Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

The use of rotenone in an attempt to reduce the number of gizzard and threadfin shad in several Central Florida lakes has been intensified during the past two years·. Descriptions and procedures employed in selective shad treatments of Lake Tarpon, Lake Seminole, Lake Tsala Apopka, Alligator Lake, Lake Julianna and Scott Lake are discussed in detail. Creel census data was not available, therefore, fish population samples collected over a two year period were compared to determine if a change has occurred in the species composition of the treated water areas.

Four Tennessee impoundments, namely; Melton Hill Reservoir on the Clinch River, Watts Bar and Chickamauga reservoirs on the Tennessee River, and Douglas Lake on the French Broad River, were experimentally fished with an 1,800 yard haul seine from September 17 through December 11, 1963. Objectives of the experiment are as follows: To determine the effect of the haul seine in taking valuable market fish and other non-game fish; to determine its effect on game fish as to mortality and catchability, and to explore its possibilities as a sampling method for reservoir fish populations. A crew of seven men operated the gear and a fisheries biologist was present during the operation. The haul seine yielded 154,226 pounds of rough fish and 9,991 game fish by number, during the three months of the operation, which consisted of 54 days of actual fishing and 53 separate hauls.

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.