Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Antimycin was applied to five fresh-water ponds at 3, 4, or 5 ppb, and to two salt-water ponds !lit 10 ppb. Undesirable fish, including four centrarchids and one cyprinid, were eliminated from four of five freshwater ponds. Undesirable fish, including a centrarchid and a livebearer, were eliminated from both salt-water ponds. Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, were killed in five ponds, but were eliminated in none. Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatu8, that were in four ponds, were not killed. Antimycin showed real promise as a fish toxicant particularly for removing trash fish from catfish ponds. Antimycin, under the trade name fintrol, is registered as a fish toxicant by the Food and Drug Administration and by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The retail cost to treat one acre-foot of water with 3 ppb antimycin was approximately $4.50.

The TLm for bluegill and redear sunfish was determined in the laboratory using standard bioassay procedure and water from two sources. A considerably larger concentration of antimycin was required to kill fish of the same size under field conditions. Probable reasons are discussed. Selective kills of bluegill and redear were attempted in the field under pH values ranging from 6.4 to 9.6. The antimycin concentration required under these various conditions is discussed. Total kills following selective kills showed size selectivity as well as species selectivity.

Twelve state-owned lakes in Oklahoma were surveyed in 1965 to obtain data on sport fishing and recreational use. The lakes were virtually unmanaged and ranged in size from 26 to 180 surface acres. This project was designed to provide a basis for future management. Data was calculated on an I.B.M. 7040 computer. Average harvest in pounds per acre ranged from 22 to 107, with fishing pressure ranging from 138 to 622 hours per acre. The catch consisted mainly of largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, bullheads, redear sunfish and bluegill sunfish. Most of the fishing effort was expended from April through October. Other recreational use consisted mainly of sight-seeing, camping and picnicking. This usage rivaled fishing in number of participants on most lakes.

Blue Mountain Dam, a flood control project on the Petit Jean River in west central Arkansas, was completed in 1947 impounding a 2,900 acre reservoir. The reservoir is relatively shallow, receives strong wind action and has a watershed to lake area ratio of over 100:1. Since four to five years after impoundment, the lake has been plagued with heavy concentrations of colloidal turbidity and a fish population dominated by non-foragable sizes of buffalo, carp, drum and gizzard shad. Combinations of fall-winter drawdowns, commercial fishing for nongame species, a selective shad kill and the planting of rye grass in the exposed lake bed produced beneficial results in reducing colloidal turbidity and improving the fish population. However, these results were shortlived. A continuation of these efforts in a more intensive and drastic form was initiated in June, 1965. The lake was dewatered to expose 1,500 to 2,000 acres of lake bed.

The retention rates of Atkins, dart, Petersen, spaghetti and strap tags were compared on largemouth bass, bluegill and Atlantic croaker. Antiseptics used in tagging operations were evaluated for their usefulness in promoting tag retention. Petersen and spaghetti tags were found to be the most suitable of the tags tested for bluegills in short-term studies of three months. Petersen, spaghetti and Atkins tags were found suitable for shortterm tagging (3% months) with largemouth bass. None of the tags were found suitable for long-term studies with the bass. Low retention rates were shown for all tags tested at the end of seven months. Almost no retention after a five-month period was realized from Atlantic croakers. Sterilizing tags and tagging instruments with 70 per cent isopropyl alcohol and a post-handling dip in malachite green solution were found to have no effect on growth or retention of tags on bluegills.

A small backpack fish shocker weighing 19 pounds. was develop,;d for use in sampling mountain trout streams on .the NatIOnal Forests. m the Southern Appalachians. Power .components mclude a small gasolme engine-generator combination and a step-up transformer. The completed backpack provides a choice of 125 volts, 300 volts, or 600 volts alternating current (AC). This unit is adaptable to two electrode systems. One, consisting of an aluminum dipnet and a telescoping radio antenna for the electrodes, proved most useful and versatile in the rough headwater streams sampled. With it, one man handles both the power unit and the electrodes. The other, a thirteen foot electric seine, required a larger crew but was useful in wide shallow streams. During the period April, 1966-July, 1967, over 100 stream fish population samples were taken in North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia with this gear.

Commercial fish farming is the fastest growing industry in the field of agriculture in Arkansas. Due to its fast growth, allied industries have not kept pace. Part of the difficulty has been the lack of knowledge in the right places as this industry has developed. To collect statistics on this ballooning industry, a meeting between interested agencies was held at Stuttgart, Arkansas. At this meeting a questionnaire was developed with the idea of programming the information for IBM storage. The results of the questionnaire are discussed in the paper, the information received was expanded to cover the nonresponders. It is the express purpose of this paper to present an accurate estimate of the 1966 commercial fish production in the State of Arkansas. An industry as young as this one with a value of $9,165,000 is worth keeping tabs on.

The stomachs of 525 largemouth bass fry and fingerlings were examined and the food organisms identified to genus when possible. Length and width measurements were made on the food organisms to determine area and then the area was used as an index to volume. The most important food organisms were copepods, cladocerans, and midges. There was a size relationship between fish and food item with the larger fish taking a larger food item. Fish smaller than 15 millimeters in length ate copepods and cladocerans primarily while larger fish ate mostly midges. No cannibalism was detected in the fish examined.

Law Enforcement is a difficult job, one that likely involves more different types of work than we find in any other department of our organization. At the top of his many duties,the Conservation Officer must be an official representative for the entire department's program in his assigned area. Since he must excel in good public relations in his own community, he must also have the ability (if given the opportunity) to help promote good relations throughout the whole organization. This is often difficult to do when he is considered by other departments as "just a Conservation Officer." In order to command its due respect the Law Enforcement must upgrade itself as to education, training and personal characteristics. On the other hand, the abilities and accomplishments of the Law Enforcement Officer must be recognized by the Director, the Commissioners, the Fishery, the Game and Educational Departments.