The blackback flounder and its fishery in New England and New York

A decline in the abundance of blackback flounders, together with the withdrawal of vessels from this fishery, has resulted in a lowered catch in recent years compared to the peak period 1928 through 1931. Data obtained from U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Hatchery catch records and from fishermen's log book records show a drop in abundance of 63 per cent from the early 1930's to the present in the Boothbay Harbor region and of 31 to 40 per cent in the area south of Cape Cod. Information on the early life history and distribution of young blackback flounders and the size and age composition and distribution of fish subject to the commercial and sport fisheries indicates that the young are the product of local spawning and that the sport and commercial fisheries draw on a resident stock of primarily adult fish

Environmental planning for an Alaskan water-oriented recreational area

Completion Report OWRT Agreement No. 14-31-0001-4056 Project No. B-026-ALASThis research focused initially on delineation of the proper procedures to be applied when the state of Alaska, through the appropriate agencies, selects and develops water-based recreation areas. The Nancy Lakes recreational area was selected as a case study for testing these procedures. This area is located approximately 106 km (66 road miles) northwest of Anchorage along the Parks Highway (61°N,150°W). When the research was begun in July of 1973, this area was determined to be important to the future recreational needs of the residents of the growing municipality of Anchorage as well as to travelers between Fairbanks and Anchorage along the newly opened highway. Today, this area is even more important as the new capital of the state of Alaska will be located approximately 6 km (4 miles) east of Nancy Lakes. In the summer of 1974, difficulties arose concerning the objectives of the project and the reports to be generated. Therefore, a decision was made to terminate the research at Nancy Lakes. A partial completion report was compiled concerning the work completed to September 1, 1974. This report was distributed to cooperators at the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks; the Sport Fish Division of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Palmer; and to the Office of Water Resources Research, the predecessor of the Office of Water Research and Technology. The research has continued, focusing on the Tanana Lakes near Fairbanks, Alaska, (64°N,146°N) with the cooperation of the Sport Fish Division of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks. These lakes, located within 160 km (100 miles) of Fairbanks, are important to the residents of Fairbanks, as well as to tourists driving to Fairbanks from the 48 continguous states. Many Fairbanks residents have cottages at one of the three largest of these, Harding, Birch, and Quartz Lakes. Several youth groups have summer camps on these lakes; the U. S. Army and the U. S. Air Force are currently sharing an extensive recreation facility at Birch Lake; and the state park at Harding Lake is one of the state's most utilized campgrounds. The research on this lake group has focused on the variation in productivity between these lakes due to differences in lake morphometry and watershed characteristics, with some attempt to assess recreational impacts on their water quality.The work upon which this completion report is based was supported by funds provided by the U. S. Department of Interior, Office of Water Research and Technology as authorized under the Water Resources Research Act of 1964, Public Law 88-379, as amended. Matching funds were provided by the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks; and Department of Fish and Game, Sport Fish Division

REMARKABLE AFFECT OF DIETS ON ABALONE (HAL/OTIS AS/NINA ) GROWTH AND SHELL PIGMENTATION

Absol u te growth and shell color of juvenile H asinina was moni tored over a period of 2-months in an experiment consisting of 8 treatments with 3 repl icates (n = !O individuals per replicate). The treatments were: fresh red seaweed ( Gracillaria verrucosa), and green algae ( Viva lactuca) and 6 formulated . feeds using different seaweed meals. This study is an attempt made on the effects of partially replacing fish meal with aigae (U lactuca) of the formulated feeds on the growth This preliminary study investigated the effect of seaweed and formulated feed on the growth, the shell color of this abalone and survival of abalone. The result s showed that the absolute growth of abalone fed by macroalgae G.verrucosa higher .than abalone fed with other feed and significantly different from the makroalgae U lactuca and others feeds fommlated. Results showed that abalones fed the seaweed G. 'verrucosa and formulated feed with G. verrucosa meal had dark - brown shells. However, abalones fod with makroalgae U !actuca and either of the formulated feeds (with spiru1ina) and formulated feeds (with U lactuca meal) remarkably had the s2me good growth performance and green shell appea;:ance. Investigations showed that seaweeds meal could be the better replacement for fish meal in pelleted feeds of H asinina. Keywords : abalone, growth, formulated feed, seaweed, seaweed mea

Fish Consumption and Mercury Exposure among Louisiana Recreational Anglers

Ba c k g r o u n d: Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure assessments among average fish consumers in the United States may underestimate exposures among U.S. subpopulations with high intakes of region-ally specific fish. obj e c t i v e s: We examined relationships among fish consumption, estimated mercury (Hg) intake, and measured Hg exposure within one such potentially highlyexposed group, recreational anglers in the state of Louisiana, USA. Me t h o d s: We surveyed 534 anglers in 2006 using interviews at boat launches and fishing tourna-ments combined with an Internet-based survey method. Hair samples from 402 of these anglers were collected and analyzed for total Hg. Questionnaires provided information on species-specific fish consumption during the 3 months before the survey. re s u l t s: Anglers’ median hairHg concentration was 0.81 μg/g (n = 398; range, 0.02–10.7 μg/g);40% of participants had levels >1 μg/g, which approximately corresponds to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s reference dose. Fish consumption and Hg intake were significantly positively associated with hairHg. Participants reported consuming nearly 80 different fish types, many of which are specific to the region. Unlike the general U.S. population, which acquires most of its Hg from commercial seafood sources, approximately 64% of participants’ fish meals and 74% of their estimated Hg intake came from recreationally caught seafood. co n c l u s i o n s: Study participants had relatively elevated hairHg concentrations and reported con-sumption of a wide variety of fish, particularly locally caught fish. This group represents a highlyexposed subpopulation with an exposure profile that differs from fish consumers in other regions of the United States, suggesting a need for more regionallyspecific exposure estimates and public health advisories.ISSN:1552-9924ISSN:0091-676

Annual Report of Lands Under Control of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as of September 30, 2007

Annual Report of Lands Under Control Of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service As of September 30, 2007 Message from the Director Key to Real Property Numbers Map of National Fish and Wildlife Management Areas Map of Waterfowl Productions Areas Significant Land Acquisition Accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2007 Tables 1 Summary by Categories 2 Summary by States, Associated Governments and Possessions 2A FY 2007 Summary by States, Associated Governments and Possessions 3 National Wildlife Refuges 4 Waterfowl Production Areas 5 Coordination Areas 6 Administrative Sites 7 National Fish Hatcheries 8 Wilderness Areas in National Wildlife Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries 9 Migratory Waterfowl Refuges on Federal Water Resource Projects Note

The natural resources of Agua Hedionda Lagoon

This report has been prepared under contract to and fully funded by the Office of Biological Services of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The goals and purpose of this federal office are to review the impact on fish and wildlife resources of land, mineral and water development practices, such as offshore oil and gas exploration, development and production; construction of inshore pipeline canals and refineries; power plant construction/operation and urban development. This report, and five other southern California reports, covering Carpinteria Marsh (Santa Barbara County), Anaheim Bay-Huntington Harbor (Orange County), Mugu Lagoon (Ventura County), the Northern Santa Barbara County Coastal Wetlands, and the Nipomo Dunes and Wetlands (San Luis Obispo County), are scheduled to be part of the Department's "Coastal Wetland Series" (see inside front cover). (154 pp.

Markle Interest, L.L.C. v. U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service

This action is an appeal of a grant of summary judgment to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the designation of critical-habitat for the dusky gopher frog under the ESA. Landowner appellants originally sought declaratory and injunctive relief against the Service, the Department of Interior, and agency officials challenging the designation of their private property as critical-habitat for the dusky gopher frog. The court’s holdings recognize loss of property value as a “particularized injury” for standing under the ESA in addition to addressing the landowners’ three principal arguments: 1) the critical habitat designation violated the ESA and the APA; 2) USFWS lacked constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause to make the critical-habitat designation; and 3) the designation violated the NEPA. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari, and the case will be heard as Weyerhaeuser Co. v. United States Fish & Wildlife Service