Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Arsenic analyses were made of over 1,000 samples of water, plankton, soil and fish from a 22-acre, a 26-acre, and eight 0.25-acre earthen ponds that were treated with different amounts of sodium arsenite. The concentrations of arsenic in the waters from the 22- and 26-acre ponds treated with 4.0 p.p.m. As203 in the fall of 1954 declined to 0.05 p.p.m. As203 by January, 1955. The concentration of arsenic in the water of the 22-acre pond that was again treated with 4.0 p.p.m. AS203 in April, 1955, declined to 0.8 p.p.m. AS203 one week after application; after this pond was drained and refilled one time during the winter of 1955, no arsenic was found in the water. Four 0.25-acre ponds received arsenic in 1955. Even after these ponds were drained and refilled three times, considerable amounts of arsenic were retained by the bottom soils and were slowly released into the water each time they were refilled. Six weeks after the third refilling, up to 0.3 p.p.m.

During the spawning seasons of 1958 and 1959 an experiment was conducted to compare the spawning success of channel catfish in three types of environments. The environments employed included a O.6-acre pond, 16 concrete block holding pens 6 feet wide, 12 feet long and up to 3% feet deep, and six aquaria of 50 gallon capacity along with four concrete holding house tanks. The spawning fish were from three to four years old and were in what was considered to be average flesh. The highest percentage of spawning fish was noted in the pond environment both years. Spawning success was noticeably less in the spawning pens and was lowest in the aquaria or holding tanks. A few fish in the pens were injected with a hormone preparation, chorionic gonadotropin, while all fish held in the aquaria or holding tanks were treated with either fish pituitary or chorionic gonadotropin injections.

Early in 1958, due to the tremendous demand for channel catfish fingerlings, the decision was made to construct a separate hatchery for the production of same. Several hatcheries were visited, and methods observed to determine those best suited for our use. Our aim for this hatchery was production in large numbers at minimum cost. Considerable time was spent at the experimental station at Tishomingo, Okla., where Mr. Kermit Snead was in charge. We felt the methods used at this station, though in the early stage, appeared to be most applicable for mass production. Thus the system of glass aquaria for spawning and troughs for hatching was put into use. By the use of the buffalo fish pituitaries and mamalian hormone, we hatched spawns of one-hundred-thirty-five pair of channel catfish from May 18th to June 28th, 1960.

The extent of the fishing pressure, harvest and fishing success on Sardis, Enid and Grenada Reservoirs, in north-central Mississippi, was undetermined in recent years. A creel census program was initiated June 15,1958, to provide this information. Grenada Reservoir received an estimated fishing pressure of 300,271 hours in 1958-1959 and 296,746 hours in 1959-1960. Sardis received an estimated 242,719 hours in 1958-1959 and 247,414 hours in 1959-1960. Enid received an estimated 147,605 hours in 1958-1959 and 96,297 in 1959-1960. The catch per hour of effort on Grenada for the two years was 1.40 and 0.95, respectively, on Sardis it was 0.99 and 0.80 fish, and on Enid it was 0.82 and 1.00 fish per hour, respectively. . The percent of fishermen making a successful trip on Grenada was 91.98 percent in 1958-1959 and 90.09 percent in 1959-1960, on Sardis it was 92.76 percent and 90.74 percent, and on Enid it was 88.96 percent and 92.97 percent, respectively.

A four-pond study in Maryland indicates a great difference between ponds in loss of fish over darns. There is a strong suggestion that construction of the spillway is the important factor; fish did not spill over the older-type wooden structures as frequently as over the modern concrete ones.

A modified wire fish trap is evaluated as a commercial fishing device for reservoirs. Details of construction and costs of the wire trap is presented along with a description of fishing methods. The wire trap was tested in three reservoirs with fish populations of varying ages to determine: (1) Efficiency of the trap in taking game species. (2) Efficiency of the trap for taking commercial species. (3) Size classes of commercial fish taken. (4) Extent of use of the wire trap by commercial fishermen. The results of these investigations were compared to similar data for widely accepted mesh sizes of gill, trammel and hoop nets to determine the relative acceptability of the wire trap for commercial use in freshwater impoundments.

Fish have been used as test animals in pollution abatement programs since the inception of bioassay research. Many kinds of fish have been used in the bioassay tests. The kinds used at times have been selected merely on availability factors and not necessarily on a basis of adaptation of the fish to bioassay tests. This paper presents a comparison of four different species of fish used as test animals in a series of toxicity bioassays of petroleum refinery effluents.

An experiment on the rearing of largemouth black bass fingerlings in troughs is described. Negative results were obtained in inducing 1/2, and 3/4-inch fry to feed on a diet of ground fish. Sizes of 1 1/2, 2 and 3-inch fish accepted this form of food after a training period of 3-5 days. Bass fingerlings were successfully reared from a size of 1 1/2 inches to one of 3 inches on a diet of ground fish over a period of 116 days. Growth was slow, but the average weight of the fish increased from 417 milligrams at the start of the period to one of 4.2 grams at the end, a tenfold increase. Mortality was high for the first four weeks of the feeding period but later was reduced to an insignificant level as the fish learned to feed and diseases were controlled. Although the number of fish reared was small, the experiment indicates that this species can be reared under artificial conditions.