Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) harvest was investigated on a 2,320-ha Maryland study area from 1976 through 1981 using harvest/recovery estimates (Brownie et al. 1978) of marked squirrels. The minimum percentage removed by hunters was estimated to be 7% of adults and 9% of young and subadults. Hunting pressure, expressed as the number of trips, averaged 1,641 annually over a 17-week season with the majority (95%) occurring in the first 6 weeks. Average annual survival rate estimates were 0.52 for adults and 0.46 for subadults and young. However, survival esimates were variable. Results showed that current harvest levels could be sustained.

Data from 2 aerial surveys of waterfowl using catfish ponds were used to compare sampling efficiences between 2 stratified sampling designs and 2 completely random designs. Completely random designs produced slightly lower coefficients of variation (CV) than post-stratified sampling designs. The unbiased estimator was simplest to compute. Based on a curve established from proportions of catfish ponds sampled and CV's, sampling intensity may be reduced if lower levels of precision were acceptable. Sampling intensity can be reduced by employing a stratified design and optimal allocation of the sample size.

Brood habitat use and preference by eastern wild turkey hens (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) were studied by radio telemetry in central Mississippi in 1984 and 1985. Habitat use and preference were determined for 11 broods in the 1-14 days age group and 8 broods in the 1-84 days age group. Mature bottomland hardwood forests with a continuous canopy, sparse shrub and understory, and moderate herbaceous (grasses, forbs, vines, sedges) ground cover were highly perferred (P ≤ 0.05) brood habitat for both age periods. Mature pine (Pinus spp.) stands and pine or hardwood regeneration areas > 1 year were avoided. Use of fields or burned pine stands was low and was influenced by their location in reference to preferred habitat.

Seventeen female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) were fitted with transmitters and monitored continuously during March 1984-May 1985. Mean home range for 4 hens that survived the 15-month study period was 677 ha. Adult (i = 66 ha) and subadult (i = 149 ha) home ranges differed (P < 0.05) during spring and may be related to nesting activities. Mean home ranges during summer, fall, and winter were 124,402, and 254 ha, respectively. Average distance traveled in 24 hours did not differ (P > 0.05) between age classes or among seasons. Subadults and adults differed (P < 0.001) in their habitat use with the greatest disparity occurring during spring. Intermediate (11- to 20-year-old) pine was the most consistently preferred (P < 0.05) habitat. Upland sites were preferred (P < 0.05) during nesting. Turkeys concentrated activities in areas surrounding dairy pastures.

Forty-four adult (;;'2.5 years) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) does were separated into 9 groups. Each group was offered a paired combination diet of high, medium, or low protein; and high, medium, or low digestible energy (DE) for a 60-day period ending December 1983 (Study I). Forty-six adult does were maintained on a paired combination diet of high or low protein and high or low digestible energy for a 6-month period ending December 1984 (Study II). Thyroid gland activity data were collected only from deer in Study II. Thyroid activity based on cell height was greater at high than at low protein (P ≤ 0.05). Ovarian activity and thymus weight data were collected from deer in Studies I and II. Number of corpora lutea in Study I was greater at medium protein than at high or low protein and greater at high and medium energy than at low energy (P ≤ 0.05). Mean size of the 5 largest ovarian follicles in Study II was greater at high than at low protein (P ≤ 0.01).

Fifty-two white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus) were obtained from penned breeding stock (31) and wild captures (21) during the 1985 fawning period. Birth dates ranged from mid-April to late August. Fawns were reared in pens on evaporated milk. Water and calf starter were provided ad libitum. Fawns were weighed at 2 week intervals. Birth weights recorded for 23 fawns and estimated for 8 fawns of known birth date, differed (P ≤ 0.05) among early, middle, and late born fawns. Weight gain also differed (P ≤ 0.05) among birth categories with fawns born during the middle period gaining weight the fastest and reaching the heaviest weaning weights.

Annual variation in breeding success among female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns on the Savannah River Plant (1967 to 1985) was determined from direct counts of pregnancy in spring-collected fawn females and evidence of lactation and measurements of udder thickness in fall-harvested 1.5-yearolds. Percent lactation in 1.5-year-old females collected during September and October gave the best estimate of fawn breeding in the previous year. The overall mean fawn breeding estimate from September and October was 41 %, and the yearly variation in fawn breeding was significant. An estimate of the average yearly contribution to recruitment was 43 fetuses per 100 fawn females.

Histories of releasing and hunting hand-reared mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) on 3 private farms in Maryland were examined. Since 1962, 171,800 mallards were released; annual releases now total 7,300 birds. Hand-reared mallards averaged 65-90% of the ducks harvested on the 3 farms. Hunters on the farms harvested 24-43% of the mallards released during 1980-84; hunters off the farms harvested an additional 4-11 %. Hand-reared mallards were sedentary; 83% were harvested on the release sites, and an additional 14% within 79 km. In 1985 it cost Remington Farms $4.96/bird released and fed until October.

Numbers of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) wintering in North and South Carolina have continued to decline since the mid-1960s. Observations (N = 2,027) from 2,563 neckbanded geese, marked during fall and winter 1983-85, indicate that birds from eastern North Carolina are distinct in migration pattern from birds wintering in South Carolina and probably the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Most sightings (85%) of eastern North Carolina birds, reported from outside the state, were from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Geese in these areas are subject to harvest and may represent a component of the population that is weakly philopatric to North Carolina as a wintering site. Within North Carolina, harvest rate indices for the last decade have increased as the population declined.

State and federal personnel banded 4,960 Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in North Carolina and 11,522 in Maryland from 1963-1974. Adult survival for Maryland geese was estimated as 81.96% (SE = 0.88%) and for North Carolina geese as 79.23% (SE = 0.96%) indicating that geese banded in Maryland had a higher average annual survival rate (P < 0.01). Recovery rates also indicated Canada geese from North Carolina (3.01 %, SE = 0.16%) may have had higher rates of harvest compared to Maryland (2.39%, SE = 0.10%) (P < 0.001). Model simulations indicated that estimated differences in survival were probably not of sufficient magnitude to have caused the observed population shift.

Mortality of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) from commercial trotlines was studied on Lake Okeechobee, Florida, from November 1985 to March 1986. Of 27 scaup removed from 118 trotlines, 81% were hooked in body parts other than the mouth. An estimated 7,458 scaup, or 8% of the estimated average winter population of 97,071, were killed during 5,675 man-days of fishing. Potential impacts on scaup populations are discussed.

Duck migration chronology was determined for 11 national wildlife refuges (NWRs) in Florida during 1976-81. Mean monthly population indices differed by month, with peak populations occurring in December. Extension of the duck hunting season framework until 31 January, with a concurrent reduction of season days in December probably would reduce the statewide duck harvest. Implications of this harvest strategy are discussed in terms of hunter satisfaction and possible duck population impacts.

Landowner perceptions of damage caused by beavers (Castor canadensis) in the Arkansas Delta were determined by mail survey. Beavers were reported on lands owned by 64% of the 460 respondents. Blocked culverts, flooded row crops, and girdled timber were the most common forms of damage. Of those with beavers on their lands, 90% requested decreased populations and 72% had tried removing beavers. Many landowners were unfamiliar with accepted control methods and where to get assistance. Landowners most often requested information on controlling beavers (49%) and demonstration of control techniques (47%). Coordinating assistance programs among several agencies, emphasizing education and demonstration, and loaning traps might improve landowner assistance programs.

Adult and immature wild swine (Sus scrota) were marked using freezebranding. Irons were applied for various durations to determine the most appropriate branding time. Light-colored skin and a permanent hair loss were produced by iron application times of 100 to 120 sec for adults and 20 to 24 sec for immature animals. Marks were permanent and readable up to 100 m.

The objectives of the study were: (I) evaluate Conservation Agent law enforcement activities, (2) identify trends in recreational use of the Big Piney River, Current River, and North Fork of the White River in the counties of Texas, Carter, Douglas and Ozark. From 1980 through 1985, non-fishing citations were: 39% of Big Piney River citations, 55.5% of North Fork River citations, and 80% of Current River citations. From 1983 through 1985, non-fishing citations increased from 16% to 51% of the total on the Big Piney River, from 47% to 71% on the North Fork River, and from 74% to 91.5% on the Current River. When agents were given full police authority on Department-owned lands (1981), non-fishing citations increased on Department access areas on the Big Piney and North Fork rivers. The rising popularity of tubing and associated litter has increased the littering citations by Current River agents to 91.5% of stream citations in 1985.

Since its beginning in 1972, the Cadet Training Program of the Maryland Natural Resources Police has provided the Agency with a continuing source of young personnel preparing to attend the Maryland Natural Resources Police (MNRP) Academy. The objective of this program has been to provide these young employees with first-hand knowledge of the MNRP's various functions and responsibilities and to permit the MNRP to observe them in a variety of real-world situations prior to committing the expense of Academy training. The ultimate goal of the program is to acquire capable, well-motivated recruits for Academy training and to enable the MNRP to maintain an acceptable attrition rate over the years. Through careful selection and in-service monitoring and evaluation, we believe that our program is successful, and that our objectives are being met. The following paper describes our methods, experiences, and, to the degree possible, our results.

The relationships of environmental factors, agent personal background, enforcement methods, and season with enforcement efficiency were analyzed. Three major interactions among independent variables were detected. Analysis of covariance by multiple regression indicated that methods of enforcement were more closely associated with enforcement efficiency than other categories of independent variables. Agent rank was found to be more strongly related to the dependent variable than the single most important environmental attribute (intensity of water recreation).

Representatives of 17 conservation agencies and organizations have joined together to form the Aquatic Resources Education Council with the goal of increasing public awareness of and respect for our aquatic resources. One of the first projects of the council was to design an aquatic education curriculum for schools, civic groups, and other organizations.

Conservation education is an area of increasing emphasis and priority in state wildlife agencies throughout the United States. Where programs involve elementary and secondary school students and teachers, there are a set of responsibilities and expectations coming from that education community which in turn affect the state wildlife agencies. In addition, under any ground rules, state wildlife agencies have their own goals, and want to be able to assess their effectiveness in accomplishing those goals. This paper addresses a few of the major ways in which the effectiveness of school-oriented conservation education programs offered by state wildlife agencies can be measured. These suggestions are not comprehensive; they are simply examples of respected, credible, and useful approaches which can be used. For sake of example, methods for evaluation employed with Project WILD will be used as illustrations.

Information and education (IE) staffs are frequently requested to handle the public relations of controversial natural resource projects. The key to successfully neutralizing negative publicity and generating positive support for such programs is the strategic planning which must compliment the design of the natural resources project.

A survey of print editors in Florida indicated they want more than raw information from conservation agencies. Editors reported that photographs frequently are in short supply and feature stories from conservation agency writers are welcome contributions. They want more "how to" stories; they want more brief filler material; and above all else they want more material of significance to their specific communities.

A school of 206 striped bass, Marone saxatilis, were sampled using rotenone in a deep, southwest Arkansas reservoir. Fish averaged 439 mm TL and 823 g in weight, ranging in size from 321 to 525 mm TL and 33.5-1,389 g. K factors were extremely low, ranging from 0.82 to 1.18. Two hundred four of the striped bass were age II+ (1981 year class), while only 2 were age I+. Several possible reasons are considered as the causative agent in the formation of this large school.

The relationships between largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) length and lengths of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) consumed by largemouth bass were explored seasonally in West Point Lake during April-November 1981. There were no significant differences in the predator-prey size relationships for largemouth bass and bluegill across seasons; however, there was a significant increase in the size of gizzard shad preyed upon during the fall as compared to earlier in the spring-summer. This seasonal shift was not a normal fall occurrence and likely was caused by a 4.2-m drop in the summer lake level which increased crowding of predator and prey and enhanced the predatory effect of largemouth bass on gizzard shad. Analysis of the relative abundance of prey species over a 7-year period (1975-1981) showed that in 1977, 2 years after impoundment, bluegill and gizzard shad were the dominant prey species.

The relative success of the Walhalla strain of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and the Wytheville and Winthrop strains of rainbow trout (S. gairdneri) was evaluated for 2 years in a put-grow-and-take stocking program in Jocassee Reservoir. Gill-net catches of brown trout increased during the 2-year study, while catches of rainbow trout of both strains declined rapidly after stocking and no rainbow trout were netted during the second year of the study. A total of 11.4% of the stocked brown trout and 1.6% of the rainbow trout were harvested by fishermen during the study. Poor survival of rainbow trout in Jocassee Reservoir may be related more to the size of fish stocked than to different strain-specific characteristics.

Scales and otoliths of cottonwick, Haemulon melanurum, collected on 2 reef sites in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico were examined for usefulness in determining age. Scales were used to estimate age. Back-calculated lengths at annulus formation ranged from 158 mm fork length (FL) (age 1) to 352 mm FL (age 11). No difference in growth was observed between areas, but there was significant year-to-year variation in mean FL for age-classes 2-5. There was no difference in parameters of the von Bertalanffy model due to area of collection.The equation was FLt=350(l-e-0.32(t + 0.1). Annual instantaneous mortality (Z) differed significantly between reefs (0.77 vs 0.95), with a weighted mean of 0.90. The length: weight relationship was W = 0.00013 FL2.6614. Variation in condition between seasons and areas was attributed to normal variation in gonadal weight due to reproductive cycles.

Mark-recapture techniques were used during spring 1982 and 1983 to estimate the abundance of harvestable size paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) in Watts Bar Reservoir, Tennessee. Results indicated a harvestable population in 1982 of 3,421 fish (95% confidence interval of 2,184 to 6,665). Aging studies indicated a relatively young population with an abrupt decrease in survival after the ninth year. This decrease was attributed to extreme fishing mortality on these older age classes before July 1980 when Watts Bar Reservoir was closed to net fishing. Estimated annual growth of adult paddlefish was 27.4 mm for males and 31.2 mm for females. Age at maturity was estimated at 5 to 6 years for males and 8 years for females. Males constituted 76% and 60% of the sample in 1982 and 1983, respectively. Fort Loudoun tailwater was identified as the probable spawning area for most Watts Bar Reservoir paddlefish.

Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) have been stocked extensively into Texas reservoirs containing the northern largemouth bass (M. s. salmoides) subspecies, and knowledge of the genetic make-up of these potentially intergraded populations is important to their continued management. Bass populations from 19 such reservoirs were analyzed by electrophoretic determination of individual fish genotypes. As measured by variation at 3 loci, intergradation ranged from 2% to 92%. Variations in percent intergradation among reservoirs were related to individual reservoir conditions and Florida largemouth bass stocking histories. Regression analysis suggested that repeated annual stocking of Florida largemouth bass had the greatest effect on the frequency of Florida largemouth bass genes.

Compatibility and complementarity of age-O alewife and gizzard shad as coexistent forage fishes were evaluated through analysis of their distribution, spawning periods, and growth rates in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, in 1983. Gizzard shad larvae appeared to be confined to the upper reservoir and alewife larvae to the down-lake region. Spatial segregation prevents direct trophic competition while increasing potential feeding encounters for juvenile piscivores. Gizzard shad spawning peaked in June; alewife spawning peaked in July. Age-O gizzard shad became too large for age-O and age-l piscivorous game fishes by mid-summer, but later spawning and slower growth of the alewife assured its morphological availability to these predators for the remainder of the year. The alewife appears to be compatible with gizzard shad, and the species are complementary in providing spatial and temporal feeding opportunities for juvenile piscivores in Smith Mountain Lake.

Walleye, Stizostedion vitreum, were collected from 14 sample sites in Alabama from January through March 1977-1982 to obtain information on age and growth. Walleye Age III and older from 2 state-owned public fishing lakes had significantly greater growth rates than 173 walleye collected from Mitchell Reservoir. Alabama walleye generally had slower growth rates than those reported from other southeastern reservoirs and rivers.

Winter stockings of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) in a small (26.3 ha) state park lake were evaluated to determine cost effectiveness of this fishery management technique. A creel survey was conducted to measure fishing pressure and harvest. benefits, in terms of increased hours of fishing provided, increased weight of fish harvested, and increased park entrance revenue, were substantially higher than the cost of stocking.

Characteristics and success of 22 wild brown trout redds were studied in 2 western North Carolina streams. Choice of redd site by spawners was determined and intragravel characteristics of redds were followed throughout the incubation period. Spawning began during the last of October at a water temperature of 7° C. It appeared to have ceased by the middle of November. Redds were selected in pool-riffle transition areas or in riffles with a mean surface velocity of 34 cm/second and a mean water depth of 16 cm. Redd areas averaged 94 cm long and 47 cm wide. Egg pits averaged 31 cm in diameter and were 11 cm deep. During the incubation period, mean intragravel dissolved oxygen was 11.0 mg/1 , permeability 1,367 cm/h and apparent velocity 19 cm/h. About 3 weeks prior to emergence 5 alevins per redd were recovered from one creek and 68 per redd from another. Emergence occurred during the first 2 weeks of April. The number of fry emerging varied from 0 to 22 per redd.

Food habits of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) in the New River were studied to compare diet of fish in a minimum length limit regulated section (Virginia) with those in a non-length limit regulated section (West Virginia). Insects were the dominant food type by number for 152-228 mm smallmouth bass in both sections. Numerically, insects were also found to be common in smallmouth bass of several other size categories. Crayfish and fish, however, combined to form a large part of the diet of smallmouth bass greater than 228 mm. Crayfish were a more significant component of the diet of smallmouth bass in West Virginia than in Virginia in the fall 1982 sample. This may be a factor leading to low condition indices of Virginia smallmouth bass and may affect the success of the minimum length limit regulation.

Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) were the principal prey items in the stomachs of 708 striped bass (Morone saxatilis) collected in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, from April to December 1983 and 1984. Alewives comprised 51% and 39% of ingested prey items by number and weight, respectively; comparable values for gizzard shad were 38% and 58%. Stomach contents differed significantly between habitats (upper and lower reservoir) and among seasons. Regression analyses between size of consumed clupeids and total length of striped bass indicated a greater morphological availability of alewives to all sizes of striped bass.

Studies in large and small ponds conducted on the Auburn University Fisheries Research Station from 1981 through 1983 suggest that gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) severely competed with largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) populations. Gizzard shad introductions lowered bluegill reproductive success and caused an imbalance the first year of introduction. Gizzard shad grew rapidly through the size range where they were vulnerable to largemouth bass predation; in this 3-year study, largemouth bass were unable to control gizzard shad numbers. Within 2 years after introduction, gizzard shad comprised half the standing stock while replacing portions of the carrying capacity normally occupied by largemouth bass and bluegill. A proposed model of competition is that gizzard shad populations, even at low levels, filtered out enough food items to reduce survival of small bluegill.

Toxaphene and DDTR (DDT plus metabolites), both exceeding 10 ppm wet weight, were found in all samples of fish collected from 9 locations on the Yazoo, Mississippi, National Wildlife Refuge. Concentrations were highest in aquatic systems receiving direct inflow from areas draining agricultural land, and lowest in areas receiving only backwater overflow or local runoff. Residue levels of toxaphene and DDTR were high enough to threaten fish-eating wildlife. Installation of flood control structures around the northern perimeter of the refuge may reduce the inflow of contaminants that now accumulate in resident biota.

Information on silver American eels was obtained over a three-year period from seasonal sampling of 4 Georgia rivers, commercial fishermen, and from systematic sampling of eels migrating from a pond. All silver eels were captured from October through March. Of 80 animals examined, 73 were male and averaged 329mm, 69 g, and 5.5 years. Seven females averaged 584 mm, 448 g, and 8.6 years. These findings suggest that silver eels leave Georgia waters later in the year and at younger ages and smaller sizes than eels at more northerly latitudes.

Trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, and Zn) were measured in fish, clams, and sediment in 1982 to determine whether the effluents from 2 abandoned battery salvage operations were contaminating the Chipola River, Florida. Concentrations of the metals were generally low, but tended to increase downstream from plant sites. Elevated concentrations may reflect residual contamination from the battery salvage operations as well as increased land-use development and proximity to major highways. Concentrations of trace elements in samples of biota and sediments demonstrated no serious contaminant problem in the Chipola River.

The food habits of larval Lepomis spp. and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) in Hyco Reservoir, North Carolina, were studied during 1982. Results indicated that Lepomis spp. began feeding at a length of 4 mm on copepod nauplii and the rotifers Polyarthra and Filinia. Selection later (10 mm) shifted to Bosmina, Daphnia, and Mesocyclops, while Diaphanosoma was strongly selected for by all sizes of larvae. The crustaceans Diaptomus, Ceriodaphnia, and Holopedium, along with most rotifers, were not selected. Gizzard shad began feeding primarily on large phytoplankters at 4 mm, then shifted to nauplii and Polyarthra at 5 mm, then to Daphnia at 12 mm. Bosmina and Diaphanosoma were eaten occasionally; and Diaptomus, Ceriodaphnia, Holopedium, and most rotifers were not selected. Both fish species ate significantly greater amounts of zooplankton during the day than at night, and Lepomis spp. ate significantly more zooplankton than gizzard shad overall.

In 1976, the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) was stocked in Watauga Reservoir, Tennessee, by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), in an attempt to strengthen the forage base. To assess ecological impacts of the introduction, both age and growth and food habits of alewives were evaluated along with food habits of adult game fishes. The alewife population was composed of 3 age classes (0+, 1+, and 2+). Average back-calculated lengths were 70 mm at annulus I and 103mm at annulus II. No significant differences between sexes were found with back-calculated lengths or with the length-weight relationship (P = 0.05). Alewives fed primarily on cladocerans, copepods, and crustacean eggs in both littoral and limnetic regions. Only one alewife had fish in its stomach. Alewives contributed to the diets of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), white and black crappie (Pomoxis spp.), rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri), and Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica).

Food habits of largemouth bass, (Micropterus salmoides) , from 2 heated East Texas reservoirs having different prey communities were studied. In Lake Monticello, shad, primarily threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), were the dominant prey most of the year. Sunfishes were the major food item in winter months. Shad were especially important in the diets of largemouth bass 153 - 306 mm in total length. Utilization of sunfishes increased with size of largemouth bass. Sunfishes and shad were equally abundant in the diets of largemouth bass ≥306 mm TL. Largemouth bass population structure and condition were good based on monthly proportional stock density and relative weight indices. In Lake Welsh, sunfishes were the dominant food of all sizes of largemouth bass, particularly during winter and spring. Many largemouth bass consumed insects during the summer, suggesting low forage fish populations.

Objectives of this study were to collect information on food, prey availability, and growth rates of black bass (Micropterus spp.) and to determine what type of restrictive harvest regulations would be best for their management in Kentucky Lake, Kentucky. The available fish prey/predator ratio (AP/P) in the Blood River embayment was near 1 : 1 until fish reached 300 mm length, and then available prey biomass increased rapidly. Fish prey were the major food item of all 3 species of bass > 150 mm (largemouth bass, M. salmoides, spotted bass, M. punctulatus, and smallmouth bass, M. dolomieui). Length-frequency distributions of bass≥200 mm had a mode of 290 mm, just below the past minimum length limit of 300 mm, and showed that 89% of all bass were less than the new length limit of 360 mm. The distribution pattern was greatly influenced by slow-growing largemouth bass between 2 and 4 years of age.

Food of silver redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum), redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus), green sunfish (L. cyanellus), and bluegills (L. macrochirus) was examined to determine whether or not these fish in the Hartwell Reservoir tailwater (Savannah River, Georgia-South Carolina) ate organisms entrained from the reservoir or displaced from the tail water during water releases associated with the production of hydropower. These fish fed primarily on aquatic insects, crayfish, and terrestrial organisms originating from the tail water. Major periods of feeding occurred during nongeneration.

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were introduced into 2 East Tennessee lakes to evaluate their survival, growth, and food habits in small impoundments of < 5 ha. Small fingerling striped bass (33-96 mm) introduced late in the growing season exhibited poor survival. Good survival was depedent upon early introduction and larger size at stocking. The preferred habitat of striped bass in small impoundments does not support a sufficient forage base to sustain good growth. Food habit analyses revealed that approximately 85% of all food items consumed by yearling striped bass were fish. Sunfish (Lepomis sp.) comprised 62% of the total fish consumed while 29% were largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and 9% were unidentified fish remains. Striped bass began utilizing fish as a primary food source at approximately 170 mm total length.

Food habits of adult white bass, (Morone chrysops), were studied in Clarks Hill Reservoir from 1 July 1980 to 30 June 1981. Stomachs from 137 white bass ranging from 225 mm to 415 mm total length and 0.12 kg to 0.76 kg were examined. Overall, threadfin shad was the predominant food item of white bass (56% frequency of occurrence). Analysis by season indicated that insect larvae and non-shad fishes were of periodic importance. Similarities were found in frequency of occurrence and seasonal trends. Food habits of white bass were compared to hybrid bass using relative importance indices.

This study was conducted to determine population structure, relative condition, food availability, and food habits of bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus) from West Point Reservoir in 1980 and 1981. Fish were collected with rotenone and by seining 3 times, weekly, from May through September. Zooplankton and benthic samples were collected at each fish sampling site. Scarcity, small size, relative old age, and poor physical condition of the fish indicated that the population was stunted. Results of fish food inventory and gut content analysis revealed a shortage of preferred food for bluegills of all sizes. The food shortage was attributed to competition with the abundant threadfin (Dorosoma petenense) and gizzard (D. cepedianum) shads and to the effects of the annual 3-m water level fluctuation which reduced standing stocks of benthic invertebrates. Fishery management alternatives were discussed.

There is growing interest in the United States to develop fish farming operations using striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and or its hybrids. In South Carolina an aquaculture model was developed to allow production of pan-size (300-450 g) striped and white bass hybrids within a year. Brood fish are grown in captivity, matured, and spawned out-of-season using controlled environment systems. Small juveniles are produced early in indoor intensive nursery systems for stocking of grow-out facilities at the onset of suitable outdoor rearing conditions. Testing of model components indicated that cultured striped bass can be conditioned to spawn out-of-season and that the striped bass and white bass hybrids appear well suited for aquaculture development.

Laboratory bioassays were conducted to estimate lower dissolved solids and temperature thresholds of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) fingerlings. Tolerance to low total dissolved solids (TDS) was measured by subjecting fingerlings to various test concentrations for 240 hours at 21° ± 1°C. Higher mortality in fresh water than in diluted sea water with similar TDS suggested that concentration of individual ions may be more important than TDS to survival of red drum in fresh water. Survival in solutions of increasing sodium chloride concentrations, but constant TDS, increased and was greater than 80% at chloride levels above 130 mg/liter. Tolerance to low temperature was measured by exposing fingerlings to different temperature regimes in fresh water adjusted to a concentration of 150 ± 5 mg/liter chloride. Lower lethal temperatures ranged from 3.0° to 0.8° C when water temperature was reduced 1° C per day.

Stress induced by handling, hauling, and net confinement was evaluated in 0.2-0.8-g red drum fingerlings (Sciaenops ocellatus). Changes in plasma glucose concentrations were used as general indicators of stress, and changes in plasma chloride concentrations were used as indicators of osmoregulatory dysfunction. Hematocrit dynamics were also monitored. Net confinement (for ≤ 9 hours) and transport (for ≤ 10.0 hours) caused elevated plasma chloride concentrations and decreased hematocrit. Changes in plasma glucose concentrations in net confined and hauled fish were not consistent. Fifty percent cumulative mortality was observed after 9 hours of net confinement. Almost no mortality occurred during transport. Fingerling red drum, subjected to short term stressors, such as standard hauling and stocking procedures, generally respond well, but some may die shortly after removal of the stressors.