Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

This paper concerns an evaluation of the effects of habitat alteration associated with stream channelization in eastern North Carolina. The evaluation was based upon a comparison of fish populations found in 23 channeled streams, and 36 proximate natural streams within the Chowan, Neuse, Northeast Cape Fear, Pamlico, Perquimans, and Tar River Watersheds.

The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission has conducted a state-wide fish tagging program for the years 1961 through 1964. Rewards from $25.00 to $10,000.00, offered by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, insured a high return to the Commission of those fish caught by the anglers. During the four year period, 28,805 fresh-water fish were tagged and released in 120 lakes, rivers, and canals throughout the state. Ten species of fish were tagged with the largemouth bass providing the highest returns. 27.9 per cent of the 9,079 bass tagged were returned. The recaptures for six other centrarchids were considerably lower, ranging from 4.3 per cent for the bluegill (11,658 tagged) to 13.8 per cent for the redbreast sunfish (370 tagged). Tilapia nilotica, tagged in a number of Fish Management Areas, provided a return of 239 15.0 per cent (349 tagged). The grand total returned for all species was 12.5 per cent.

Creel census information availible for TVA reservoirs consisted largely of samples of the catch during the peak spring fishing period. Estimates of total fishing pressure were scarce and economic data nonexistent. To obtain such information, TVA and the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission conducted a one-year sport fishing survey of Norris Reservoir. This report describes census design and methods developed with the assistance of the Institute of Statistics at North Carolina State University. The reservoir was divided into three major areas. Expanded estimates of boat and bank fisherman use, catch, and expenditures in each area were completed biweekly. Total hours of pressure and numbers of fishermen were determined from aerial counts and boat rental records from selected boat docks. Harvest information was collected by creel clerks Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, and two other week days selected randomly.

Ecological observations of the African cichlid, Tilapia heudeloti, are reported from the Tampa Bay estuarine system. Hydrological and biological data were compiled during 1963 and 1964. Specimens as large as 237 mm. (standard length) and weighing 487 grams were caught. Breeding appeared to begin in April or May and c:mtinue until December. Spawning occurred in brackish waters with an average salinity of 13.06%. In the stu

Despite the recognized importance of estuaries to the well-bing and economy of our Nation, these areas are being unwisely exploited to develop water-front real estate by dredging and filling operations. Accumulative adverse effects of these activities threaten the precarious balance of nature. The Fish and Wildlife Service, working closely with appropriate state agencies to conserve estaurine areas, has made little headway. The power of public opinion, suppored by sound scientific data concerning the importance and continuing value of estuaries, offers hope for success.

The early life history of the brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus Ives) in Galveston Bay was investigated during 1963 and 1964. Postlarvae, after entering from the Gulf, were most abundant in the channels and deeper waters as they moved into the upper reaches of the estuary. In each season of study, they were observed to spread throughout the estuary and become concentrated in surrounding marshes and bayous within about 2 weeks of first entry. After spending 2 to 4 weeks in these peripheral areas where they grew rapidly, the young shrimp, now juveniles, once again dispersed throughout the estuary before eventually returning to the Gulf. Observations also indicated that the estuarine life history phase of the brown shrimp is quite variable, with its duration probably being rela.ted in large measure to prevailing water temperature.

The investigation of the spawning habits of fishes in the Biloxi Marsh is one of the phases of Project F-8-R. Only those fishes regarded as game species are included in this spawning study-since those which comprise the group known as rough fish are of no significant value to this area as an attraction to sportsmen. The gonad conditions of Spotted seatrout, Atlantic croakers, and Red drum are examined at intervals of three weeks. A 200-yard trammel net is the method used to acquire the fish for this research. Development of the gonads in relation to the seasons of the year will be discussed in this paper to try to establish a peak or climax spawning season for this particular area.

Six Georgia farm ponds, three on sandy soils and three on clay soils, were observed during a 32-month study period to determine the quantitative production of benthic organisms in relation to applications of agricultural lime. Three of the ponds were treated with lime at the rate of one ton per acre. The remaining three ponds were maintained as controls. Water total hardness in the experimental ponds increased significantly during the first year after treatment and began to drop during the third year, although it remained at a level higher than that observed before treatment. The bottom soil calcium oxide content began to increase during the third year after treatment. The quantity of benthos in the experimental ponds began to increase after treatment and remained at a higher level during the entire study period while that of the control ponds remained relatively constant or decreased.

Experiments conducted from 1938 to 1941 indicated that large flathead catfish were predatory and in several cases eliminated the larger bluegiIls. In the 1962 experiments, 2- to 5-inch flatheads eliminated almost all the fathead minnows, while the larger flatheads (10") stocked in 1963 experiments apparently fed on larger bluegills in preference to fatheads. They eliminated all the large bluegills they could swallow except for a few in the 7-inch group and had left very few in the 4- to 6-inch groups. This apparently indicated a preference for larger fish as the flatheads increased in size, and suggests that the large flathead may compete with fishermen for fish of harvestable size. These experiments indicate that flathead catfish of all sizes should be listed as a "c" (piscivorous) species in population analysis. The smallest fish would eat any other small enough to be swallowed.

If trout farms are excluded, commercial fish farming, per se, in Arkansas, is only about fifteen years old. This neophyte industry has already progressed through several phases of development to the more mature and studied practices found today, from the haphazard period when many thought they could get rich quickly without much work and with little management. Each farmer or reservoir owner tends to analyze his own resources and follows the practices which will make him the most profit. Although there is no "patented medicine practice," current fish farming activity can be classed under several headings, i.e., bait minnows, channel catfish production, controlled food fish reservoirs, multiple purpose reservoirs and surface water storage reservoirs.

In the winter of 1960 and 1961 the Tennessee Game and Fish Commission received reports that fish kills had occurred on the Hiwassee River. During the month of March, 1961 a study was developed on the Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers to determine the fish population and to locate as accurately as possible the area or areas of adverse conditions relative to fish survival. Six stations were selected in cooperation with the Tennessee Stream Pollution Control Board. Due to the large volume of water the percussion method was employed as a sampling technique. At two of the six stations carp were tethered to try to determine the effect of the explosive on fish. While this report is primarily concerned with the fish population, attention is given to the use of dynamite as a samplng technique in the hope that it may be of aid in future studies of this type.

Small limestone quarries may be found in many parts of the nation. In the Blue Grass Region of Kentucky these quarries frequently fill with water when abandoned. An effort was made to manage one such onefourth acre pond for fishing. The pond was poisoned in 1958, and then stocked with largemouth bass and bluegill bream the spring of 1959. For the next five growing seasons a heavy plankton bloom was maintained with commercial fertilizer. Hook and line fishing began in the spring of 1960 and continued through four growing seasons. For the first three years the bluegill fishing was excellent, the catch in pounds being; 128, 121, and 75 respectively. This would be equivalent to ~atches of 300 to 500 pounds per acre. The bluegill catch dropped to 28 pounds the last year because of imbalance. Too many largemouth had been removed the year before. The largemouth grew rather slowly, and no fish weighing more than 1 pound was caught until the last year.

In the summer of 1963, 18 of the 21 old river lakes in the Saline River basin, comprising 168 acres, were completely eradicated using rotenone. These lakes were subsequently overstocked with game fishes from our state-owned hatcheries. The theory being that fish from crowded populations will emigrate during overflow periods, providing desirable fish as stocks for the river. These fish were stocked early enough in the year to allow them to grow to sub-adults and to become acclaimed by the time of the first flood water.

Clay, loam, silt, and sand soil samples collected from dredging sites in Albemarle Sound were suspended in solutions of sea water varying from 0 to 25 per cent sea strength. Sedimentation rates were obtained by measuring the amount of light transmission through each solution as described by Coggin, 1960. Test suspensions were placed in a wind tunnel to determine the effect of wind action on sedimentation rates. Except for sand, no appreciable sedimentation of the suspended soils occurred in the zero concentrations of sea water during the entire test period. Rapid sedimentation of the other soil types tested occurred during the first 8 hours in all tests of all sea-water concentrations and no appreciable difference was noted between the various percentages of sea water. A simulated wind velocity of 7 miles per hour had no appreciable effect on the sedimentation rates in 10 per cent sea water.

Oilfield brines wasting into the Green River created an acute pollution problem over 100 miles in extent. Before August, 1958, the water was moderately hard, of the calcium magnesium bicarbonate type, and had an average chloride concentration of less than 10 ppm. With the disposal of brines coincident with the rapid development of the Greensburg oilfield in the spring of 1958, the water became very hard, changed to a sodium chloride type, and chloride concentrations frequently exceeded 1,000 ppm. The effects this pollution had on the water quality, fish fauna, and macro-invertebrate bottom fauna were determined and evaluated in a study that began in the summer of 1960 and continued through 1963. Domestic and industrial use of the water was seriously affected, as were private springs and wells. Ground water contamination was concentrated in the areas of greatest brine production in Green and Taylor Counties, but was noticeable as far as Brownsville, 100 miles downstream.

Two hundred and ten trees were topped and left standing as markers to locate channels and slough areas in four sections of Barkley Reservoir in Tennessee. These trees will extend above the surface of the water when the lake is at normal pool elevation and are spaced so that fishermen will be able to readily locate these creeks and sloughs which are thought to be the most desirable fishing areas. The creeks and sloughs which were marked and the number of trees left standing on each are as follows: Shelby Creek, 16; Bear Creek,120; Barrett Creek, 49; and Big Slough, 25. The total cost of this project was $2,224.00, and the average cost per tree was $10.59.

Parasite-free snails of the genus Physa were experimentally infected with the miracidia of Posthodiplostomum minimum, the metacercariae of which were originally obtained from bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus. Twelve species of fish representing 5 families (Cyprinidae, Cichlidae, Centrarchidae, Poeciliidae and Ictaluridae) were exposed to cercariae from the infected snails. Two sunfish hybrids (female green sunfish, L. cyanellus X male redeal' sunfish, L. microlophus; and female bluegill X male redeal') were also exposed to cercariae of P. minimum. Only members of the family Centrarchidae became infected. Moreover, only the bluegill and its hybrid contained metacercariae in substantial numbers.

An investigation was begun July 1, 1962 to determine the potential of snails infected with cercariae of Posthodiplostomum minimum to produce infection in bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus. Infected snails, in aluminum wire baskets, were stocked into plastic-lined pools at rates of 1 or 5 per pool. Bluegills of 2 sizes, 1-inch or 3-inch, were stocked into the pools. All bluegills were exposed to cercariae for 24 days at which time the experiment was terminated. One month later counts were made of the parasites found in each fish. One-inch bluegills contained an average of 20 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 1 infected snail and 37 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 5 infected snails. Three-inch bluegills contained an average of 110 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 1 infected snail and 200 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 5 infected snails.

The result of applying pre-flooding applications of simazine to warm-water hatchery ponds employed in the culture of largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish fingerlings is described. Rates of 10 and 15 pounds active simazine per acre appeared to reduce the incidence of algal growths such as Pithophora and Hydrodietyon and inhibited development of submerged rooted weeds. Effects generally persisted for one production period but were not noticeable in succeeding production cycles. Some indication was obtained that phytoplankton development was retarded but fish production was not appreciably lower in treated ponds that that in untreated ones. The development of zooplankton did not appear to be retarded by simazine applications to bass rearing ponds. Some advantages of pre-flooding treatment of warm-water hatchery ponds are discussed.

The results of 116 aquatic weed control experiments using 10 herbicides and their combination are discussed. Included are data for pre-emergent soil application during winter draw-down, pre-emergent total pond treatments and post-emergent applications. Pre-emergent soil application during winter drawdown was comprised of 31 experiments, testing varying concentrations of eight different soil sterilants for the control of rooted aquatic weeds. D.M.A. (disodium monomethylarsonate) showed promise as a pre-emergent control of southern watergrass (Hydrochloa carolinensis). Also, fenac (2,3,6 trichloro phenyl acetic acid) was effective in clearing fishing areas in ponds heavily infested with a variety of aquatic plants. Both liquid and granules were used at concentrations of 10 Ibs. and 20 Ibs, active ingredients per acre. Best results were obtained when even distribution of the herbicides was accomplished.

Several chemicals that have been used in fish culture for the control of filamentous algae are discussed. Their effects on fish and fishfood organisms in ponds are reviewed. Results obtained from applications of Karmex to 26 ponds are presented. Data show that Karmax was effective against several forms of filamentous algae at rates above one-half pound per surface acre. Rates up to three pounds per surface acre had no adverse effects on fish or fish-food organisms. Presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners, October 18-21, 1964, Clearwater, Florida.

The toxicity to bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) of 15 new or reformulated herbicides is presented. Six phenoxy compounds assayed were within toxicity limits previously reported. The endothal derivatives tested were also within previous limits but did show promise as an aquatic herbicide. Substituted urea compounds checked did not demonstrate any differences from those previously reported. A pelletized formulation of sodium arsenite was very toxic but should be more convenient to apply.