Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Fisheries

Christopher R. Middaugh, Sean C. Lusk, Jeremy T. Risley

1    Predicting Long-Term Genetic Integration Following Stocking of Florida Bass (Micropterus salmoides) into an Arkansas Reservoir

Cynthia F. Holt, J. Wesley Neal

10   Experimental Population Reduction of Largemouth Bass from an Overpopulated Tropical Reservoir:  Impacts on Predators and Prey

Bryant M. Haley, J. Wesley Neal

19   Effects of Reservoir Characteristics on Crappie Populations in Small Southern Impoundments

Douglas L. Zentner, Richard A. Snow

27    Evaluating the Coarse-Scale Effects of Walleye and Saugeye Stocking on White Crappie Growth in Oklahoma Using Long-Term Data

Austin D. Griffin, Douglas L. Zentner, Alexis N. Whiles, Jory B. Bartnicki

Abstract: Management agencies within native largemouth bass (LMB; Micropterus nigricans) range across the United States regularly stock non-native pure Florida bass (FLB; Micropterus salmoides) or reciprocal LMB × FLB F1 hybrids to enhance angling opportunities based on public demand. Often, these stocked fish are introduced into waterbodies already occupied by LMB, which readily hybridize with FLB. This hybridization and resulting genetic integration of FLB alleles into the population is often considered the goal of stocking programs. However, managers have little available information to help them determine stocking rates and durations that will allow them to meet management goals associated with the introgression of FLB alleles. To inform such stocking decisions, we created an individual-based model and parameterized it based on the results of a recent FLB stocking program in Lake Ouachita, Arkansas.

Behavioral shifts by bass (Micropterus spp.) anglers toward catch and release practices has severely decreased the ability of managers to control predator-prey dynamics and reduced effectiveness of harvest as a management tool. Lack of harvest reduces managers’ ability to use harvest regulations to influence bass growth and can result in slower growth and poor condition due to excessive predator abundance and reduced prey availability. This scenario appears to have developed in a tropical reservoir where angler harvest has been limited. Largemouth bass (M. nigricans) were experimentally removed from Cerrillos Reservoir, Puerto Rico, to test if targeted population reduction could improve prey availability and condition of largemouth bass in tropical systems.

Crappie (Pomoxis spp.) fisheries are important across much of North America, but most research has focused on management in larger reservoirs. Understanding factors that affect crappie populations in small reservoirs could improve management approaches because manipulation of physicochemical, biological, and morphometric factors may be feasible in these smaller systems. We examined biotic and abiotic features that influence crappie (black crappie P. nigromaculatus and white crappie P. annularis) species dominance, growth, condition, and trap net catch­per­effort (CPE) in 16 small southern U.S. reservoirs (28–357 ha).  Morphometric and physical habitat characteristics, water quality variables, and fish community characteristics were compared to crappie population metrics using an ordination approach.  Reservoirs varied considerably in morphometrics, physi­ cochemical environment, and fish communities, as well as in crappie population dynamics.

The white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) is an important U.S. game fish but is prone to stunting. In Oklahoma, stocking saugeye (Sander vitreus × S. canadensis) is a common management strategy for improving white crappie growth. However, recent work has suggested that saugeye stocking may not be a broadly effective management tool for improving crappie growth rates, especially when controlling for among­-reservoir variation.  Therefore, our objectives were to: (1) determine if stocking of Sander spp. (walleye [S. vitreus], saugeye, or both) improved white crappie growth trajectories along with predicted and observed length­-at­age, and (2) determine if predicted and observed length­at­age yielded similar results to evaluate the potential applicability of using predicted values when observed values are unavailable.

Abstract: Commonly, fisheries management decisions are based on one-time samples, which are generally adequate for assessing key rate functions, such as age and growth, but are of limited value for assessing recruitment. Recruitment variability has not been indexed for channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Further evaluation of practical recruitment indexing methods from single sampling events and identification of potential drivers in recruitment variability could provide biologists with additional information needed for improved management of channel catfish populations. In this study, we assess the feasibility of indexing channel catfish recruitment variability with one-time samples using the recruitment variability index (RVI) and recruitment coefficient of determination (RCD). Then we examine spatial, abiotic, and biotic factors that influence recruitment variability across 15 study reservoirs in Oklahoma.

Tandem baited hoop nets (TBHN) are the most efficient gear used to evaluate channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) populations in reservoirs. However, sampling month and bait used in TBHN have varied among collections in Arkansas and in published studies. Understanding how catch rates and size structure might change by season or bait type will help inform standard sampling protocols used by management agencies. We evaluated catch rates, size structure, and turtle bycatch of TBHN in two lakes in eastern Arkansas (Lake Greenlee and Lake Des Arc) using Zote^TM soap and cheese logs monthly from May to October 2022. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) with cheese logs significantly exceeded CPUE with Zote^TM soap (Z = -15.26, P < 0.001). Using Zote^TM soap, June and July yielded significantly greater CPUE than other months of the study.

The pectoral fin spine is the most accepted hard structure used for estimating ages of sturgeons. However, sturgeon age validation studies indicate that age estimation using fin spines typically underestimate sturgeon ages, particularly of older fish. Underestimating the ages of these long-lived species can result in inaccurate findings in population dynamics studies, such as overestimation of growth and mortality parameters. The shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) is a long-lived, critically endangered fish for which population declines are attributed to anthropogenic effects. One method for evaluating recovery of shortnose sturgeon is through assessments of recruitment and population age structure, which are evaluated via age estimation with pectoral spines and modal assignments from length frequency (L-F) histograms. However, the accuracy of these estimation techniques is unknown, and inaccuracies could hinder conservation decision-making.

Hooking and delayed mortality rates are poorly documented for capture of alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) with standard sampling gears and fishing tackle. A recent study documented over 81% hooking mortality for alligator gar captured from Lake Texoma, Oklahoma, using overnight jugline sets with treble hooks. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission uses active-set juglines rigged with 3-prong treble hooks to conduct alligator gar population assessments. We evaluated hooking and delayed capture mortality of alligator gar by using juglines set with either treble or circle hooks. Twenty-nine alligator gar were captured from a 16-km segment of the Red River, Arkansas. Twenty-two individuals were caught using treble hooks and seven were caught using circle hooks. Two fish expired prior to translocation from hooking-related injuries. Surviving fish were translocated and held in a nearby 3.2-ha observation pond for 18 to 24 days post-capture.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) allows use of acoustical surveys and automated identification software to determine the presence of the proposed endangered tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). Analytical software is required to assess the probability of species absence on a sitenight basis using a maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) that accounts for interspecific misclassification rates. The current standard for occupancy determination is a returned MLE P-value ≤0.05 at the nightly level irrespective of the number of files identified as tricolored bats. For this species, MLE P-values can vary based on presence and proportion of other bat species with similar echolocation characteristics such as the eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis). Large numbers of eastern red bat echolocation passes may lead to a swamping effect, causing false-negative tricolored bat determinations.

Age-related differences in habitat use are commonly observed among eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). We investigated home range size and within home range habitat (third-order) selection of 55 radio-tracked adult and juvenile male wild turkeys across five ecological regions of West Virginia from September 2004 to August 2007. Mean core (50% fixed-kernel density estimates [KDE]; adult = 363.2 ha; juvenile = 447.6 ha) and peripheral (95% KDE; adult = 1635.4 ha; juvenile = 2105.8 ha) home range size estimates were large, but comparable to both historical and contemporary published estimates, particularly from forest-dominated areas. Resource use differed between age classes, particularly in relation to forest fragmentation metrics. Both adults and juveniles preferentially selected for deciduous forests, while avoiding developed land and open water. However, adults selected for forest edges and avoided non-forest areas and non-core forest patches.

Relatively little research has focused on the spread of sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) in working pine forests of the southeastern United States despite sericea being one of the most prominent forest invaders of this region. Timber thinning is commonly used to meet forestry and wildlife habitat objectives within these forests, with thinning intensity being objective-dependent. Higher-intensity thinning may facilitate the spread of sericea or other forest invaders due to effects such as increased availability of understory sunlight and understory disturbance, though the degree to which this effect could be mitigated by common management practices is unclear.

Fisheries

Lynn D. Wright, Timothy J. Bister

1    Examining Hybrid Striped Bass Stocking Rates in Texas Reservoirs: A Trade-off between Abundance and Stocking Efficiency

M. Todd Driscoll, Jacob D. Norman

7    High Mortality of Largemouth Bass Implanted with Transmitters at Colder Water Temperatures

Brent J. Bellinger, Marcos J. De Jesús

14   Hydrilla Management Impacts on a Largemouth Bass Fishery: A Case for a Balanced Management Approach

Daniel L. Bennett, M. Todd Driscoll, Jacob D. Norman

Hybrid striped bass (HSB), which includes palmetto bass (female striped bass Morone saxatilis × male white bass M. chrysops) or its reciprocal sunshine bass (female white bass × male striped bass) support popular fisheries in many Texas reservoirs. Data from 41 reservoirs sampled using gill nets from 1996–2021 (total of 255 reservoir-yr) were used to develop stock-recruit models where fingerling stocking rates were used to predict CPUE of adults in gill nets. Adult relative abundance was described using two size classes based on the statewide 458-mm minimum length limit, catch of fish below (CPUESUB) and above (CPUE458) the limit. A linear mixed-effect model showed stocking rate explained 41–46% of variation in CPUE estimates.  Mean stocking rate from 3–4 yr prior to each gill-net sample were best for predicting recruits for the CPUE458 size class, while stocking rate calculations from years 3–5 and 3–6 explained less variation.

Biotelemetry via surgical implantation of an electronic tag is a common way to examine fish behavior and movement. Previous studies suggest higher post-operative survival should be expected when implanting tags at colder water temperatures. However, during the initial part of our study, all 26 adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) we implanted with transmitters at water temperatures from 14 to 17 C at Toledo Bend Reservoir, Texas, died within 4 wk post-surgery. To further investigate this phenomenon, we conducted two tagging trials at 13 C, observing post-operative mortality of 100% (n = 5) and 58% (n = 12); all fish that died developed external fungal infections (i.e., saprolegniasis). Post-operative survival was 100% in a third trial at 24 C (n = 6) and no fungal infections were observed. Subsequently, tagging mortality was ≤ 20% when 81 largemouth bass were tagged at water temperatures from 22 to 30 C at Toledo Bend and Lake Fork reservoirs.

Lake Austin, in central Texas, supported a popular trophy largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fishery concomitant with conservative hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) management during the period 2002–2011. However, a change from this conservative approach to an aggressive stocking rate of triploid grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in response to excessive hydrilla growth between 2011–2013 subsequently resulted in the eradication of all submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). The loss of SAV quickly changed the angling dynamics of the reservoir, resulting in a controversial decline in the quality angling experience. The objectives of this case study were to compare how available population metrics of largemouth bass and important prey fish differed between periods of SAV presence (1997–2013) and absence (2014–2022) to inform which SAV management approach better supports a sustainable trophy fishery goal.

An economic valuation of the recreational sport fishery of Lake Fork in northeast Texas was completed in 2014 and 2015, finding that angler direct expenditures totaled US$18.8 million annually on fishing trips to the reservoir. Although some largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) tournament anglers were included in that study, it did not assess economic impacts of six large (>200 participants) tournaments during the study period. Since 2006, largemouth bass tournament effort at Lake Fork has generally increased to comprise half of all fishing activity in the reservoir and is currently believed to account for most of the Lake Fork sport fishery’s economic value. This is despite supporting a renowned trophy fishery for largemouth bass managed by a highly restrictive slot-length limit that makes it difficult to conduct tournaments using traditional formats.

Accurate age estimates are critical in the development, implementation, and assessment of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) management plans. Lapilli otoliths are the most commonly used calcified structures for silver carp age estimation, but studies on the precision of two established preparation methods [i.e., grind-and-burn (GB), thin-section (TS)] are lacking. Therefore, we assessed within-reader, between-reader, and between-method precision for 125 silver carp collected from six rivers throughout the Lower Mississippi River Basin (Arkansas, Cache, Mississippi, St. Francis, White, and Yazoo). Additionally, we compared the effort and material costs associated with each method. Overall, younger ages were estimated with the GB method (median estimated age = 6 yr, range = 3–12) than the TS method (median estimated age = 7 yr, range = 3–13).

Monitoring changes in occupancy (i.e., probability a site has at least one individual of a species) across time is considered an inexpensive alternative to monitoring changes in abundance and can be used to monitor multiple species simultaneously across a watershed. Occupancy can be measured as the proportion of sites where a species is detected during surveys (i.e., naïve occupancy), but is more commonly modeled by surveying sites multiple times to estimate detection probability and address false-positive survey errors (sites that are occupied but with no survey detections of the species). This results in an unbiased estimate of occupancy, but at the expense of more effort. The purpose of this study was to determine management implications of using naïve occupancy versus using modeled occupancy. We generated simulated data to represent monitoring a population, then compared performance of using naïve occupancy vs. modeled occupancy for detecting changes.

Non-native species have sometimes been introduced to increase forage availability and sportfish production, but such introductions have potential for negative as well as positive effects. In 2010, non-native blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) were found in Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama, due to illegal stocking. Our objective was to quantify food habits and determine potential impacts of blueback herring introduction on body condition and growth of important sportfishes in Lewis Smith Lake. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), Alabama bass (Micropterus henshalli), and striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were sampled in 2013 and 2014, and diets of these post-blueback herring introduction piscivores were quantified.

Across the U.S., the presence of white-tailed deer (deer; Odocoileus virginianus) in urban areas can create conflicts with residents (e.g., ornamental plant damage). State wildlife agencies approach urban deer management differently from traditional deer management due to diverse community groups, urban stakeholder viewpoints about deer, and other aspects of wildlife management in urban environments. With this variation in mind, we reviewed deer management resources across the U.S. to understand the current state of urban deer management. Of the 46 states with deer populations, 21 had publicly available deer management plans (DMPs; 46%), 22 had only online urban deer management resources available (48%), and three had no urban deer-related information available even though deer were present (7%). Our synthesis revealed that public input was incorporated in all DMPs including input from traditionally under-represented stakeholders.

Wildlife management agencies in regions where chronic wasting disease (CWD) is prevalent have adopted costly management practices to mitigate the spread of this fatal and highly transmissible disease. Non-market valuation represents a critical tool for managers attempting to address these costs, but the mode and methods of contingent valuation (CV) questions can impact valuations due to biases inherent to self-reporting economic decisions. We administered online (n = 1430) and phone (n = 602) surveys in North Carolina and South Carolina to assess what hunters with licenses to hunt white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were willing to pay for CWD testing and carcass disposal across survey modes and CV methods. Among the online survey respondents, 34.1% (n = 488) were willing to pay for testing and 43.4% (n = 620) were willing to pay for disposal. From our phone sample, 48.6% (n = 293) were willing to pay for testing and 50.7% (n = 306) for disposal.

Plantings of perennial and biennial forage, such as white clover (Trifolium repens), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), commonly are used by managers to increase nutritional resource availability for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Regular mowing and selective herbicide applications are two common practices used to maintain perennial plantings and reduce weed competition. However, there is little information available on how these management activities influence perennial forages or wildlife response. We evaluated the effects of regular mowing on forage production, forage quality, weed coverage, and deer detections as a case study in a perennial forage planting in Tennessee, May–August 2020. We also evaluated deer detections following application of selective herbicides among four fields in Tennessee and North Carolina, October–November 2021.

Many states throughout the range of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) have delayed their spring wild turkey hunting seasons to allow reproductively active males more time to breed before being harvested and to potentially increase population fecundity rates. Six states in the Southeast recently delayed their spring hunting season by 7 to 14 days. However, there are no published data indicating their previous season frameworks had a deleterious effect on wild turkey reproduction or that delaying the season increased fecundity. In addition to potentially affecting turkey reproduction, changing the season framework may impact hunter behavior (effort and efficiency), success, and satisfaction. Our objective was to see how hunter ef- fort, success, efficiency, and satisfaction changed upon implementing a two-week season delay and a two-week reduction in season length to the spring wild turkey hunting season in south-middle Tennessee.

Understanding hunter satisfaction and behavior under normal and abnormal situations is important for effective management of game species by state wildlife agencies. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) created a global pandemic that coincided with the 2020 spring wild turkey hunting season. Concern was expressed by some wild turkey researchers and biologists that COVID-19 lockdown protocols could result in increased hunting effort and unsustainable harvests because of people having more free time. We assessed how COVID-19 and associated lockdown protocols affected hunter satisfaction and behavior during the spring 2020 wild turkey hunting season by using responses from 2,000 annual surveys of wild turkey hunters (2017–2020) among five focal counties (Bedford, Giles, Lawrence, Maury, and Wayne) in south-central Tennessee.