Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Stream restoration projects in coldwater streams have become increasingly common in North Carolina. Many of these projects are undertaken to reduce streambank erosion; however, improving aquatic habitat for fish is often a secondary goal. In an effort to evaluate the impact of stream restoration work on trout, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission monitored trout abundance and biomass within two North Carolina streams. Trout were monitored one year prior to and for four years following restoration with backpack electrofishing gear. The data collected from each restoration reach was compared with data collected from an un-restored upstream control reach. Annual variation in relative trout abundance was similar between the restoration and control reach on both streams, suggesting that the changes observed were a result of natural variability.

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) habitat restoration is needed across a range of stream sizes; however, studies quantifying brook trout habitat preferences in streams of differing sizes are rare. We used radio-telemetry to quantify adult brook trout microhabitat use in a central Appalachian watershed, the upper Shavers Fork of the Cheat River in eastern West Virginia. Our objectives were to: 1) quantify non-random microhabitat use by adult brook trout in the Shavers Fork main stem (drainage area = 32 km2) and an adjacent tributary, Rocky Run (drainage area = 7 km2); and 2) construct stream-specific habitat suitability curves (HSCs) for four important microhabitat variables (depth, average current velocity, maximum current velocity within one meter, and distance to cover).

Increasing interest in “trophy” catfish angling in Oklahoma has prompted Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) staff to collect basic biological data aimed at managing these fisheries. In light of recent studies indicating slow growth rates of reservoir blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) populations, management of trophy fisheries becomes challenging. In an effort to better understand catfish angler and harvest statistics, ODWC Law Enforcement Division personnel interviewed catfish anglers statewide to determine angling method, average angler party size and species, numbers, and sizes of catfish harvested. Data were collected from 4007 catfish anglers (1889 parties contacted) on 66 bodies of water from May 2006 through December 2007. Most anglers pursued catfish using rod and reel (69.1%), followed by juglines (23.7%), trotlines (5.0%), and limblines or noodling (2.2%). Rod and reel angling accounted for most catfish harvested (4425), followed by juglines (2206).

A modified fish health assessment index (mHAI) and liver lipid concentration was used to determine condition of individual blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus), channel catfish (I. punctatus), and flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivarus) in tailwater and reservoir habitats of the Coosa River, Alabama. Our goal was to describe and compare condition using a mHAI and liver lipid analyses of catfishes from the Coosa River. Tissues and organs of fish were collected, evaluated and scored for deviations from normal appearances to derive a mHAI score for each fish. Percent liver lipid content was also determined. Health of all catfish, based on mHAI, was generally good. No differences in health were found for blue catfish and channel catfish by season or habitat. Flathead catfish health varied seasonally. No seasonal or habitat differences in percent liver lipids were found for any species.

Radio transmitters were implanted in 20 northern snakeheads (Channa argus) in April 2006 to evaluate movement and habitat use of this newly established population. Eight fish were monitored through 15 September 2006, and five transmitters remained active until the conclusion of the study in January 2007. Linear movement was summarized for nine fish frequently found (7-28 contacts; mean 20, SD = 8). Mean movement was 541 m (SD = 356) and the mean “maximum recorded distance” was 2901 m (SD = 2050). Linear movement for fish tracked during the spawning period was significantly different between individuals (ANOVA, P = 0.01), while post spawn movement was not. Northern snakeheads moved more during the post spawn period than during spawning months (March-September). Northern snakeheads showed a habitat preference for hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata, 24.0%), floating docks (22.8%), and milfoil (Myriophyllum, spicatum, 21.6%) during this study.

We evaluated recreational fishing for black bass (Micropterus) species in two eastern Oklahoma streams. We conducted creel and tagging exploitation studies on the Baron Fork of the Illinois River in northeastern Oklahoma and Glover River of the Little River in southeastern Oklahoma. We used a roving creel survey on Baron Fork and the bus-route creel survey on Glover River. Over three years, exploitation rates of smallmouth bass in Baron Fork exceeded those in Glover River by about 30% and for all black bass by about 7%. Catch and harvest per unit effort, fishing pressure, and yield on Baron Fork exceeded those of Glover River. The smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu) fishery in Baron Fork was characterized by high catch and harvest rates, and yield was among the highest reported in the literature for smallmouth bass stream fisheries. Conversely, the fishery in Glover River was typified by lower catch and harvest; however, the average length of smallmouth bass at harvest was greater.

In order to assess the change in spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) density relative to water level in a disconnected low-water refuge, we used monofilament gill nets to collect adult gar throughout the annual flood pulse in the Atchafalaya River Basin (ARB), Louisiana. Spotted gar density was greatest during low-water periods and there was a strong negative correlation between spotted gar catch per unit effort and the Atchafalaya River water level at Butte La Rose (P = 0.0002, R2 = 0.5763). The spotted gar population in Deer Lake, a disconnected backwater area, was estimated to be 2,079 individuals (95% CL = 849 < N < 5,198) during a low-water period. Adult spotted gar biomass in Deer Lake at bank-full level was one of the highest recorded levels (267 kg ha-1; P [109 ≤ 267 ≤ 668] = 0.95) in a large river floodplain. Fall 2005 water levels in the ARB were among the lowest on record.

Fish attractors are commonly used by fisheries agencies to concentrate cover-seeking species. The objective of this study was to determine if an attractor fabricated with polyethylene pipe (plastic) attracted and concentrated as many largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and sunfish (Lepomis sp.) as juniper tree (Juniperus ashei) attractors. Fish counts at each attractor type were made by scuba divers at five study sites in Canyon Reservoir, Texas. Overall, few fish were observed in the plastic attractors (mean = 3.4) compared to juniper tree attractors (mean = 30.3) (P < 0.05). Significantly greater numbers (P < 0.05) of adult and juvenile largemouth bass and bluegill (juvenile and adult) were concentrated in juniper attractors compared to plastic attractors. While 81% of the attractors deployed at the test sites were plastic, there was strong evidence (P < 0.05) that bluegill (adults and juveniles) and adult largemouth bass selected juniper attractors.

A 35-d growth trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of fertilization with flaxseed meal versus cottonseed meal on fingerling red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) production characteristics (individual weight, total length, and percent survival), water quality parameters, and zooplankton densities in plastic-lined ponds. Red drum fry were stocked into 16 randomly allocated 0.40-ha ponds, with eight ponds per fertilization treatment. Mean individual weight of red drum fingerlings was significantly larger in ponds fertilized with flaxseed meal than in ponds fertilized with cottonseed meal throughout the growth trial. Similarly, red drum fingerlings had significantly greater mean length in ponds fertilized with flaxseed meal during the first 25 days of culture; however, no difference in total length was observed at the termination of the growth trial.

Beginning in the early 1900s, the original range and abundance of brook trout within Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) was drastically reduced due to landscape alterations resulting from increased logging and introduction of nonnative salmonid species. Consequently, brook trout populations retreated to the headwaters of most streams, resulting in geographic isolation due to waterfalls and eventual genetic differentiation of the fish inhabiting these streams. In an effort to reestablish LeConte Creek's extirpated brook trout population, GRSM fisheries managers collected fish from three streams known to support populations of genetically pure “Southern Appalachian” brook trout (Greenbrier, Cosby and Indian Camp Creeks). Brook trout were collected, pooled, and transplanted into LeConte Creek.

Prairie grouse (Tympanuchus and Centrocercus spp.) once occupied wide expanses of North American grass and shrub habitats. In the last three decades, prairie grouse populations have exhibited precipitous declines, often because of altered land use practices. There is a need to develop new research and management techniques to facilitate prairie grouse conservation efforts. We evaluated aerial survey capabilities to assist in the management of lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus; [LPC]). Our objectives were to determine the most efficient aircraft type and flight parameters to locate leks, determine if adverse lekking behavior results from aircraft disturbance, and determine if distance sampling can be used to estimate the number of leks in suitable LPC habitat. Aerial surveys were conducted during the spring 2006-2008 in the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico using three aircraft platforms: a Cessna 172 airplane and Robinson-22 and Robinson-44 helicopters.

One of the many factors, and arguably the most important, that affects recruitment into any breeding population of egg laying species is nest success. The nesting ecology of American alligators has been well studied in both Florida and Louisiana, but only one study that concerns alligators nesting in Texas has been published. This study was conducted on an inland site, and probably does not reflect the biology of alligators nesting in coastal marshes. For the past 22 years, locations of alligator nests on the J. D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (MWMA) in Jefferson County, Texas, have been mapped during annual aerial alligator nest surveys. Nest surveys are conducted during early July, shortly after peak alligator nesting has taken place. Data collected at each nest including its location (levee or marsh), presence of an adult, size of adult, aggression level of adult, evidence of predation and fire ant presence.

The breeding structure of white-tailed deer has been described as dominance based. In age-structured populations relatively few dominant males were thought to do most of the breeding. However, recent studies have documented the successful breeding of all age classes. It has been suggested that the breeding success of young males is the result of exclusively mating with young females, while older males concentration their efforts on mature females. We tested this idea by capturing 337 male white-tailed deer from an age-structured population (>50% of the males ≥ 3.5 years old) in south Texas and sampling litters of offspring. Genetic paternity was assigned to offspring using 17 microsatellite loci to determine the role of male and female age on the distribution of breeding success among age classes.

As part of an ongoing investigation of sustainable harvest strategies for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations, we are estimating overwinter survival in two Texas ecoregions that have stable bobwhite population trends, the Rolling Plains and the Rio Grande Plains. Estimating overwinter survival in the absence of hunting is an important variable in developing a sustained-yield harvest strategy for bobwhites. Overwinter bobwhite survival was estimated using radio-marked bobwhites from 16 November 2007 to 29 February 2008. Overwinter survival estimates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier staggered-entry approach. A seven-day censoring period was used to minimize bias associated with capture, handling, and radio-collaring of bobwhites. We found survival rates with the Rolling Plains (n = 61) having overwinter survival of (0.293 ± 0.101 [95%CI]) and the Rio Grande Plains (n = 91) with (0.145 ± 0.055).

Detection estimates of Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia, RGWT) are lacking and little research has focused on the development and evaluation of survey techniques for estimating RGWT populations. The objective of this study was to compare RGWT detection rates using aerial (Cessna 152) and roadside surveys in different vegetation communities in south Texas. Decoy flocks were randomly set 0-100 m from roads prior to surveys. Detection rate was estimated as (n decoys observed/n decoys available) x 100. Surveys were conducted in February and March 2007 and in November and December 2007. Mean detection rates for roadside surveys differed numerically among heavy brush 39.9% (95% CI; LCL = 32.1; UCL = 47.9), mixed brush 52% (LCL = 39.7; UCL = 64.3), and open range 64% (LCL = 51.3; UCL = 77.2). Aerial survey detection rates were similar for heavy brush 29.9% (LCL = 14.4; UCL = 43.9), mixed brush 35% (LCL = 16.1; UCL = 54.3), and open range 52% (LCL = 34.7; UCL = 68.6).

With 10 distinct ecological areas and more than 60 million ha of rural lands, Texas is second only to California in total biodiversity. Since about 95 percent of the state is privately owned, public/private partnerships and economic incentives are essential in managing wildlife, including a status assessment of nongame species and habitats in the state. Completed in 2005, the State Wildlife Action Plan identifies priority species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and plants and their habitats that warrant conservation attention. Although many of these resources are known or thought to be in decline, the true status is unknown because of restricted access to private lands to conduct surveys. The last statewide assessment was conducted by Vernon Bailey in 1905. New tools and approaches are needed today. The use of confidentiality policy, technological advances, and market-based approaches to inventory private lands are being explored in Texas.

Certain species of neotropical migrant songbirds have been decreasing in abundance throughout their breeding range for prolonged periods and a cause of immediate concern. Information on the extent of changes in habitats caused by land management practices and use of such habitats by forest bird communities is critical for management. This study was designed in order to establish a long-term system for avian population monitoring at Tombigbee National Forest and Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge located in north central Mississippi. Avian communities were used to evaluate the impact of differing intensities of forest management practices on select individual breeding species and summer avian community parameters within hardwood, pine, and pine hardwood habitat types of differing age classes. Total bird abundance, total bird conservation value, species richness, and Shannon-Wiener diversity differed between the study sites within the hardwood habitat type.

Fire's stochastic behavior caused by vegetation, topography, and weather has caused concern and reduced use among landowners and managers. To better understand fire behavior in fire-absent forest stands, we examined fire characteristics relative to vegetation conditions manipulated with or without a prior herbicide application. We used six replicate stands with four randomly-assigned treatment plots (burn, herbicide, burn*herbicide, control) to assess dormant season burns with a three-year fire return interval. We measured fuel moisture and weather variables pre-burn, residence time, rate of spread and flame height during burns, and pre- and post-burn fuel composition. We used a mixed-models repeated measures ANOVA to test for differences between treatments (burn and burn*herbicide) within years, interaction terms, and differences within treatments if we detected significant interaction.

We located 18 Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia; RGWT) winter roost sites and 18 random sites at three study areas in Brooks and Kennedy Counties from December 2006 to February 2008. Our objective was to determine microhabitat structural characteristics of RGWT winter roosts that distinguished them from random locations in south Texas. At each roost, we measured tree height, diameter at breast height (dbh), canopy cover, and tree density. Variables were tested for normality using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. A t-test was used to examine differences between roost and random sites for those variables found to be normally distributed; the Mann-Whitney test was used for variables that were non-normally distributed. Roost trees were 33.0% taller (P ≤ 0.0001; x = 9.39 + 0.08 m [SE]) than trees at random points (6.32 + 0.04 m) and had 41.3% larger dbh (P ≤ 0.0001; x = 31.79 + 0.59 cm) than random points (18.66 + 0.22 cm).

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists evaluated the fishing activity and environmental attitudes of campers following participation in the Joe Budd Summer Fish Camp. The study's objectives were to determine if attending fish camp enhanced long-term fishing participation and awareness of and importance of protecting aquatic resources. Findings were based on a 19-question survey received from 260 (75.1%) campers who had participated in at least one week of camp from 2000 through 2006. Participants in a school based fishing program (n = 258) were used as a comparison group. More than 93% of campers, with no prior fishing experience, continued to fish after attending fish camp. Nearly two-thirds of campers that showed moderate (3 to 10 times per year) fishing activity prior to attending camp increased their fishing activity following camp. Attending a long-term angler education program increased the number of days fishing each year by campers.

Freshwater mussels (family:Unionidae) play an important role in aquatic ecosystems. Approximately 53 unionid species exist in Texas and 38% of these species are thought to be highly imperiled. In 1998, Texas Mussel Watch (TMW), a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Texas Nature Trackers Program, first trained a group of 20 volunteers to help TPWD document the presence or absence of freshwater mussel species in the rivers, lakes, streams, and ponds of Texas. Over 200 volunteers have participated in TMW workshops since the inception of the project, logged over 1,000 volunteer hours, covered over 150 sites in 18 Texas river systems in 53 counties, and recorded the presence 39 unionid species. During TMW workshops, participants are presented with information on the distribution, biology, and identification of unionids in Texas, as well as information on non-native species such as Asian clams (Corbicula fluminea) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha).

The Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) is a professional bass fishing tournament that promotes fishing and the conservation efforts of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). This unique bass tournament, created through a partnership among Gulf States Toyota, the Professional Anglers Association, and TPWD, showcases a new “catch-weigh-immediate release” format that differs from typical stage weigh-in practices. Two events held at Lake Fork, Texas, in 2007 and 2008 demonstrated the utility of the format on a fishery managed with a slot limit. This new format opens doors for conducting professional bass tournaments on reservoirs managed with restrictive size limits and gives fisheries managers' opportunities to reconsider these types of limits on reservoirs where tournament fishing has influenced the selection of less restrictive limits.

Carter Creek is a third-order stream located in the Navasota River drainage. It runs through urban and agricultural lands along the eastern edge of Bryan and College Station, Texas, and receives secondary treated wastewater at three locations. Fish samples were taken from five different sites in fall 2007 and three different sites in spring 2008 and compared based on the metrics used for an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). All fish caught were by the use of straight seines and bag seines. Preliminary analysis indicates that ten species made up 95% of all fish collected across both years, and among these were five native cyprinids (blacktail shiner, red shiner, Mississippi silvery minnow, bullhead minnow, and pugnose minnow), seven invertivores (including longear sunfish and blackstripe topminnow), three omnivores, five tolerant (including Western mosquitofish and bluegill), and one intolerant species (Ribbon shiner).

Two named subspecies of sheepshead exist in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (Archosargus probatocephalus probatocephalus and A. p. oviceps). These subspecies are morphologically distinctive; previously published data was used to demonstrate that frequency distributions of each of five meristic counts are significantly different between the subspecies (P < 0.05). However, genetic characteristics suggest limited divergence. For instance, Bayesian structure analysis of microsatellite genotypes indicated that all sampled populations of Gulf of Mexico sheepshead constitute a single stock, with a posterior probability of P ∼− 0.9999. Variance partitioning of mtDNA haplotypes suggests significant but limited divergence between subspecies (Fst = 0.036, P < 0.005), but isolation by distance, rather than subdivision among discreet genetic stocks, is likely driving the significance of variance analyses.

In May 2006, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department enacted a regulation which prohibits the uprooting of seagrasses by propellers within the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area (RBSSA) located in Aransas and Corpus Christi Bays, Texas. Two complementary studies were implemented to evaluate the efficacy of the new regulation and to quantify the magnitude of propeller scarring. In the first study, 35 randomly-selected 100-m transects were established and the total number of propeller scars on each transect were recorded annually, with qualitative and quantitative information collected on each scar. Following enactment of the regulation, significantly fewer scars (69%) were observed (P < 0.0001). Prop scars recovered rapidly; of the 97 scars observed in 2006, 91 were considered recovered in 2007. In the second study, high resolution aerial imagery (0.1 m) was acquired in spring 2006 and 2007 and estimates of scarring were generated using automated feature extraction methods.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's saltwater creel survey is conducted at boat-access sites from 1000 to 1800 hours. Fishing trips concluding outside of this time period are not intercepted. In particular, nighttime fishing trips concluding before 1000 hours are not intercepted, but these trips seasonally target specific fisheries, e.g., southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) in the fall, which may account for a significant portion of the total harvest. We re-evaluated the 1000 to 1800 hour survey period and monitored nighttime boating activity at boat-access sites with surreptitiously placed “trail cams.” These cameras were used coastwide from October through December 2007 to hourly record empty trailers parked at boat ramps used most often by nighttime flounder anglers. A total of 2,135 usable images captured 11,520 empty trailers, with the highest counts occurring between 0700 and 1800 hours. Boat ramp use declined from October to December.

Since the inception of Texas' Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program in 2002, volunteers and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff have removed 24,047 abandoned crab traps from the coastal waters of Texas. From 2002-2007 TPWD staff collected data from a minimum of 30 traps from each coastal ecosystem, recording numbers and species of organisms observed, trap condition, location, and presence of trap owner identification, escape rings, and degradable panels. A total of 1,703 traps were studied. Forty-one species of organisms were observed with the majority (53%) made up of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), followed by Gulf stone crab (Menippe adina) 21%, sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) 8%, and Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) 3%. Extrapolating the annual catch rate to the total number of traps removed each year, a potential total of 47,201 organisms would have been observed.

Between 1985 and 2007, Texas Parks and Wildlife conducted a trawl survey in the Texas Territorial Sea, extending from the beach out to 16.7 km and within 24.1 km on either side of passes at Sabine Pass, Galveston, Matagorda, Aransas Pass, and Brazos-Santiago Pass, where sampling occurred in an area 48.2 km north from the Texas-Mexico border. All samples were within NMFS statistical zones 17-21. Random sample locations were stratified by Gulf area and 16 month-1 stratum-1 were collected (n = 21,353). Mean total length (TL) of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) was 90 mm (± 0.31 SE, n = 7,688). Coastwide mean catch h-1 (CPUE) was 2.1 (± 0.11 SE), although catch rates were low along the northern Texas coast with only 16.6% of red snapper CPUE from Sabine Pass to Matagorda (zones 17-19). Aransas Pass (zone 20) and Brazos-Santiago Pass (zone 21) dominated red snapper catches with 43.8% and 39.6% of total CPUE, respectively.

America's boaters and anglers need to be fully engaged in the aquatic invasive species (AIS) issue. In the United States, there are 12.7 million boaters and 40 million anglers. If they are unaware of the AIS issue and do not know what to do, they pose great threats for the spread of harmful invasive fish, plants, and other organisms. While research shows they are part of the problem, the good news is they are willing to be part of the solution. Several studies show they are willing to take action with the understanding that our waters are too valuable to allow them to be invaded. To address this issue, Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! campaign partners teamed up with the Threat Campaign, led by Wildlife Forever, to expand the prevention message across the country to enlist an army of support in the battle against aquatic hitchhikers. Linking the Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!

By the early 1990s, boat propeller scars were causing significant damage to seagrass beds in Redfish Bay, Texas. Efforts initiated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to address the problem began in 2000 with the designation of Redfish Bay as a State Scientific Area (RBSSA). An education and outreach program was initiated and three voluntary no-prop zones were established. However, these efforts were largely unsuccessful. Public comments made to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in 2005 indicated a strong desire by constituents to see a more effective education and outreach program in addition to any regulatory decree. In May 2006 a regulation went into effect which prohibited the destruction of seagrasses by boat propellers without precluding access to the area. In order to make user groups aware of the new regulation and the importance of seagrasses, an extensive outreach and education campaign began in January 2006.

Fishery-dependent and fishery-independent surveys indicate the southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) population along the Texas coast is declining. An analysis of water temperature indicates a negative correlation between flounder recruitment and winter temperatures. Years with warmer winter water temperatures result in low flounder recruitment, while years with cooler winter water temperatures yield higher recruitment. This effect is pronounced on the lower coast of Texas, from San Antonio Bay to the lower Laguna Madre, where higher water temperatures occur, and after 1991, when winter water temperatures increased up to 5 C above average. Possible explanations include direct effects, such as a decrease in hatching success as temperatures rise, and indirect effects, such as increased predation on flounder larvae and early juveniles when higher temperatures are present.

To assess the role of oyster reef as finfish habitat in Texas' estuarine systems, species abundance and diversity differences were compared between shoreline habitats and mid-water oyster reefs in East Matagorda Bay, Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife 183-m gill nets were deployed overnight for a 10-week period during both spring and fall at oyster reef habitat (one net per week) and shoreline habitats (two nets per week). Metrics used to evaluate each habitat type included abundance, diversity, length and gender. Results indicate significant differences in abundance and diversity of sub-adult and adult finfishes among habitat treatments. Additionally, differences between spotted seatrout gender ratios (Cynoscion nebulosus) on oyster reefs versus shoreline habitats were observed with a greater proportion of male spotted seatrout found on oyster habitat.

Lake Conroe has long been synonymous with controversial control of the exotic plant hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata). Hydrilla was first identified in Lake Conroe in 1975, only two years after the reservoir was impounded. By the time it was identified in Lake Conroe hydrilla already occupied 190 ha. Subsequent surveys indicated hydrilla was spreading rapidly. By 1979, hydrilla had increased to over 1,821 ha in Lake Conroe and was causing significant problems for boaters, skiers, and swimmers. As a result of efforts by the Lake Conroe Association and its supporters and despite objections by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff, the Texas Legislature directed the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (now Texas AgriLife Extension Service) and TPWD to conduct a study to determine the efficacy, and other effects of grass carp use in Lake Conroe.

Lake Conroe is located approximately 93 km north of Houston, Texas, on the west fork of the San Jacinto River in Montgomery and Walker counties. Constructed in 1973 as a joint project of the City of Houston, the Texas Water Development Board, and the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) to serve as an alternate water source for the City of Houston, the reservoir covers about 8,498 ha. An expanding problem with the invasive plant hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) in 2006 prompted the creation of the Lake Conroe Vegetation Management Plan. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and SJRA developed the plan in cooperation with local homeowners, business owners, anglers, and other recreational users. The plan called for the reduction of hydrilla coverage to 16 ha or less by March 2008 by means of integrated pest management while protecting and enhancing the native aquatic plant community in Lake Conroe. In order to support the plan's overall goal the Seven Coves Bass Club (a B.A.S.S.

Angler surveys along with other modern research techniques provide managers with information needed to justify regulations to protect resources, to increase resources through stocking and habitat improvement, and to justify access improvement. However, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) receives little or no information from anglers concerning their activities on the majority of public waters. An online angler diary (OAD) system could substantially increase the number of water bodies from which TPWD receives at least anecdotal angler information. In order to create an efficient means of collecting and sharing angler data, the Inland Fisheries Division has asked the Resource Information System (RIS) team to create the OAD as a web-based application.

The striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) is widely distributed in North America and a common inhabitant of urban areas. Striped skunks represent a reservoir and vector for the transmission of diseases that pose a significant human health risk, including rabies and the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Therefore, understanding population structure and movements among striped skunk populations will assist in the management of disease issues within urban landscapes. Here we present a spatial analysis of striped skunk population structure within greater Houston, Texas, based on 7 microsatellite DNA markers amplified in 102 adult striped skunks. Although this highly developed urban landscape is bisected by major highways with high traffic volume (including Interstate 10 and US Hwy 59), we found no evidence for unique genetic clusters that might indicate barriers to dispersal. We detected weak genetic structure over the entire data set (FST = 0.031, P < 0.001).

Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations are continuing a 30-year downward population trend throughout their range. Managers use supplemental corn (Zea mays) and milo (Sorghum spp.), trying to reverse the decline of bobwhite populations; however, results are conflicting among the published literature. Supplemental feed can influence bobwhite survival, reproduction, and movements, but only in situations where nutrients are truly lacking. Vitamin A, phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), carbohydrates, and protein can be important nutrients for captive bobwhite egg production; however, controlled experiments are necessary to determine the impact of these nutrients on wild bobwhite populations.

Long-term population declines and conservation concerns resulting from large scale habitat loss have brought into question the biological justification of fixed, liberal harvest regulations as they apply to new world quail (Odontophoridae). As available quail habitat declines, biologically justifiable and sustainable methods of harvest will become essential components of quail management. Two hypotheses, the doomed-surplus hypothesis and the additive mortality hypothesis, attempt to provide a conceptual framework regarding the nature of mortality in hunted populations (i.e., compensatory vs. additive, respectively). Recent research indicates that harvest mortality is at least partially additive, which suggests that a strategy of sustained-yield harvest management may be more appropriate than fixed, liberal harvest regulations for quail populations.

There is growing concern about the impacts that exotic grasses may have on northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and other grassland birds. Large areas of South Texas have been seeded to or have been invaded by several species of exotic grasses including Guinea grass (Urochloa maxima), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), King Ranch bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum), Kleberg bluestem (Dichanthium annulatum), buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare), and Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana). Impacts of exotic grasses on northern bobwhite are largely unknown. While exotic grasses such as buffelgrass have the potential to provide roosting and nesting habitat for northern bobwhite, landscapes dominated by invasive exotic grasses are potentially detrimental to bobwhite habitat because of the negative impact these grasses may have on diversity and abundance of native herbaceous vegetation and arthropod communities.

Ecologically sound habitat management will be essential to reverse the current decline of grassland birds. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of two habitat management practices: (1) summer prescribed fire [SF], (2) a combined treatment of roller chopper, summer prescribed fire, and chemical application [CT], and (3) an open grassland [C] as “control” on wintering grassland-shrub bird community composition and abundance. Line transects of variable lengths were used to assess the bird community structure. Grassland bird species richness during first season was 31 and 15 species on summer fire and combined treatment, respectively. Compared to the first season, species richness on second and third season decreased 1.3 and 2.4 times, respectively, on SF, whereas on CT it increased and decreased 1.7 and 1.1 times during second and third season, respectively.

To ascertain potential ecological and landowner benefits of non-conventional agricultural systems, this project was designed to monitor cattle production and wildlife utilization of land areas that allow grazing cattle to harvest corn planted with no-till methods. In 2005-2008, study sites were located in four Mississippi counties, including four steer/heifer-grazed and harvested corn fields (SHS) and four conventionally-managed and combine-harvested corn fields (CHS). Forest wildlife species, such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), utilize agricultural areas as foraging habitat consuming residual grain left behind by non-conventional and mechanical harvesters (Graham 2000). When conducted properly, camera survey estimates provide adequate results in all habitat types (Jacobson 2002).

Aboveground vegetation of many species of submerged aquatic plants is an important food source for many species of waterbirds adapted to a diet high in fiber. Wigeongrass (Ruppia maritima), a submerged aquatic plant inhabiting estuarine wetlands, has been documented as an important winter food for waterbirds along the Texas Gulf Coast. Thus, we examined availability of wigeongrass at Mad Island Wildlife Management Area (MIWMA), Texas, by estimating aboveground biomass from October through January 1998-99 and 2001-02. We also used an exclosure experiment to determine the extent to which herbivory by waterbirds was responsible for depletion of wigeongrass. Aboveground biomass of wigeongrass varied between years, among months, and among months within each year (interaction term). Biomass of wigeongrasss declined an average of 189 g m2 -1 and 71 g m2 -1 between October and January each year. Aboveground biomass also was influenced by the effect of exclosures within month.

The Fishes of Texas database compiled by the Texas Natural History Collection at the University of Texas at Austin consists of 65,876 freshwater records vouchered by specimens curated at 34 U.S., Mexican, and European collections, many unavailable online or in computerized format. An estimated 95% of all fish specimens ever collected in Texas since 1854 are represented, as are all known Texas freshwater species. All but 28 of Texas' 254 counties are represented in the 20,664 total localities, all now manually georeferenced. Locality plots reveal significant spatial gaps, and temporal distribution of sampling is similarly uneven, peaking in 1950-1970 then sharply declining. Post 1980, 27% of counties were not sampled at all and 90% were sampled <20 times. Clearly this database does not provide a current perspective on the state's fish fauna, but just as clearly it provides the best historic data ever available.

Aquatic vegetation plays an important role in freshwater systems, providing quality habitat for fish, sequestering nutrients, stabilizing sediments, and improving water clarity. Because many Texas reservoirs are either sparsely vegetated or contain an overabundance of non-native species such as hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Inland Fisheries Division began a new initiative to develop procedures for establishing diverse native aquatic plant communities. Establishment techniques were tested in seven reservoirs representing diverse geographical areas from 1998 through 2003. Aquatic plant species native to Texas and representing three growth forms (submersed, floating-leaved, and emergent) were used. Plant survival and spread was documented using GIS technology. Results were variable; however, founder colonies capable of long-term propagule production and spread were established in all seven reservoirs.

The ultimate success of natural resource decision-making depends upon knowledge gathered from several sources; e.g. biological data, institutional values and beliefs, and human dimensions information from affected constituents. Handfishing for catfish has been at the forefront of Missouri conservation since 2000. To determine the acceptability of handfishing to Missouri anglers we conducted a survey of licensed anglers in 2004. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of survey question wording on angler response and the potential for different policy outcomes resulting from the different wording. We designed two versions of a survey to gauge angler support for legalizing handfishing and to determine what impact, if any, different question wording had on levels of support for handfishing. Version 1 resulted in a 33% level of support for legalizing handfishing, while Version 2 resulted in 50% support.

Catfish managers and researchers were asked to participate in an online survey describing current information needs, sampling techniques, and known gear biases for projects during 2002-2006. One hundred eighty two responses were collected in a four-month period in early 2006. Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were the most targeted species, followed by flathead (Pylodictis olivaris) and blue (I. furcatus) catfish, respectively. A variety of methods were used to collect catfishes. Flathead and blue catfish were most often sampled by low-frequency electrofishing (30 Hz or less), whereas channel catfish were often sampled with a variety of gears. Sixty-one percent of respondents indicated a need for information concerning sampling gear efficiency and gear bias. Limited quantitative information exists regarding bias of gears used to sample catfish, especially low-frequency electrofishing.

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) is recognized as a widely distributed and valuable freshwater species, but few reports have described estuarine populations in coastal river systems. We conducted a two-year study to assess the age, growth, mortality, and fecundity of yellow perch in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. Fish were collected (n = 2,674) in 2005 and 2006 (January-February) by trap from Yeopim River, Yeopim Creek, and Bethel Creek. Yellow perch ranged in age from 1-9 years, and the catch was dominated by age-2 fish (82.1%) in 2005 and age-3 fish (84.2%) in 2006. Lengths ranged from 130 to 292 mm TL (meanfemale = 231.1 ± 3.3 S.E. mm TL; meanmale = 177.8 ± 12.1 mm TL). Length distribution and age frequency data suggest that 2003 was a successful year class for yellow perch in Albemarle Sound. Instantaneous total mortality (Z) was 0.35 (annual mortality 30%), and was similar to estimates from Chesapeake Bay.

The increasing importance of the walleye (Sander vitreus) fishery in the New River, Virginia, and recent research findings showing persistence of a presumptive native stock motivated a seven-year program of hatchery-based restoration of the native fishery. Candidate spawners were collected from spawning areas, and DNA from fin clips was genotyped at two microsatellite loci. Candidates exhibiting alleles at the Svi17 and Svi33 loci that characterize the presumptive native stock were spawned. Their young were reared at one of four fish hatcheries in Virginia and West Virginia. Approximately 600,000 fry and 800,000 fingerlings were stocked in riverine sections of the New River in Virginia and West Virginia. Since stocking began, ages 0-3 walleye have become much more abundant at the upper New River spawning areas. Catch rates in spring electrofishing samples have increased from 3 to 17 fish per hour in Virginia and from 1.2 to 26.6 fish per hour in West Virginia.

River herring (alewife [Alosa pseudoharengus] and blueback herring [A. aestivalis]) within the Albemarle Sound basin in North Carolina once supported large commercial fisheries that have declined dramatically since the 1970s. Overfishing, poor water quality, and habitat loss have been suggested as causes of this decline. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of water quality on the hatching success of blueback herring eggs in the Chowan River, a major tributary to Albemarle Sound. We combined eggs and milt obtained from running-ripe fish and placed incubators containing fertilized eggs at 11 sites throughout the basin. Mean hatch rates at field sites ranged from 26% to 89%, compared to a mean of 92% for control trials carried out using distilled water. An analysis of covariance indicated that hatch rates were significantly related to the dissolved oxygen level and were lower at sites on smaller tributaries when compared to sites on the mainstem of the Chowan River.