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In 2001, we conducted on-site surveys (N = 475) to collect expenditures of marine onshore anglers and marine fishing tournament participants in the Mississippi Gulf Coast three-county region. We then determined the extent and economic impacts of these activities and integrated marine onshore angler economic impacts and attendances into a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Our survey response rate was 86%. Total sales impacts generated from fishing-related expenditures totaled approximately $2.6 million in the three-county Mississippi Gulf Coast region and $2.9 million statewide. We also determined whether onshore fishing locations attendances were affected by their proximity to a casino.

This paper demonstrates the applicability of human dimensions research to the development of programmatic priorities and strategies for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), Freshwater Fisheries (FWF) Section. Responsive Management (RM), a Virginia-based research firm specializing in public attitudes toward natural resources, conducted telephone surveys in 1998, 2002, and 2004 of South Carolina residents and licensed anglers to examine their attitudes and opinions toward fishing, fisheries management, aquatic resources, and various programs of the SCDNR. Survey results showed that South Carolina residents valued the State's aquatic resources and wanted more emphasis and education on aquatic resource programs rather than fishing-specific programs. Furthermore, research revealed public support for a shift from the FWF?Section's primary mission of sport fishery management to a more broad-based aquatic resources program.

We evaluated voluntarily completed catch cards as an alternative to access point surveys at intensively managed state-owned fishing lakes in Mississippi. Catch cards, with signs encouraging participation and completion, were conspicuously available to anglers. Five percent of anglers voluntarily completed catch cards; response rate increased to 13% when agency personnel verbally requested participation in the catch card program from those anglers they encountered on-site. Anglers who voluntarily obtained and completed cards (respondents) were older, fished more often, and caught more fish on the day they completed the catch card than non-respondent anglers. Fish harvest reported on the catch cards did not differ from observed harvest. However, considering the response bias and low precision of estimates resulting from low response, voluntarily completed catch cards are not a viable substitute for creel surveys at Mississippi State lakes.

Urban fishing programs in Arkansas rely primarily on put-take stockings of channel catfish and rainbow trout. We evaluated hybrid striped bass as a potential addition to urban fisheries by stocking this fish at densities of 95 and 96 fish/ha in two urban fishing ponds. Angler surveys were conducted three times daily for five weeks following stocking to determine angler demographics, fishing success, and attitudes/preferences. We surveyed 320 anglers comprised primarily of local urban residents. They exerted 686 hours of fishing effort, catching 574 fish, including sunfish (38%), channel catfish (30%), and hybrid striped bass (22%). Of the anglers who caught hybrid striped bass, over 90% said that it added to their fishing experience and they were more likely to return to the lake to fish. Of all anglers surveyed, 90% said that the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission should begin stocking hybrid striped bass as part of urban fisheries management.

The Canoochee River originates in the Southern Coastal Plain of Georgia and flows through the Coastal Flatwoods to terminate at the Ogeechee River. The Canoochee Drainage is the largest tributary of the Ogeechee River and is a fifth-order woodland stream. Investigators surveyed 83 sites for freshwater bivalve presence, noting species and counting individuals. We analyzed water chemistry parameters including nitrate nitrogen, total inorganic nitrogen, total dissolved phosphate, and total dissolved copper. Multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis indicated mussel densities and catch per unit of effort to be positively correlated with nitrate nitrogen concentrations and pH even though mussel densities are low on the Canoochee River Drainage. We found highest densities of mussels in the Canoochee River as well as in Wolfe Creek.

The Okefenokee Swamp is the largest freshwater wetland in the United States; however, population dynamics of the fish assemblage within the swamp are poorly understood. Fish surveys from 1992-2001 indicate that two species, bowfin (Amia calva) and flier (Centrarchus macropterus), are the numerically dominant taxa of the eastern portion of the swamp, representing over 88% of all fishes collected. Results indicated that the fish assemblage was persistent and stable in terms of constancy of dominant species presence and their abundances. The four most abundant species, bowfin, flier, chain pickerel (Esox niger), and warmouth (Lepomis gulosus), had high relative conditions in all years. When combined with high catch-per-unit-effort and angler-preferable sizes, these results suggest that the eastern swamp has the potential to support an excellent flier and bowfin fishery, as well as a lesser fishery for chain pickerel and warmouth.

Fish communities were sampled from macrotopographical features found in created wetlands of different ages (termed young, old, and reference) designed by the Wetland Reserve Program in three counties in east-central Arkansas. Wetlands were sampled from March-June 2003 using mini modified-fyke nets and experimental gill nets in pool and ditch habitats. A total of 8,952 fishes representing 49 species was collected. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant differences in fish diversity or evenness between different-aged wetlands in pool habitats; a significant pattern of greater fish species richness in pools associated with reference wetlands occurred relative to young and old created wetlands. In ditch habitats, fish diversity and evenness tended to increase significantly through time in reference wetlands compared to created wetlands, whether young or old, though overall means were not significantly different among the three different-aged wetlands.

From April 1999 through February 2000, we electrofished fixed transects in two freshwater tidal wetlands of the Cooper River, South Carolina, to examine how spatial and temporal variation in these habitats influenced fish community composition. The Dean Hall site consisted of a collection of tidal creeks with intertidal, emergent vegetation and large fluctuations in submersed habitat due to tide. The Bonneau Ferry site was lacustrine, dominated by submergent vegetation, and fluctuated very little with the tide. We found 34 total species. Most were a species of Centrarchidae (41%) or an estuarine migrant (27%). Abundance and species richness varied among months, with a peak in April and June. Differences in fish community structures were noted between wetlands with Dean Hall generally containing a more specious, but variable, community whereas Bonneau Ferry contained a more stable fish community with slightly fewer species.