Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

During the past four winters an effort has been made to devise a satisfactory method of estimating the percent of young among the whistling swan population wintering in the Chesapeake Bay. Work to date indicates that this can be done by use of well distributed 35-mm. aerial color slides. Combining photography with direct visual appraisal was tried in the winter of 1965. The tentative conclusion from this was that use of aerial photos for large, densely packed flocks and visual appraisal for widely dispersed flocks would give accurate results at somewhat less expense than using the photographic method exclusively. In addition to percent young, average brood and family size can also be determined by these methods. It was also noted that the percent of "gray" birds observed decreases steadily throughout the winter. Data from the 1964 breeding season indicate that cygnets from the western areas have a higher mortality rate than those from eastern areas.

Twenty-eight deer were instrumented with radio transmitters in four Florida and Alabama habitats. Telemetric contact varied from a few hours to more than four months. Minimum home ranges of seven of these deer in their natural habitats ranged from 147 to 243 acres. This relative uniformity occurred despite considerable variation in habitat characteristics. Similarities among the habitats that might account for this uniformity were noted. Minimum home range major axes ranged from 0.76 to 2.23 miles in length with most being just less than one mile. Two semi-wild deer, when released in strange habitats, wandered over much larger areas (up to 10 times greater), but eventually established relatively small home ranges. Although major shifts in home range were not known to occur, in some instances the center of activity or "core area" changed in relation to seasonal food supply.

A total of 816 American shad (Alosa sapidissima), 2,823 blueback herring (A. aestivalis), and 79 alewives (A. pseudoharengus) was collected between July and November 1963-1965 to determine distribution, food habits, and growth in the Cape Fear River system, North Carolina. Shad and blueback herring were found in the Cape Fear River from four miles south of Wilmington (20 miles from the mouth) to Lock No.3, a distance of 99 miles, and in the Black River from the mouth to NC-411 bridge, a distance of 35 miles. In the North East Cape Fear River, shad were distributed from the mouth to NC-24 bridge, a distance of 67 miles, whereas blueback herring were distributed from the river mouth to five miles north of NC-53 bridge, a distance of 44 miles. Alewives were collected in a seven-mile stretch of the Cape Fear River, from four miles south of Wilmington to three miles north of Wilmington and in the North East Cape Fear River from the mouth to Lanes Ferry, a distance of 25 miles.

Since information on the biology of the Alabama shad, Alosa alabamae, of the Gulf coast of the United States is almost nonexistent, a study was initiated in February, 1966. Adult shad were collected on their spawning run in the Apalachicola River system, Florida, from February to April. Interpretation of the scale structure indicated that four age classes were represented. A few one-year-old males (average 10.6 inches TL) were in evidence in the latter part of the run. The two-year class consisted mostly of males (average 13.4 inches TL), and small numbers of females (average 14.5 inches TL). Three-year-old fish were most abundant; males (average 14.4 inches TL) and females (average 15.3 inches TL) were found in equal numbers. Small numbers of four-year-oIds were taken; most were females (average 16.1 inches TL) and a few were males (average 15.1 inches TL). No specimens more than four years old were collected.

Fishermen were interviewed as they fished for catfish and largemouth bass in pond S-1 (22 acres) and pond S-7 (2.5 acres) of the Auburn University Fisheries Research Unit to determine selected expenditures per trip. From September 15 to December 5, 1965 and from March 16 to June 16, 1966, 13,528 people fished, of which 1,434 were interviewed. In addition to the $1.00 pond permit fee, fishermen spent $1.25 per trip for travel and $0.89 per trip for bait and equipment. Average round trip distance traveled per fisherman was 34.5 miles. The individual average expenditure per trip was not related to day of the week. Total expenditures were estimated to have been $42,628 for 150 days of fishing. Permit cost was $13,528; bait cost, $6,872; equipment, $5,297 and travel expense, $16,931. The gross expenditure was $1,740 per surface acre of water.

While all four fish food organisms (damselfly nymphs, dragonfly nymphs, mayfly nymphs, and caddisfly larvae) were killed by various rotenone concentrations, dragonfly nymphs had the greatest resistance and caddisfly larvae the least. Concentrations of rotenone currently being used in fish eradication would not effect the populations of the test organisms except that a very slight reduction in the caddisfly larvae population might result from the higher concentrations that are sometimes used. No change in structure or deterioration of gills before and after rotenoning could be observed by microscopic examination. Survival of all four organisms was excellent under laboratory conditions. Oxygen deficiencies were not a factor in killing test organisms. Mayfly nymphs consumed the greatest amount of oxygen and damselfly nymphs the least. The damselfly nymphs could survive a low oxygen tension without their gills while the other test organisms could not.

Since channel catfish, Ictalwrus punctatus, were being considered as a possible predator for the control of forage fish in Florida lakes, a study of their food habits was conducted. An examination was made of the stomachs of 195 channel catfish collected in Lake Okeechobee, Lake Blue Cypress, and Lake Agnes, with trammel nets. The size range of fish examined was eight to 30 inches in total length. The major food items were insects, crustaceans, and fish. Data is presented according to the frequency of occurrence and number of food items contained in the stomachs. The lengths of channel catfish and the foods eaten are discussed.

Stomach contents of black bullheads (Ictalurus melas) collected from inshore areas of newly impounded Beaver Reservoir by electroshocker revealed distinct differences in diet between periods of relatively stable water levels and rapidly rising water level. During stable water level periods, Entomostraca formed 72 percent of the volume of food of young-of-the-year bullheads (<4 inches, total length). Filamentous algae, organic detritus and crayfish made up 94 percent of the food volume found in 4.0-11.3-inch bullheads collected during these periods. Contrastingly, during winter-spring months when water level rose and inundated basin soils for the first time, bullheads over four inches ate predominantly terrestrial animals (56% by volume). Earthworms comprised 28 percent of the total volume, followed by a wide representation of insects (15 percent), particularly grubs and caterpillars. Slugs, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, pill bugs and a worm snake were recorded.

The food cycle of bluegill and redbreast sunfish was short circuited by direct feeding of dry pellets in an attempt to increase the productivity of small lakes. Automatic fish feeders were constructed and installed in an experimental lake and were programmed to feed specific amounts of Purina Trout Chow at regular intervals. This paper deals with the construction of the automatic feeder and preliminary observations on the growth rate of bluegill and redbreast sunfish.

Since the introduction of the peacock bass, Cichla sp., into Florida in 1964, several southeastern states have considered introducing it as a new piscivorous game species. Tests show that fingerling peacock bass die at temperatures below 61°F., and, therefore, they would be unsuitable for introduction outside of tropical areas unless overwintered indoors or in heated water. In one pond stocked with 108 peacock bass per acre, tilapia, and fathead minnows, the peacock bass appeared to be a less effective predator than the largemouth bass when stocked under similar conditions. However, growth rates were approximately the same for peacock bass and largemouth bass at the end of a six-month period.

Experiments were conducted in three ponds and nine plastic swimming pools to determine the variation in growth rate of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) during their first year of life. Known-age fish were obtained from artificially stripped and fertilized eggs and from the nest of one pair of largemouth bass. The fry were stocked into pools or ponds. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were stocked into three ponds and four large plastic pools as brood fish to provide offspring as forage for the bass which were added later. Golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) were stocked into the ponds after the bass were added. Fathead minnows, mosquito-fish (Gambusia a/finis) and golden shiners were added at intervals in the small pools after the bass were approximately one inch long, and in the large pools to supplement the original stocking of fathead minnows. Samples of approximately 10 bass were taken periodically.

Alabama surveys indicate that the chain pickerel is undesirable because it preyed on harvestable species (1954, Annual Report Farm Ponds Project,. Auburn University, unpublished). An examination of pickerel stomach contents was conducted in South Central Florida to explore possibilities of using pickerel as a desirable predator. Specimens were collected from anglers, trammel nets, and electro-shocking. One hundred fifteen adult pickerel collected from seven lakes, Pierce, Francis, June in Winter, Henry, Kissimmee, Hatchineha, and Walk 'n Water, were examined. The data collected indicate the chain pickerel feed almost entirely on fish and quite heavily on centracrhids, such as bluegills. These data also show that although pickerel will consume harvestable game species, 79.55% of all organisms consumed were not harvestable game fish. Variety of prey, mode of specie consumed, and length frequency of prey to predator are discussed.

In order to determine the distribution and habitat requirements of the redbreast sunfish Lepomis auritus (Linnaeus) in the streams and reservoirs of North Carolina, a more detailed analysis of the data were extrapolated from previous watershed and reservoir survey reports made by personnel of the Wildlife Resources Commission from 1956 to 1966. It was concluded from the study that: (1) Redbreast sunfish inhabit 23 of the 26 major watersheds within the State; (2) Redbreast sunfish inhabit (a) waters reaching elevations up to 3,500 feet, (b) waters having up to eight percent sea-water equivalency, and (c) a pH range between 4.8 and 8.4; and (3) The game-fish species most frequently associated with the redbreast sunfish in the Mountain, Piedmont, and Northeastern watersheds was the bluegill, whereas warmouth, redfin pickerel and/or largemouth bass were most frequently associated in the Southeastern Coastal watersheds.

Striped bass were successfully ovulated in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina some 150 miles from their natural spawning grounds and about one month before their normal spawning time. Brood fish were purchased from commercial fishermen, consequently the eggs so obtained were salvaged out of a sacrificial situation. The fish were collected from pound nets following narcosis by electric shock; the narcosis being maintained by the addition of Quinaldine to the water in the boat holding tank until the female fish had been injected with human chorionic gonadotropin at the egg taking station. During egg maturation, the female striped bass were held individually in glass-fronted aquaria. Whenever a fish was transferred from one aquarium to another, or whenever egg samples needed to be taken, the fish normally were tranquilized by the addition of Quinaldine to the aquarium water before the fish were handled.