Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

The Barataria Estuary, Louisiana, is an interconnected hydrologic network of bayous, canals, lakes, and bays that stretches from freshwater swamps to the open Gulf of Mexico along a salinity gradient. Although the Barataria Estuary was built by sediment delivered via distributaries and interdistributaries of the Mississippi River, flood protection activities have blocked the historical connections between the Mississippi River and the upper estuary. Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) are abundant in the Barataria Estuary and seasonally occur in the upper estuary. To gain a better understanding of the blue crab seasonal dynamics in the upper Barataria Estuary, this study was designed to: 1) document the summer and fall abundance and distribution of blue crabs, 2) describe the size and condition of the blue crab population, and 3) determine if water quality affects blue crab abundance and distribution.

From 2007 to 2009, we quantified total effort and catch of the anchored gill net American shad (Alosa sapidissima) fishery in the Altamaha River, Georgia. We observed and recorded catch data of commercial fishermen interspersed throughout the river. These fishermen also recorded their daily catch and effort in log books. Total harvest of American shad was lowest in January and highest in February of each season. Total fishing effort was estimated monthly and was combined with catch-per-unit-effort data to estimate total harvest monthly. Most harvest and effort occurred in the lower half of the river. Each year, we conducted direct observations and collected log data for between 48% and 66% of the total fishery. The total value of the 2009 anchored gill net fishery was estimated to be US$18,104. We estimated that anchored gill net fishermen accounted for 53% of total shad landings in 2009.

Dam removals are typically well-planned events designed to restore sections of habitat to natural conditions within stream or river systems. In this paper, we document the deliberate but unplanned removal of a small dam that had created additional habitat for the federally-endangered watercress darter (Etheostoma nuchale) at Roebuck Spring in Birmingham, Alabama. On 19 September 2008, Birmingham city workers removed the dam without consulting U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. This genetically-unique darter population was the largest of all native populations prior to dam removal. To determine the effects of the dam removal, we monitored basic water quality parameters and fish population characteristics for eight months following dam removal and compared these data to an ongoing study dating approximately 17 months prior to dam removal.