Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

A depressed economic situation, coupled with an ever-increasing population, has resulted in a severe financial strain being placed on many state agencies in recent years. Because of a lack of funds, public service agencies have not expanded at the same pace as the population they serve. This problem is even more evident in southern states that have had to contend with a migration of northern industry to these less energy-sensitive areas. Employees accompanying this industry, added to the population expansion, have placed an additional burden on these so-called sun belt states. Wildlife agencies of the South are especially hard pressed because many state legislators consider them as only indirectly responsible for public safety. Wildlife enforcement and management compete for these less than adequate funds within the wildlife agencies. This combination of factors has resulted in many wildlife enforcement divisions waging a constant battle for adequate manpower and equipment.

To evaluate the incidence of road hunting during the dog and no-dog portions of the Mississippi deer season, the numbers of road hunting citations from the 1980-1981 and 1982-1983 hunting seasons were determined. Road hunting violations were significantly more common during the dog seasons than during the no-dog seasons. Although road hunting problems during the dog season were caused by unethical behavior of some deer hunters and not due to the use of dogs for deer hunting, the public impact may result in an unfavorable image of dog hunting. Deer hunters (especially during the dog season) must promote ethical behavior to ensure the future of their sport

Included as an introduction to the open fields doctrine and a closely related concept, the plain view doctrine, are a brief historic overview, a review of some cases in which open fields law played an important role, and a statement about the importance of this legal concept in wildlife law enforcement.

One of the most difficult yet important challenges facing the wildlife law enforcement officer today lies in his ability to develop confidence and a cooperative spirit in his court. There are a variety of means by which to achieve this goal and in overcoming common prejudices often surrounding the law enforcement officer and his profession. It is critical that the officer learn to communicate, in both deeds and words, his professionalism and the public desire for firm decisions involving wildlife violations.

As the computer age dawns on wildlife law enforcement divisions across Southeastern United States, it has become all too clear that you will get your data computerized eventually. If you are slow to respond, you will be victim of another agency's idea of what your informational needs are. Green-lined paper will flow with little control and you will drown in a sea of information. The key element to taming the computer is to have control of the source document, the problem, and the report. Large portions of wildlife agency budgets are devoted to this pursuit and law enforcement departmental heads are obligated to use the funds in the most efficient and economical manner. In this computerized age, we can do no less than utilize to the maximum extent possible these machines that are designed to provide useful information.

Stockings of striped bass, (Morone saxatilis), hybrid striped bass, (Marone saxatilis x Marone chrysops), and reciprocal hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis), at Alabama's public fishing lakes were evaluated. Age and growth data are presented for each of the 3 groups. The length-weight relationship developed for hybrid striped bass from Alabama's public fishing lakes is LoglO weight =-4.9549 + 3.033 (loglO length). The condition factor Kn for hybrid striped bass from these lakes was very low, relative to hybrid striped bass from West Point Reservoir. Survival of hybrid striped bass at one lake from age I to age 2 was over 30%. A cost-benefit ratio from the cost of stocking these fish divided by the benefit to fishermen from harvesting them produced a value near 1.

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and Morone hybrids were studied in the Tallapoosa River downstream of Thurlow Dam from March through November 1980. Age and growth analysis revealed that over 80% of the striped bass scales had numerous false annuli, while none were observed on Morone hybrid scales. The presence of false annuli indicated interruptions in normal growth during the mid- to late-summer period. These interruptions were attributed to striped bass preferential selection of cooler water temperatures in mid-summer. The striped bass are believed to spatially separate themselves from much of their food, resulting in a reduced growth rate until water temperatures subside in the fall.

Gulf Coast striped bass (Marone saxatilis) represent a race of striped bass that differ phenotypically and probably genotypically, behave as a cohesive unit and were once spatially separated from other stocks. The significance of discrete spawning stocks of striped bass is discussed. Evidence for the stock concept is reviewed and discussed in relation to maintenance of genetic diversity in fish populations. Caution is urged that stocks, designated for release into foreign waters, be carefully evaluated with respect to their potential genetic impact on native populations.

Food habits of hybrid bass (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops) were studied in Clarks Hill Reservoir from 1 July 1980 to 30 June 1981. Stomachs from 820 hybrid bass ranging from 221 mm to 736 mm total length and 0.13 kg to 4.21 kg were examined. Overall, threadfin shad was the predominant food item of hybrid bass (62% frequency of occurrence). Data indicated hybrid bass were fully utilizing the threadfin shad. Hybrid bass did not shift to gizzard shad despite the apparent winter depletion of threadfin shad. Analysis by season and by size group indicated that insect larvae and non-shad fishes were of periodic importance and occurred in the diets at levels higher than previously reported.

Biotelemetry studies of 13 striped bass (Morone saxatilis) x white bass (M. chrysops) hybrids in the Escambia River, Florida demonstrated positive affinity of the hybrids for saline waters. Average salinity at relocation sites ranged from 0.5 to 4.1 ppt at the surface and from 3.6 to 21.8 ppt on the bottom. Movements of hybrids in the river system appear to be strongly influenced by seasonal fluctuations in river discharge. Hybrids usually inhabited the lower, tidal delta of the river during periods of low and normal discharge and moved into the bay during times of high flow. No evidence of significant upstream emigration was observed. Two hybrids emigrated from the Escambia River estuary into adjacent river systems. Maximum movement recorded was 88 km.

Fingerling Morone hybrids were stocked into Lake Apopka, Florida, in an attempt to create a sportfishery in the hypereutrophic lake. The lake was stocked with 635,000 original hybrids (8 fish/ha) in May, 1980 and 315,000 original hybrids (4 fish/ha) in May, 1981. Growth during their first year (age 0) was not rapid for either year class, however, by 23 months the mean total length of the 1980 year class was comparable to that of other hybrids in Florida and the southeast. Analysis of stomach contents indicated extensive use of shad (Dorosoma spp.), although grass shrimp (Palaemonidae) comprised a large part of the stomach contents of hybrids 292 mm total length and smaller. Enthusiastically accepted by anglers, a successful but localized put-grow-and-take sportfishery was created.

The effects of sunlight intensity on survival of Morone saxatilis X Morone chrysops hybrid fry were examined through studies performed in replicated aquaria and hatchery rearing ponds. The aquaria and ponds were exposed to direct sunlight and 2 types of sunlight reduction (overhead shading and decreased water clarity). Direct sunlight reduced fry survival in the aquaria and pond experiments. In aquaria, variations in overhead shade and water clarity significantly affected fry survival, and decreased water clarity was more effective than an increase in overhead shade in increasing survival. In ponds, overhead shading was more effective than water clarity in increasing fry-to-fingerling survival.

The scale method and length-frequency analysis were not adequate for accurately aging and measuring growth rate of black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) collected in Florida. Black crappie otoliths (sagittae) showed clearly recognizable: bands in whole view, suggesting possible use of otoliths to age black crappie. Otoliths satisfied necessary criteria for validating aging structures: growth was proportional to black crappie growth, annuli formed in the spring, and back-calculated lengths agreed with lengths for age-classes estimated from length-frequency analysis. We consider otoliths useful for accurately aging black crappie in Florida.

A food habit study was conducted for the redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) and the longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) occurring in small streams of the Coastal Plains and Piedmont Plateau physiographic provinces near Auburn, Alabama. Fish stomach analyses revealed that redbreast and longear are primarily insectivores. The bulk of the diet of both species in small streams was composed of aquatic and terrestrial insects. Crustaceans were also consumed by both species regularly. Ingestion of a wide variety of other organisms suggests opportunistic feeding in both species. Based on 24-hour sampling results, both species had the greatest food item diversity during daylight hours and the least after dark. Redbreast was the more active feeder. Significant overlap in food habits between the 2 species was evident using the Schoener Index to food overlap.

A total of 791 young-of-year white bass (Morone chrysops) from 2 East Tennessee reservoirs were examined to determine food habits and growth. An effort was made to determine when they switched from an insectivorous to a piscivorous diet. White bass in Cherokee Reservoir consumed primarily insects (Chironomidae) during their first year and in Norris Reservoir, primarily zooplankton (Cladocera). When they began consuming fish, young-of-year white bass in Cherokee Reservoir were between 2.5 and 5.0 cm in length while white bass in Norris Reservoir were between 5.0 and 7.5 cm. Numbers of fish consumed by white bass were analyzed as a percentage of numbers of all foods consumed, and as a percentage of foods occurring in the guts of all fish in the study. White bass grew larger (18.4 cm) in Norris than in Cherokee (14.0 cm) during their first year, although mean ,condition factors were similar in both reservoirs (Norris 0.67 to 1.1, Cherokee 0.86 to 1.21).

Diel occurrence and feeding of alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) in shoreline areas of Claytor Lake, Virginia was investigated concurrent with food habits of resident juvenile bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) , pumpkinseed (L. gibbosus), and yeHow perch (Perca flavescens); and the composition and abundance of the littoral zooplankton community. Schools of alewives entered coves at sunset and fed intensively through the night, departing soon after sunrise. Alewives and juvenile fish consumed the same 16 items, but to different degrees. Alewives fed primarily on zooplankton in the water column, whereas the juvenile fish ate mostly epibenthic forms with which they were associated In the aquatic macrophyte/brush habitat. Alewife stomachs contained 9 to 30 times the volume and number of items as did those of juvenile fish. The hIgh foraging efficiency of alewives in large schools may result in trophic competition with littoral zooplanktivores despite partial resource partitioning.

Releases of large volumes of water from low-level release ports during generation of peaking hydropower at Hartwell Dam, Georgia-South Carolina, resulted in large daily flow fluctuations and altered water quality in a section of the Savannah River. Flows ranged from a minimum of 3 m3/sec during nongeneration to 665 m3/sec during generation. Thermal stratification in Hartwell Reservoir generally resulted in low water temperatures (≤20 C) throughout the 14-km study area and low dissolved oxygen concentrations <3 mg/I) in the 2-km section of the river immediately below the dam. Distribution of fish species was similar at all sampling locations, but abundance generally increased downstream. Major factors affecting fish abundance below Hartwell Dam appeared to be recruitment of fish from the reservoir, a reduction in habitat diversity just below the dam, water temperatures suitable for sunfish spawning, and stocking of rainbow and brown trout (Salmo gairdneri and S. trutta).

Tests were performed to determine the acute toxicity of simazine, a herbicide commonly used in pond aquaculture, to the cIadoceran Daphnia pulex and to 3- and 7-day old larval striped bass (Morone saxatilis). The 48-hour LC50 for 3-day-old striped bass was r8 mglIiter in hard water (220 mg/liter as CaC03 ) and r6 mglIiter in soft water (120 mglIiter as CaC03 ); corresponding estimates for 7-day-old larvae exceeded roo mg/liter. The estimated 48-hour LC50 for D. pulex exceeded 50 mg/liter in both hard and soft water. These estimates were considerably higher than recommended pond application rates of simazine, but abnormal behavioral responses of both test organisms to sublethal concentrations suggested that long-term exposure could be harmful. Inasmuch as 7-day-old larvae were far less sensitive than 3-day-old larvae, the timing of simazine applications in relation to age of fish could have pronounced effects on survival of striped bass in ponds.

The effects of supplemental feeding on the winter growth of male bluegill (Lepomis machrochirus) x female green sunfish (L. cyanellus) F1 hybrids were investigated in northeast Mississippi. Four 0.04 ha ponds were each stocked at the rate of 2471 fish per ha. Fish in 2 ponds were fed daily while the other fish subsisted only on natural food. Mter 90 days at water temperatures below 15 C, fed fish were significantly (P <0.05) heavier. but not longer than non-fed fish. Coefficients of Condition (K) for fed fish showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase through the winter and were significantly higher than K for non-fed fish, which showed no significant change in K through the winter.

Fingerling channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus) fed a 25% crude protein practical feed grew as well as or better than fingerlings fed a 35% crude protein practical feed in both Mississippi and Arkansas ponds during 2 consecutive winters. Fingerlings in Texas grew better on the 35% protein feed, although poor survival may have affected the results. The 35% protein feed provided no growth advantage to adult fish in Mississippi. Both feeds had equivalent energy to essential amino acid ratios and both contained 12% fish meal. There were minimal differences in feed conversion ratios and survival of fish fed the 2 feeds in Mississippi and Arkansas.