The biology and fishery of Atlantic sailfish Istiophorus platypterus from southeast Florida

(Document has 31 pages.

New Host-plant Records For Neotropical Agromyzids (diptera: Agromyzidae) From Asteraceae Flower Heads

Agromyzidae is a large and cosmopolitan fly family with approximately 2,500 known species. Here we present 22 new records of agromyzid-host plant associations. Plants were sampled from 2002 to 2005 in São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of eight agromyzid species were reared from 18 Asteraceae host species. The genus Melanagromyza Hendel was the commonest. This is the first detailed study reporting associations between non-leafmining Agromyzidae and their host plants in Brazil.3719799Almeida, A.M., C.R. Fonsceca, P.I. Prado, M. Almeida Neto, S. Diniz, U. Kubota, M.R. Braun, R.L.G. Raimundo, L.A. Anjos, T.G. Mendonça, S.M. Futada & T.M. Lewinsohn. 2005. Diversidade e ocorrência de Asteraceae em cerrados de São Paulo. Biota Neotrop. 5: http://www.biotaneotropica. org.br/v5n2/pt/abstract?article+BN00105022005 . ISSN 1676-0603Andersen, A., Sjursen, H., Rafoss, T., Biodiversity of Agromizydae (Diptera) and biologically and conventionally grown spring barley and grass field (2004) Biol. Agric. Hortic, 22, pp. 143-155Benavent-Corai, J., Martinez, M., Jimenez Peydró, R., Catalogue of the host-plants of the world Agromyzidae (Diptera) (2005) Boll. Zool. Agrar. Bachic. Serie II, 37, pp. 1-97Bremer, K., (1994) Asteraceae: Cladistics and classification, , Timber Press, Portland, 752pChen, X., Lang, F., Xu, Z., He, J., Ma, Y., The occurrence of leafminers and their parasitoids on vegetables and weeds in Hangzhou area, Southeast China (2003) BioControl, 48, pp. 515-527Eiten, G., Cerrado vegetation of Brazil (1972) Bot. Rev, 38, pp. 201-341Fonseca, C.R., Prado, P.I., Almeida Neto, M., Kubota, U., Lewinsohn, T.M., Flower heads, herbivores, and their parasitoids: Food web structure along a fertility gradient (2005) Ecol. Entomol, 30, pp. 36-46Gagné, R.J., (1994) The gall midges of the Neotropical region, , Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, 352pLewinsohn, T.M. 1991. Insects in flower heads of Asteraceae in southeast Brazil: a case study on tropical species richness, p.525-560. In P.W. Price, T.M. Lewinsohn, G.W. Fernandes & W.W. Benson (eds.). Plant-animal interactions: Evolutionary ecology in tropical and temperate regions. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 639pLewinsohn, T.M., Novotny, V., Basset, Y., Insects on plants: Diversity of herbivore assemblages revisited (2005) Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst, 36, pp. 597-620Schuster, D.J., Gilreath, J.P., Wharton, R.A., Seymour, P.R., Agromyzidae (Diptera) leafminers and their parasitoids in weeds associated with potato in Florida (1991) Environ. Entomol, 20, pp. 720-723Spencer, K.A., Notes on the Neotropical Agromyzidae (Diptera) (1966) Pap. Avulsos Zool, 19, pp. 142-150Spencer, K.A., The Agromyzidae of Canada and Alaska (1969) Mem. Entomol. Soc. Can, 64, pp. 1-311Spencer, K.A. 1973a. Agromyzidae (Diptera) of economic importance. Dr. W. Junk B. V. The Hague, Serie Entomologica, 418pSpencer, K.A., The Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Venezuela. Rev. Fac. Agrom (1973), pp. 5-107. , Mar. VIIISpencer, K.A., (1990) Host specialization in the world Agromyzidae, , Diptera, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 444pSpencer, K.A. 1996. Australasian/Oceanian Diptera Catalog - Web Version. URL: http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/agromyzidae.html. Accessed in 12/09/2006Spencer, K.A. & C.E. Stegmaier. 1973. Arthropods of Florida (EUA) and neighboring land areas, v. 7. Agromyzidae of Florida (USA) with a Supplement on Species from the Caribbean. Fla. Dep. Agri. Cons. Serv., Gainesville, 205pSpencer, K.A. & G.C. Steyskal. 1986. Manual of the Agromyzidae (Diptera) of the United States. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook. n. 638. Washington, U.S.ASpencer, K.A., Martinez, M., Etienne, J., Les Agromyzidae (Diptera) de Guadeloupe. (1992) Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr, 28, pp. 251-302Zwölfer, H. 1988. Species richness, species packing, and evolution in insect-plant systems, p.301-319. In E.D. Schulze & H. Zwölfer (eds.), Potentials and limitations of ecosystem analysis. Springer-Verlag. Berlin, 435

The Status of Loggerhead, Caretta caretta; Kemp's Ridley, Lepidochelys kempi; and Green, Chelonia mydas, Sea Turtles in U.S. Waters: A Reconsideration

Assessing the status of widely distributed marine species can prove difficult because virtually every sampling technique has assumptions, limitations, and biases that affect the results of the study. These biases often are overlooked when the biological and nonbiological implications of the results are discussed. In a recent review, Thompson (1988) used mostly unpublished population census data derived from studies conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to draw conclusions about the status of Kemp's ridley, Lepidochelys kempi; Atlantic coast green turtles, Chelonia mydas; and the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta

Florida's Halfbeak, Hemiramphus spp., Bait Fishery

Two species of halfbeaks, ballyhoo, Hemiramphus brasiliensis, and balao, H. balao, form the basis of a relatively small but valuable bait fishery in southeastern Florida. Halfbeak landings increased rapidly in the late 1960's but are now relatively stable (about 450,000 kg or 1 million lb annually), and their ex-vessel price is about $600,000. Fishing methods, which had changed in the late 1960's when landings increased, have changed little since the 1970's. Data from a fishery-dependent survey (1988-91) show that catch rates were highest from October to February, when catches were dominated by large ballyhoo (>200 mm or 8 inches fork length (FL)); rates were lowest from May to September, when catches contained both species in more equal numbers and the size range was greater (about 150-250 mm FL) than it was for winter landings. There was little bycatch, and only flyingfishes (Exocoetidae) and needlefishes (Belonidae) occurred consistently. Comparisons of the 1988-91 data with similar data reported from 1974 indicated that halfbeak populations have remained relatively stable

Ichthyoplankton Adjacent to Live-Bottom Habitats in Onslow Bay, North Carolina

The abundance and distribution of ichthyoplankton adjacent to live-bottom habitats (rock outcroppings containing rich, sessile invertebrate communities and many species of tropical and subtropical fishes) in open-shelf waters « 55-m isobath) in Onslow Bay, North Carolina, were investigated. Larvae of reef-associated genera, especially the economically important subtropical and tropical members of the families Haemulidae (Haemulon), Lutjanidae (Lutjanus and Rltomboplites), Serranidae (Mycteroperca and Epinephelus), and Sparidae (Calamus and Pagrus) were targeted. Larvae representing 40 families were collected in neuston tows. Commonly collected reef-associated families were Balistidae, Blenniidae (dominated by the reef-associated Parablennius marmoreus) , Mullidae, and Gobiidae. Larvae representing 70 families were collected in subsurface tows. Reef-associated families commonly collected included Apogonidae, Balistidae, Gobiidae, Haemulidae, LutJanidae, Scaridae, and Serranidae. Larval Haemulon sp (p)., Lutjanus sp(p)., and Rltomboplites aurorubens were commonly collected and thus it is likely that these taxa spawn in Onslow Bay and recruit to live-bottom sites within the area. Other families of fishes commonly collected but generally not considered reef-associated included Bothidae, Callionymidae, Carangidae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae, and Ophidiidae. Estuarine-dependent species (e.g. the clupeid Brevoortia tyrannus and the sciaenids Leiostomus xanthurus and Micropogonias undulatus) were an important component of the ichthyoplankton during late fall and winter. The frequent occurrence of larvae from oceanic species (e.g. gonostomatids and myctophids) indicated that Gulf Stream waters had intruded onto the shelf, transporting these larvae to open-shelf waters off North Carolina.(PDF file containes 36 pages.

The U.S. Gulf of Mexico Pink Shrimp, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, Fishery: 50 Years of Commercial Catch Statistics

U.S. Gulf of Mexico, pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, catch statistics have been collected by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, or its predecessor agency, for over 50 years. Recent events, including hurricanes and oil spills within the ecosystem of the fishery, have shown that documentation of these catch data is of primary importance. Fishing effort for this stock has fluctuated over the 50-year period analyzed, ranging from 3,376 to 31,900 days fished, with the most recent years on record, 2008 and 2009, exhibiting declines up to 90% relative to the high levels recorded in the mid 1990’s. Our quantification of F. duorarum landings and catch rates (CPUE) indicates catch have been below the long-term average of about 12 million lb for all of the last 10 years on record. In contrast to catch and effort, catch rates have increased in recent years, with record CPUE levels measured in 2008 and 2009, of 1,340 and 1,144 lb per day fished, respectively. Our regression results revealed catch was dependent upon fishing effort (F=98.48df=1, 48, p<0.001, r2=0.67), (Catch=1,623,378 + (520) × (effort)). High CPUE’s measured indicate stocks were not in decline prior to 2009, despite the decline in catch. The decrease in catch is attributed in large part to low effort levels caused by economical and not biological or habitat related conditions. Future stock assessments using these baseline data will provide further insights and management advice concerning the Gulf of Mexi

Observations on recruitment of postlarval spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, to the south Florida coast

(Document has 34 pages.

The Origin, Evolution, and Demise of the U.S. Sea Turtle Fisheries

Fishing was America's first industry, and turtling played an important role in the nation's developing fisheries. However, before the European settlers arrived in the New World, Native Americans had already developed spiritual and gastronomic relationships with sea turtles. There are indications that ancient Florida tribes had eaten sea turtles and then placed the skulls in burial mounds (Johnson, 1952)

The History, Present Condition, and Future of the Molluscan Fisheries of North and Central American and Europe: Volume 1, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts

This three-volume monograph represents the first major attempt in over a century to provide, on regional bases, broad surveys of the history, present condition, and future of the important shellfisheries of North and Central America and Europe. It was about 100 years ago that Ernest Ingersoll wrote extensively about several molluscan fisheries of North America (1881, 1887) and about 100 years ago that Bashford Dean wrote comprehensively about methods of oyster culture in Europe (1893). Since those were published, several reports, books, and pamphlets have been written about the biology and management of individual species or groups ofclosely related mollusk species (Galtsoff, 1964; Korringa, 1976 a, b, c; Lutz, 1980; Manzi and Castagna, 1989; Shumway, 1991). However, nothing has been written during the past century that is comparable to the approach used by Ingersoll in describing the molluscan fisheries as they existed in his day in North America or, for that matter, in Europe. (PDF file contains 224 pages.