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At least 1,351 records · Page 75Linked to original sources
USGS2012

Predicted time from fertilization to maximum wet weight for steelhead alevins based on incubation temperature and egg size (Study site: Western Fishery Research Center, Seattle; Stock: Dworshak hatchery; Year class: 1996)

The accuracy of a model that predicts time between fertilization and maximum alevin wet weight (MAWW) from incubation temperature was tested for steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss from Dworshak National Fish Hatchery on the Clearwater River, Idaho. MAWW corresponds to the button-up fry stage of development. Embryos were incubated at warm (mean=11.6°C) or cold (mean=7.3°C) temperatures and time between fertilization and MAWW was measured for each temperature. Model predictions of time to MAWW were within 1% of measured time to MAWW. Mean egg weight ranged from 0.101-0.136 g among females (mean = 0.116). Time to MAWW was positively related to egg size for each temperature, but the increase in time to MAWW with increasing egg size was greater for embryos reared at the warm than at the cold temperature. We developed equations accounting for the effect of egg size on time to MAWW for each temperature, and also for the mean of those temperatures (9.3°C).

Book chapter↗
USGS2019

Survival outcome patterns revealed by deploying advanced tags in quantity: Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) survivals after release from trawl catches through expedited sorting

Bycatch of Pacific halibut ( Hippoglossus stenolepis ) limits many trawl fisheries in Alaska and greatly concerns stakeholders from local communities and fisheries that rely on Pacific halibut. To reduce Pacific halibut mortality, trawlers in the Bering Sea that target flatfish have been developing expedited release procedures to sort Pacific halibut from catches earlier than current regulations allow, while continuing accurate bycatch accounting. We studied survival rates of released Pacific halibut from three trawlers by deploying accelerometer-equipped pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) on 160 fish handled under expedited procedures. PSATs recorded and transmitted two metrics indicating swimming activity every 2 h while attached to the fish (for up to 60 days). Analysis of the resulting survival outcomes largely validated current survival-estimation methods, based on structured viability assessments, and found that longer fish length, shorter duration of air exposure, and shorter duration of trawl tow improved predicted Pacific halibut survival. Differences in these results were detected among vessel trips and species targeted by trawling. PSATs provided detailed data from nearly all tagged fish, while exposing fish to conditions experienced by normal releases.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS2022

Assessing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sediments and fishes in a large, urbanized estuary and the potential human health implications

The primary source of chronic exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in humans is through the ingestion of contaminated foods and drinking water, with fish and other seafood being a major contributor. Nevertheless, there is scant literature on the dietary exposure to PFASs for the general United States (U.S.) population. The Tampa Bay (Florida, USA) region has the highest population density in the State and communities and their attendant support services are arrayed in an urban to semi-rural continuum from the head of the Bay to the ocean mouth. Tampa Bay supports productive recreational and commercial fisheries, providing a diverse community of species. A variety of potential PFAS sources surround Tampa Bay including airports, industry, wastewater treatment plants, fire-fighting training areas and military installations. The objective of this study is to quantify PFASs in sediment and fishes collected from Tampa Bay to further estimate human health risks from dietary exposures. Sediment ( n = 17) and fish (24 species, n = 140) were collected throughout Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021 and analyzed for 25 PFAS compounds. Concentrations of PFASs in sediments and edible tissues of fish ranged from 36.8 to 2,990 ng kg -1 (dry weight) and 307 to 33,600 ng kg -1 (wet weight), respectively. Generally, levels were highest in Old Tampa Bay and decreased south towards the Gulf of Mexico. Profiles in both matrices were generally dominated by perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) with variations by location. Estimated human health risks from the consumption of contaminated fish collected in Tampa Bay exceeded concentration thresholds for minimum risk levels (MRLs) and tolerable weekly intake (TWIs) values for adults and youths. Additionally, concentrations of PFOS in edible fish tissues of several recreationally important species collected in Tampa Bay exceeded consumption guideline levels established by several governmental agencies. In the current context, the elevated levels of PFAS in Tampa Bay and the exceedances of available thresholds for potential human health risks are a cause for concern and justify a more intensive examination especially for more heavily utilized species, particularly those used in subsistence-level fishing, which, as elsewhere may be significantly under documented.

Florida↗
USGS2019

Submergence responses of cool-season annual plants and potential for fish habitat

Unnatural water regimes of flood control reservoirs limit vegetation establishment in littoral zones and produce mudflats with low structural complexity insufficient for many juvenile fishes. One strategy to enhance habitat on mudflats is to sow cool-season plants to provide submerged structure when inundated. However, how long the structure of these plants persists following inundation has not been evaluated. To investigate the species-specific responses of cool-season plants to inundation, we submerged six cool-season plant species in outdoor flow-through tanks and monitored maximum height and density of plant structures over time. Time-to-event analyses and generalized linear models were used to characterize differences in structural persistence between species over time. Plantings degraded rapidly if inundated before plant maturity. However, mature plants of Marshall Ryegrass Lolium multiflorum and Triticale Triticosecale provided dense structure for periods long enough to provide refuge for juvenile fish. As Ryegrass degraded, stem density decreased producing wide gaps relative to Triticale which remained dense and complex. Differences in plant architecture may influence the quality of habitat and which fish species and age class utilize each planting. Our results indicate that cool-season grasses planted in mudflats can persist after inundation long enough to enhance seasonal fish habitat and differences in plant structural characteristics may allow managers more flexibility to target desirable fish species.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗
USGS2021

Development and evaluation of habitat suitability criteria for native fishes in three Arizona streams

Habitat loss is a main contributor to fish fauna declines in the southwestern USA. Several studies have defined stream-specific habitat conditions that support the growth and survival of native fish in Arizona to inform stream restoration efforts, yet general habitat use of most individual species across the region is not established. Therefore, we evaluated habitat use of four native fishes, Speckled Dace Rhinichthys osculus , Sonora Sucker Catostomus insignis , Desert Sucker Catostomus clarkii , and Longfin Dace Agosia chrysogaster , across three Arizona streams through the development of habitat suitability criteria (HSC). We developed both stream-specific and generalized HSC for each species. Generalized HSC were calculated as the combination of stream-specific HSC for each species. We then assessed the utility of generalized HSC through transferability among study streams. Also, past HSC studies have not considered the occurrence of nonnative species, so we tested whether the presence of nonnative fishes influenced native fish habitat use through logistic regression models. Fish and habitat data were collected along the Mogollon Rim in Arizona during the 2017 summer field season at base flow conditions. We established minimum microhabitat use for four native Arizona fish species through developing HSC. Most generalized criteria did not transfer among study streams due to variation in habitat availability and fish community structure. Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of nonnative fishes was inversely related to the presence of two native fish species, which could have influenced habitat use of both species. The lack of transferability across streams as demonstrated in this study confirms that only HSC developed in the stream of interest or in similar undegraded streams with comparable fish communities should be used for restoration efforts. For projects to restore native fishes in streams where nonnative competitors will not dominate, the least degraded similar streams without coexisting nonnative fishes can guide restoration efforts.

Arizona↗
USGS2022

Critical thermal maximum of stream fishes including distinct populations of Smallmouth Bass

Understanding the thermal tolerances of stream fishes, including sport fishes, is important for assessing thermal stressors that are common across the landscape. Our study objectives were to determine the thermal tolerances of 17 stream fishes (15 species and 2 genetically distinct populations of juvenile Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu : the Neosho subspecies M. dolomieu velox and the Ouachita strain M . sp. cf. dolomieu velox ). Fish were collected from the field and acclimated to laboratory conditions at 20°C or 25°C, with dissolved oxygen maintained above 6 mg/L. We determined the critical thermal maximum (CTM) using an incomplete block design with 9–11 replications for each species. During trials, we increased the water temperature at a rate of 2°C per hour until fish experienced loss of equilibrium. The estimated CTM ranged from 32.43°C to 38.26°C among species. The CTM values differed significantly between taxonomic groups and species, including the genetically distinct populations of Smallmouth Bass. The Neosho subspecies of Smallmouth Bass had a significantly lower thermal tolerance than the Ouachita strain at both acclimation temperatures; however, the magnitude of the difference was about 0.5°C greater at the higher acclimation temperature. Closely related species, including the Bigeye Shiner Notropis boops and Kiamichi Shiner N . ortenburgeri , had significantly different thermal tolerances despite occupying similar riverine locations. Our results suggest that our perceptions of a species’ thermal tolerance based on that of closely related species or that of species using similar habitat may be incorrect. Moreover, the differences in thermal tolerances among populations may be an important consideration for conservation and management actions, such as stocking decisions. Laboratory data such as those provided in this study can be integrated with field data to better assess thermal responses of fishes in a changing environment.

Oklahoma↗
USGS2022

Rotenone induces mortality of invasive Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout embryos

Objective Nonnative fish, including Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss , are actively invading lakes and streams and threatening Cutthroat Trout O. clarkii and other native species in the western United States. Programs have been implemented to suppress invasive trout using netting, trapping, electrofishing, angling, or other traditional capture methods. Because these methods are costly and primarily target older, free-swimming life stages, development of new suppression methods that target embryos on spawning areas is desired to increase suppression efficacy and reduce long-term costs. Methods We evaluated the capability of rotenone, N -methylpyrrolidone, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, sodium chloride, calcium carbonate, and gelatin to induce mortality of Lake Trout and Rainbow Trout embryos in controlled laboratory experiments. Result Exposure to liquid and powdered rotenone formulations for 12 h at 4 mg/L caused 98% ± 0.7 (mean ± SE) and 99% ± 0.6 Lake Trout mortality, respectively. Exposure to liquid and powdered rotenone formulations for 12 h at 4 mg/L caused 62% ± 4.7 and 85% ± 3.2 Rainbow Trout mortality, respectively. N -methylpyrrolidone, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, sodium chloride, calcium carbonate, and gelatin exposures were not effective at increasing embryo mortality of either species. Conclusion Developing embryos represent a vulnerable life history stage that can be exploited by targeted applications of rotenone. Incorporating novel suppression techniques that effectively increase mortality of embryos in an integrated pest management approach may enhance effective suppression of invasive fishes.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2017

Does bioelectrical impedance analysis accurately estimate the condition of threatened and endangered desert fish species?

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a nonlethal tool with which to estimate the physiological condition of animals that has potential value in research on endangered species. However, the effectiveness of BIA varies by species, the methodology continues to be refined, and incidental mortality rates are unknown. Under laboratory conditions we tested the value of using BIA in addition to morphological measurements such as total length and wet mass to estimate proximate composition (lipid, protein, ash, water, dry mass, energy density) in the endangered Humpback Chub Gila cypha and Bonytail G. elegans and the species of concern Roundtail Chub G. robusta and conducted separate trials to estimate the mortality rates of these sensitive species. Although Humpback and Roundtail Chub exhibited no or low mortality in response to taking BIA measurements versus handling for length and wet-mass measurements, Bonytails exhibited 14% and 47% mortality in the BIA and handling experiments, respectively, indicating that survival following stress is species specific. Derived BIA measurements were included in the best models for most proximate components; however, the added value of BIA as a predictor was marginal except in the absence of accurate wet-mass data. Bioelectrical impedance analysis improved the R 2 of the best percentage-based models by no more than 4% relative to models based on morphology. Simulated field conditions indicated that BIA models became increasingly better than morphometric models at estimating proximate composition as the observation error around wet-mass measurements increased. However, since the overall proportion of variance explained by percentage-based models was low and BIA was mostly a redundant predictor, we caution against the use of BIA in field applications for these sensitive fish species.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2016

Book review: Black bass diversity: Multidisciplinary science for conservation

These proceedings are from the third symposium dedicated to management and conservation of black basses in the genus Micropterus . The first symposium was held in 1975 (R. H. Stroud and H. Clepper. Black Bass Biology and Management . Washington (DC): Sport Fishing Institute) followed 25 years later by Black Bass 2000 (D. P. Philipp and M. S. Ridgway. 2002. Black Bass: Ecology, Conservation, and Management . Bethesda (MD): American Fisheries Society). Although the previous books discussed conservation of genetic variation and distinct strains of basses, the bulk of the papers in those tomes emphasized management of largemouth and smallmouth bass. In contrast, this third symposium is focused on the rarer bass species and challenges for their successful management. Review info: Black bass diversity: Multidisciplinary science for conservation . Edited by Michael D. Tringali, James M. Long, Timothy W. Birdsong, and Michael S. Allen, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-934874-40-0, 685 pp.

The Quarterly Review of Biology↗
USGS2004

Biochemical, histological and behavioural aspects of visual function during early development of rainbow trout

Retinal structure and concentration of retinoids involved in phototransduction changed during early development of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, correlating with improvements in visual function. A test chamber was used to evaluate the presence of optokinetic or optomotor responses and to assess the functionality of the integrated cellular, physiological and biochemical components of the visual system. The results indicated that in rainbow trout optomotor responses start at 10 days post-hatch, and demonstrated for the first time that increases in acuity, sensitivity to low light as well as in motion detection abilities occur from this stage until exogenous feeding starts. The structure of retinal cells such as cone ellipsoids increased in length as photopic visual acuity improved, and rod densities increased concurrently with improvements in scotopic thresholds (2.2 log10 units). An increase in the concentrations of the chromophore all-trans-retinal correlated with improvements of all behavioural measures of visual function during the same developmental phase. ?? 2004 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Journal of Fish Biology↗
USGS2016

Principles underlying the epizootiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia in Pacific herring and other fishes throughout the North Pacific Ocean

Although viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) typically occurs at low prevalence and intensity in natural populations of Pacific herring ( Clupea pallasii ) and other marine fishes in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, epizootics of the resulting disease (VHS) periodically occur, often in association with observed fish kills. Here we identify a list of principles, based on a combination of field studies, controlled laboratory experiments, and previously unpublished observations, that govern the epizootiology of VHS in Pacific herring. A thorough understanding of these principles provides the basis for identifying risk factors that predispose certain marine fish populations to VHS epizootics, including the lack of population resistance, presence of chronic viral carriers in a population, copious viral shedding by infected individuals, cool water temperatures, limited water circulation patterns, and gregarious host behavioral patterns. Further, these principles are used to define the epizootiological stages of the disease in Pacific herring, including the susceptible (where susceptible individuals predominate a school or subpopulation), enzootic (where infection prevalence and intensity are often below the limits of reasonable laboratory detection), disease amplification (where infection prevalence and intensity increase rapidly), outbreak (often accompanied by host mortalities with high virus loads and active shedding), recovery (in which the mortality rate and virus load decline owing to an active host immune response), and refractory stages (characterized by little or no susceptibility and where viral clearance occurs in most VHS survivors). In addition to providing a foundation for quantitatively assessing the potential risks of future VHS epizootics in Pacific herring, these principles provide insights into the epizootiology of VHS in other fish communities where susceptible species exist.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS2012

Estimating westslope cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi ) movements in a river network using strontium isoscapes

We used natural variation in the strontium concentration (Sr:Ca) and isotope composition ( 87 Sr: 86 Sr) of stream waters and corresponding values recorded in otoliths of westslope cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi ) to examine movements during their life history in a large river network. We found significant spatial differences in Sr:Ca and 87 Sr: 86 Sr values (strontium isoscapes) within and among numerous spawning and rearing streams that remained relatively constant seasonally. Both Sr:Ca and 87 Sr: 86 Sr values in the otoliths of juveniles collected from nine natal streams were highly correlated with those values in the ambient water. Strontium isoscapes measured along the axis of otolith growth revealed that almost half of the juveniles had moved at least some distance from their natal streams. Finally, otolith Sr profiles from three spawning adults confirmed homing to natal streams and use of nonoverlapping habitats over their migratory lifetimes. Our study demonstrates that otolith geochemistry records movements of cutthroat trout through Sr isoscapes and therefore provides a method that complements and extends the utility of conventional tagging techniques in understanding life history strategies and conservation needs of freshwater fishes in river networks.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS1973

Nutritional factors in the biochemical pathology of Corynebacterial kidney disease in the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

The influence of diet ingredient on the morbidity and biochemical pathogenesis of corynebacterial kidney disease was investigated using juvenile coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) fed the Abernathy dry ration made up with either corn gluten or cottonseed meal (isoprotein, isocaloric substitution). Evaluation of incidence of infection, pituitary activation and aspects of carbohydrate metabolism, acid-base balance, renal function, and hematopoietic activity showed that the actual disease incidence was about the same for both diets but the nonspecific stress of infection was more severe in fish fed the corn gluten.Discriminant function calculations combining four physiological parameters gave a probability of 0.86 for successfully diagnosing infected fish on the basis of these blood chemistry tests.

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada↗
USGS1974

Pathophysiology of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus disease in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri): early changes in blood and aspects of the immune Response after Injection of IHN Virus

Juvenile rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ) were injected with infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) virus and various hematological and blood chemical changes were monitored over 9 days. The packed cell volume, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, and plasma bicarbonate were significantly depressed by day 4. Plasma chloride, calcium, phosphorus, total protein, and blood cell types did not change during the 9 days. Furthermore, plasma LDH isozyme was significantly increased by the fourth day, and fish infected with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, Vibrio anguillarum , Aeromonas salmonicida , and redmouth bacterium did not show specific LDH isozyme alterations. Acid-base alterations occurred at 10 C but not at 18 C. The acid-base imbalance and elevation of the LDH isozyme were consistently associated with the early development of the disease.The immune response after injection of IHN virus was determined and protection from disease was tested by passive immunization. Actively immunized fish developed IHN-neutralizing antibodies within 54 days after injection of virus, and the antibodies were protective when juvenile fish were passively immunized and experimentally challenged with IHN virus.

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada↗
USGS1979

Mortality of experimentally descaled smolts of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in fresh and salt water

Removal of slime from 25% of the body caused no deaths among smolts of coho salmon in fresh water or in seawater (28‰). Removal of slime and scales from the same percentage of body area caused no deaths in fresh water, but 75% mortality within 10 days in seawater. The 10-day median tolerance limit was 10% scale removal immediately before the smolts entered seawater. Mortality was highest when the scales were removed from the area of the rib cage. Recovery of smolts in fresh water from a loss of scales that would be lethal in seawater occurred rapidly; 90% of the fish regained tolerance to seawater within 1 day.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1985

Use of otoliths to determine age and growth of largemouth bass in Florida

The annual formation of otolith annuli was validated through age 5 for Florida largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides floridanus. Sectioned otoliths (sagittae) gave more reliable ages than whole otoliths. Beginning at age 2, at least one annulus was obscure in some whole‐otolith mounts, a problem that worsened with fish age. By age 5, over 20% of the whole otoliths gave under‐estimates of true age; otoliths producing these errors came from fish with slower than average growth rates. Sectioned otoliths gave poorer regressions (lower coefficients of determination) of otolith radius on body length than intact structures because the sectioning plane varied slightly among otoliths. Nevertheless, back calculations of fish size and growth from sectioned and correctly aged whole otoliths were equally accurate. Otolith sectioning is the procedure of choice for age‐and‐growth analysis of Florida largemouth bass. Whole otoliths, however, require much less time for analysis than sectioned ones and may be used for rapidly growing fish and fish known to be age 3 or younger.

Florida↗
USGS1997

Fish assemblages and environmental correlates in least-disturbed streams of the upper Snake River basin

Fish assemblages and environmental variables were evaluated from 37 least‐disturbed, 1st‐ through 6th‐order streams and springs in the upper Snake River basin, western USA. Data were collected as part of the efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program and the Idaho State University Stream Ecology Center to characterize aquatic biota and associated habitats in least‐disturbed coldwater streams. Geographically, the basin comprises four ecoregions. Environmental variables constituting various spatial scales, from watershed characteristics to instream habitat measures, were used to examine distribution patterns in fish assemblages. Nineteen fish species in the families Salmonidae, Cottidae, Cyprinidae, and Catostomidae were collected. Multivariate analyses showed high overlap in stream fish assemblages among the ecoregions. Major environmental factors determining species distributions in the basin were stream gradient, watershed size, conductivity, and percentage of the watershed covered by forest. Lowland streams (below 1,600 m in elevation), located mostly in the Snake River Basin/High Desert ecoregion, displayed different fish assemblages than upland streams (above 2,000 m elevation) in the Northern Rockies, Middle Rockies, and Northern Basin and Range ecoregions. For example, cottids were not found in streams above 2,000 m in elevation. In addition, distinct fish assemblages were found in tributaries upstream and downstream from the large waterfall, Shoshone Falls, on the Snake River. Fish metrics explaining most of the variation among sites included the total number of species, number of native species, number of salmonid species, percent introduced species, percent cottids, and percent salmonids. Springs also exhibited different habitat conditions and fish assemblages than streams. The data suggest that the evolutionary consequences of geographic features and fish species introductions transcend the importance of ecoregion boundaries on fish distributions in the upper Snake River basin.

Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming↗
USGS1997

Cutthroat trout avoidance of metals and conditions characteristic of a mining waste site: Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho

The South Fork basin of the Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho has been an area of heavy mining activity since the 1880s. The mining operations have resulted in elevated concentrations of metals in surface water, most notably cadmium, lead, zinc, and, to a lesser extent, copper. The metals affected surface water quality downstream in the Coeur d'Alene basin and are suspected to be one of the primary reasons for the reduction in populations of native westslope cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi. The avoidance response of a surrogate species, Snake River cutthroat trout O. clarki (unnamed subspecies), was evaluated against conditions simulating those in the Coeur d'Alene River basin. Cutthroat trout avoided a metals mixture of these concentrations: Cd (0.30 ??g/L), Cu (6.0 ??g/L), Pb (0.6 ??g/L), and Zn (28 ??g/L). The avoidance response to either Cu or Zn alone was similar to the avoidance response to the mixture, suggesting that avoidance to the mixture was due to these metals. After acclimation to Zn at 55 ??g/L for 90 d, cutthroat trout detected and preferred a lower Zn concentration of 28 ??g/L. The lowest Zn concentrations avoided (28 ??g/L) were 1/6 to 1/78 the Zn concentrations measured in the South Fork and lower Coeur d'Alene River basins. Avoidance of metals-contaminated habitats by cutthroat trout may be, in part, responsible for reduced fish populations.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗