Creel Survey on Newton Lake

Final Report issued May 1, 2001Report issued on: May 1, 2001INHS Technical Report prepared for Ameren Corporatio

Database management and analysis of fisheries in Illinois: Final report, 1 March 1999-28 February 2002

Issued May 2002; F-69-RReport issued on: May 200

Research and Analysis of Fisheries in Illinois

Reports on progress and results for the following project objectives: sport fish population and sport fishing metrics; enhanced field sampling of sport fish populations; determination of factors affecting fishing quality; coordination with ongoing fisheries research projects; support for and enhance of web interface; fishes of Champaign County; recovery of urban stream sport fisheries.Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fisheries, Federal Aid Project F-69-R Segment 28unpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Defining adult bonefish (Albula vulpes) movement corridors around Grand Bahama in the Bahamian Archipelago

Abstract Development on Grand Bahama in the Bahamian Archipelago during the 1950's to 1970's resulted in substantial changes to the island's geography. Hawksbill Creek, which potentially served as a natural migration route for fish from the north side to the south side of the island, was severed and replaced by a man-made canal called the Grand Lucayan Waterway (GLW). Bonefish (Albula spp.), a sport-fish that contributes more than $141 million to the Bahamian economy annually, is one such species that may have been affected. The purpose of this study was to determine contemporary movement corridors of adult bonefish during their spawning season (October to May) in Grand Bahamian waters. This was accomplished by using a passive acoustic telemetry array of 17 receivers and 30 transmitter-implanted individuals. A total of 26,108 detections were logged from 20 of the fish. Eight bonefish tagged on the north side used the GLW to access waters on the south, whereas no transmitter-implanted fish tagged on the south side fully traversed the man-made canal, suggesting that primary spawning areas may be located on the south side of the island. This result is consistent with previous reports that bonefish spawn near deep water which is easier to access on the south side of Grand Bahama. Further supporting this finding, two other bonefish tagged on the north side forayed around the east end of the island and were detected on receivers approximately 88 km from their tagging locations. Additionally, two other bonefish tagged on the north side were detected at the west end of the island, with one individual continuing its movements along the south side of the island for an approximate straight-line distance of 80 km. Canal use typically corresponded to days immediately prior to or after new or full moons, indicating that movements were related to spawning. This study suggests that despite historical habitat modifications, bonefish today use the GLW as a movement corridor for migrations during spawning season, emphasizing the importance of protecting the canal from any activities that could impede connectivity

The Living Planet Index (LPI) for migratory freshwater fish:Technical Report

Migratory freshwater fish (i.e. fish that use freshwater systems, either partly or exclusively) occur around the world and travel between critical habitats to complete their life cycle. They are disproportionately threatened compared to other fish groups but global trends in abun-dance, regional differences and drivers of patterns have not yet been comprehensively described. Using abundance information from the Living Planet Database, we found widespread declines between 1970 and 2016 in tropical and temperate areas and across all regions, all migration categories and all populations. Globally, migratory freshwater fish have declined by an average of 76%. Average declines have been more pronounced in Europe (-93%) and Latin America & Caribbean (-84%), and least in North America (-28%). The percentage of species represented was highest in the two temperate regions of Europe and North America (almost 50%). For the continents of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America, data was highly deficient, and we advise against making conclusions on the status of migratory freshwater SUMMARYfish in these areas. Potamodromous fish, have declined more than fish migrating between fresh and salt water on average (-83% vs -73%). Populations that are known to be affected by threats anywhere along their migration routes show an average decline of 94% while those not threatened at the population level have increased on av-erage. Habitat degradation, alteration, and loss accounted for around a half of threats to migratory fish, while over-exploitation accounted for around one-third. Protected, regulated and exploited populations decreased less than unmanaged ones, with the most often recorded actions being related to fisheries regulations, including fishing restrictions, no-take zones, fisheries closures, bycatch reductions and stocking (these were most com-mon in North America and Europe). Recorded reasons for observed increases tended to be mostly unknown or un-described, especially in tropical regions. This information is needed to assemble a more complete picture to assess how declines in migratory freshwater fishes could be reduced or reversed. Our findings confirm that migratory freshwater fish may be more threatened throughout their range than previously documented

Science Communication in a Digital Age: Social Media and the American Fisheries Society

Social media platforms are effective tools used to help communicate and increase involvement in cultural, political, and scientific circles. In 2012, an ad hoc committee was established to explore online fisheries science communication and how social media platforms can be utilized by the American Fisheries Society (AFS). A survey was disseminated to all AFS units (chapters, sections, divisions) and student subunits to better understand the current use of social media within the AFS. A relatively high response rate (82%) provided some confidence in the survey results—namely, that nearly 69% or more of units and subunits used social media. Facebook was the dominant platform used (59%; all others < 15%) and almost exclusively (97%) for the purpose of communication. Education, outreach, and member recruitment were other reasons for social media use. Finally, whether units currently use social media or not at all, it was recommended that AFS-led workshops and assistance would increase the usefulness of social media