Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus provide a popular sport fishery in Mark Twain Lake, Missouri, but little is known about their population demographics or exploitation by anglers. Our objectives were to (1) determine population demographics of Blue Catfish, (2) determine exploitation of Blue Catfish, and (3) determine whether new harvest regulations would improve the quality (e.g., size structure and

Managing large multiuser fisheries involves large amounts of data and information, including information directly from anglers. Angler‐provided information may come in the form of attitudinal and behavior surveys, in addition to voluntary reporting of catch information. In this study, we wanted to better understand anglers fishing for Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus in the Gulf of Mexico. Toward this

Small impoundments (hereafter “lakes) provide close‐to‐home fishing opportunities for many anglers but do not always provide quality fishing especially for panfish. Often, these lakes contain populations of slow‐growing Bluegills Lepomis macrochirus and crappies Pomoxis spp. The presence of abundant Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum and Common Carp Cyprinus carpio are known to negatively influence these

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy is a prized sport fish throughout much of North America. Due to its popularity among anglers and limited natural recruitment in reservoirs, Muskellunge are commonly stocked to maintain populations. Yet, little is known about post‐stocking behavior and survival in reservoirs. We used radio telemetry to evaluate behavior and survival of spring‐stocked yearling Muskellunge

The Gulf of Maine (GOM) commercial lobster fishery has approximately 3.5 million actively fished traps and captures several non‐targeted groundfish species, including Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua (hereafter “cod”) as bycatch; yet, there has been limited research on the incidental mortality of these species in this fishery. While the mortality of cod has been estimated in other commercial fisheries in

We estimated the efficiency of electrofishing for collecting crayfishes in southern Appalachian Mountain streams (Alabama, USA ). We conducted electrofishing depletion surveys at 20 sites in five large, species‐rich streams in two drainages. We collected five crayfish species during the depletion surveys. On average, catchability was 34%, with depletion surveys collecting 73% of the individuals that

Reservoir impoundment affects fish habitat condition, in turn likely influencing the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of fish assemblage structure in the impounded area. Fishing activity and instream gravel and sand mining are important anthropogenic factors, and flow discharge, water temperature, and precipitation are important natural environmental variables; both anthropogenic and natural

Downstream migration of smolts is a critical aspect of the life history pathway for anadromous salmonids. Timing of downstream migration can vary along latitudinal and climatic gradients. Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss occur over a broad range of climate and hydrologic conditions, but relatively little is known about migration timing of smolts in the southern extent of the species’ range. Using a 19‐year

Fisheries managers in Kansas face increasing challenges to diversify angling opportunities and increase appeal to a broader audience. One method of diversification is the development of alternative fisheries to complement those that are already established. To address this desire for diversification, age‐1 Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and age‐0 Channel Catfish × Blue Catfish I. furcatus hybrids

Although low‐frequency, pulsed‐DC electrofishing is considered the most effective method for sampling Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus in reservoirs, efforts to improve sampling efficiency have not been fully explored. Optimizing sampling duration can reduce cost and effort if shorter sample times still produce precision similar to that of longer samples. We compared several catch rate and size structure

The CPUE (fish/6,000 m3) of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix obtained by using an electrified butterfly trawl (paupier) was evaluated among various temporal (time of day and season) and spatial (location, habitat [shoreline and open water], and water depth) factors that are likely to be influential in large lentic habitats. The paupier sampled the upper water column (1.5 m) in three locations

Introduced Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush threaten native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, where gill nets have been used to suppress subadult and adult Lake Trout since 1995. However, survival of embryonic and larval life history stages can have profound effects on population dynamics of Lake Trout. Inducing additional mortality

Light trap captures of larval endangered Razorback Sucker Xyrauchen texanus  are used to guide flow release timing from reservoirs and measure their annual reproductive success in the Green River, Utah. However, little is known regarding efficacy of light traps to capture or retain larvae under variable and field‐relevant environmental conditions. We conducted laboratory experiments to investigate

Fecundity of fish is influenced by several factors, including body length, condition, population density, and environmental conditions. It follows that fecundity of fish populations can exhibit spatiotemporal variability; thus, periodic quantification of length–fecundity relationships is important for management. We hypothesized that average fecundity of Cisco Coregonus artedi in the upper Laurentian

Telemetry is a common tool for studying the behavior and fate of migrating adult Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp., yet few field studies have compared behavior and fate associated with different tagging techniques. In this study, adult Harrison River (British Columbia) Sockeye Salmon O. nerka were captured in their natal river near spawning areas, radio‐tagged by gastric insertion or external attachment

There are many ways to quantify fish movement through shallow‐water habitats, but most noninvasive methods (e.g., visual counts) are not effective in turbid coastal wetland waters of the Great Lakes. Dual‐frequency identification sonar (DIDSON ) technology (Sound Metrics) offers a noninvasive, hydroacoustic‐based approach to characterize fish movement in wetlands and other habitats by collecting highly

Recruitment of age‐0 Walleye Sander vitreus is often indexed using fall electrofishing surveys. However, collecting fish before fall may provide timely information regarding stocking decisions and factors influencing recruitment. We evaluated sampling methods for age‐0 Walleye in northern Wisconsin lakes that could be used to assess recruitment in spring and summer. Initial assessments on two lakes

Accurate estimates of age composition are essential for fisheries management, but evaluation of protocols to estimate age data are rarely conducted. Herein, known‐age Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. from six hatchery stocks were used to examine accuracy of multiple scale‐aging protocols and to assess how errors in age assignment may affect age composition estimated from scale data. Accuracy reached

Above normal precipitation in the 1990s resulted in many new fisheries across northeastern South Dakota and elsewhere in the upper Midwest. Walleye Sander vitreus populations in these new fisheries can be extremely vulnerable to angler harvest. In an attempt to maintain a Walleye fishery in Reetz Lake, South Dakota, a new lake, a restrictive regulation of one Walleye ≥ 711 mm per day was implemented

I observed exceptionally variable TL‐at‐age of both Black Crappies Pomoxis nigromaculatus and White Crappies P. annularis in several small impoundments in northern Missouri. I used linear mixed models to assess the relative influences of sex, juvenile growth (back‐calculated lengths at ages 1 [L1] and 2 [L2]), and age in explaining variation in TL of age‐3 and older crappies. I also examined the potential

Hatchery rearing and stocking of young Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens have become key management and species recovery tools in many jurisdictions, yet there has been relatively little investigation into the optimization of release methods. Based on the contemporary understanding of the species’ ecology in Boreal Shield rivers, it was hypothesized that poststocking survival and/or within‐reach retention

The release of hatchery‐reared age‐0 Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens has proven sufficient to re‐establish mid‐latitude populations, but there was minimal evidence of poststocking survival in the functionally extirpated population of the upper Nelson River, Manitoba, until the practice of rearing fish to age 1 in the hatchery began in 2007. After 5 years of poststocking monitoring (2012–2016), mark–recapture

Altered river systems around the world have created novel environments that have been fragmented, homogenized, or transformed from their natural state, creating challenges for understanding how fish populations function. The Missouri River has undergone significant alteration through reservoir construction and channelization. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris

Otoliths are calcified structures located in the inner ears of fish, as in most vertebrates, that are responsible primarily for the perception of gravity, balance and movement, and secondarily of sound detection. Microstructural and chemical analyses of the inner otolith growth layers, called increments, constitute powerful tools to estimate fish age and elucidate many life history and demographic

Fisheries managers use age data to estimate important components of fish population dynamics. Age estimates for fishes are often made by multiple readers and when readers disagree, they may view the structure together to determine a concert age estimate. Few studies have evaluated the accuracy of concert readings compared to independent readings. We used anal fin rays from 240 known‐age Muskellunge

Conservation and restoration of gar (Lepisosteidae) populations in North America are increasingly of interest to fisheries managers. Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula are being stocked as age‐0 fish in efforts to re‐establish extirpated populations. However, gars are known to be highly cannibalistic in hatcheries, suggesting that age‐0 Alligator Gar introduced into natural habitats may face predation

Continued management interest in using White Sucker Catostomus commersonii population manipulations to improve the growth of Northern Pike Esox lucius and potentially competing panfish species provided an opportunity to evaluate White Sucker removal and supplementation in Michigan lakes. Overabundant White Suckers from one lake were transferred into two lakes where higher populations were desired,

Sustainable fisheries management is built on effective management strategies and informative data that are usually well defined for data‐rich fisheries. However, their counterparts in data‐limited fisheries remain inadequately evaluated due to insufficient data for stock assessments. This raises two questions: (1) can data‐limited management strategies achieve sustainable fisheries and (2) are certain

One frequently desired outcome of Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens rehabilitation is to create a recreational fishery for the species. However, few waterbodies offer a recreational fishery where anglers can catch Lake Sturgeon regularly. Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River (hereafter, “St. Clair system”) contain large, stable populations of Lake Sturgeon, and a recreational fishery allowing harvest

The detection of fish by using environmental DNA (eDNA ) analysis has been shown to be more cost‐effective than traditional sampling methods are in certain situations, but this method has not been assessed under extreme winter conditions. We conducted a multiyear pilot study to test the effectiveness of eDNA for detecting fish under ice. In the spring of 2016, 2017, and 2018, we sampled for juvenile

Glacial lakes can display a wide range of morphometries that may affect fish movements and population dynamics. Muskellunge Esox masquinongy is a popular sportfish that is long‐lived and occur at low densities, making population abundance susceptible to sources of fish loss. Yet, factors influencing Muskellunge survival, movement, and emigration in lakes of different morphometric complexities are unknown

Biological data that are collected in commercial port sampling programs are a critical component of the assessment and management of Gulf Menhaden Brevoortia patronus and Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus . The menhaden port sampling program represents one of the longest continuous commercial sampling efforts in the United States; however, this sampling program has not been evaluated recently to

Comparisons of local population growth rates to species averages are valuable for natural resource managers because growth rates provide an integrated evaluation of abiotic and biotic factors that regulate growth in a fishery and may inform management decisions. Thus, species‐specific standard growth models pave the way for fisheries scientists to efficiently complete comparisons, evaluate status,

Recruitment is an important driver of fish population abundance and size structure and can be affected by a variety of density dependent and density independent factors. Walleye Sander vitreus populations often exhibit variable year‐class strength which has been attributed to a suite of factors. In this study, we quantified variability in Walleye recruitment, assessed within‐lake recruitment synchrony

Hydrology has been documented as affecting the recruitment of sport fishes. However, the potential cumulative effects of river hydrology on fish growth have not been intensively studied. In 2004, 2005, and 2010, annual growth increments were measured for Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and Spotted Bass M. punctulatus populations from throughout the Arkansas portion of the Arkansas River. During

Climate change is altering the spatial and temporal patterns of temperature and discharge in rivers, which is expected to have implications for the life stages of anadromous fish using those rivers. We developed an individual‐based model to track American Shad Alosa sapidissima offspring within a coarse template of spatially and temporally variable habitat conditions defined by a combination of temperature

Ceratonova shasta is an endemic myxozoan parasite that impacts salmonid populations in the Klamath River (USA). High densities of C. shasta actinospores negatively affect the survival of migrating juvenile salmonids. Each year, approximately five million fall‐run Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha smolts are released from a hatchery that is located below Iron Gate Dam, and they travel through

The feasibility of using sonar in Alaska's lower Kvichak River, a region with a 3.8 m tidal flux, to assess the abundance of adult Sockeye Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka was evaluated as a replacement for an in‐river gill‐net test fishery. Test fish indices are one tool that is used to manage commercial and subsistence fisheries in Bristol Bay. On this river, an observation tower project near the clear

Pass‐through PIT antennae are often used in river and stream habitats to monitor the movement of aquatic species. Where these habitats are prone to high flows that contain suspended debris, traditional pass‐through antennae designs are particularly vulnerable to damage, which can be time consuming and expensive to repair and lead to extended gaps in data collection. We designed and tested a novel pass‐through

Simultaneous management actions often are used to improve the status of imperiled species, yet the effects of these actions can be difficult to determine. The endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Hybognathus amarus is a short‐lived fish with a dispersive life history and thus requires—but does not occupy—unfragmented habitat for recruitment and survival. We used Rio Grande Silvery Minnow as a model

Programs to control predatory fishes have successfully increased the survival of imperiled prey fishes in some cases, but efficacy depends on the population dynamics and ecological interactions between the predators, prey, and the rest of the community. In California's Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, extremely low survival of downstream‐migrating juvenile salmonids has been ascribed in part to predation

Advances in underwater camera technology provide an affordable means to quantify the environmental conditions under which fish spawn. This information is important for investigating spawning ecology, managing habitat, or providing information for captive breeding programs. We deployed 12 modified security cameras underwater to identify environmental conditions related to the spawning behavior of the

Recreational fisheries are often managed to provide satisfying fishing experiences for anglers while conserving wild fish stocks. However, managing recreational fisheries is difficult because fish populations are often infrequently monitored and fishing effort is uncontrolled; moreover, a satisfying fishery may draw many anglers, which may lead to enhanced risk of overfishing. Furthermore, external

Stocking Walleye Sander vitreus is a common management tool to augment populations where natural reproduction is limited. Some hatcheries have progressively raised larger fingerling Walleye to improve poststocking survival; however, little is known about the poststocking survival and behavior of large fingerling Walleye. We sought to evaluate the poststocking daily apparent survival, depth use, dispersal

Stock enhancement programs often involve the introduction of hatchery‐reared fish into wild environments, with the goal of increasing the abundance of a particular stock. To measure the success of stocking efforts for depressed populations, hatchery‐reared individuals must be distinguishable from naturally spawned fish, potentially many years after release. Biological tags are attractive due to their

The use of hydroacoustic techniques is increasing as scientists search for less invasive ways to monitor fish populations, and using recreational side‐scan sonar (SSS) imagery for monitoring has become more common in aquatic resource management over the last 15 years due in part to its low cost and user‐friendly interface. The time‐consuming nature of manually counting fish targets has limited the

The management of fish populations often requires an understanding of how density‐dependent effects influence population dynamics. In systems where natural populations are supplemented with stocking, the question of “how much food is available” becomes increasingly important. One typical approach for assessing density‐dependent interactions is to identify disparities between fish consumption rates

Fisheries managers regularly use catch‐per‐effort (CPE) statistics and length‐frequency distributions from standard gill‐net surveys to inform future management activities. The data from these surveys is implicitly tied to the net's selectivity, and caution should be used when not accounting for selectivity. We combined indirect and direct methods for estimating the parameters of absolute selectivity

We tested the ability of venting and descender (recompression) devices to increase the relative survival of released Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata, a physoclistous reef species with high discard rates in hook‐and‐line fisheries that operate in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. We caught fish via hook and line from waters that were 38 m deep, a depth where Black Sea Bass often exhibit

Introduced Utah Chub Gila atraria were first sampled in Henrys Lake, Idaho, in 1993, and their presence in the system is a concern given possible interactions with sport fishes. Our objective was to describe the population dynamics of Utah Chub in Henrys Lake. A total of 362 Utah Chub was sampled via gill nets, with an average catch rate of 20.5 fish/net‐night (SE = 6.0) during May 2016. Average TL

The routine assessment and monitoring of aquatic habitat characteristics, such as submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), is a fundamental tool in fisheries management. The relative low cost and availability of recreation‐grade side‐scan sonar (SSS) systems has made capturing high‐resolution (<10 cm) underwater imagery a practical and viable tool for improving these assessments. Using Humminbird SSS and

The Snake River, Idaho, between Swan Falls and Brownlee dams supports a popular fishery for Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu. Recently, anglers have expressed concern about harvest of Smallmouth Bass associated with seasonal congregations in and near the lower reaches of several major tributaries. Little is known about Smallmouth Bass movement in the system, and a better understanding of movement

Measuring the burst speeds of fish has long been problematic due to the lack of in situ measurements. Using boat‐mounted cameras, we recorded video of invasive Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix in the field as they were leaping from the water and measured their leap height, horizontal distance, and angle of escape and estimated their escape velocity. Leap characteristics, fish morphometrics,

In freshwater fishes, the nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes ratios in tissues commonly reflect the environment in which a fish is feeding, assimilated through its diet. For many species, small‐bodied or younger individuals generally feed lower in the food chain, while large‐bodied mature individuals feed at higher trophic levels. This is reflected in the stable isotope (SI) ratios within fish tissue

Management agencies are often charged with providing fisheries that lead to angler participation. Catch rate is one of the primary drivers of angler participation but can be influenced by a suite of factors, including population structure (e.g., density and size structure). The complexity of understanding how population structure influences angler catch rate is typified in kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka

A recent increase in the abundance of snook species (Centropomus spp.) in Texas has been generally associated with a broad‐scale warming trend of Texas’ inshore waters, closure of the commercial fishery in 1987, and fairly conservative restrictions on recreational catch implemented at the same time. Despite this observed increase in abundance, little is known about the snook species complex in Texas

Adult Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. undertake energetically demanding migrations where they must have adequate energy reserves to survive to reach spawning locations and reproduce. Lethal proximate analysis provides insight into available energy stores (e.g., lipids), but the ability to monitor energetic status nonlethally may be useful for managers. Nonlethal monitoring may be more cost effective

Conserving Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri by suppressing invasive Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush in Yellowstone Lake is a high priority for Yellowstone National Park resource managers. Here, we tested whether targeting telemetered Lake Trout could increase the efficacy of Lake Trout suppression by gill netting. Mobile acoustic tracking surveys were performed to identify

The natural mortality rates and fecundity of Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus vary substantially by age, so the age composition of catch is an important consideration when quantifying the relative effects of catch on the Red Snapper population across different fisheries. For example, the shrimp fishery catches many (but younger) Red Snapper, whereas directed commercial and recreational fisheries catch

Steelhead (the anadromous form of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) exhibit a complex life history that is described by variable freshwater and ocean residency and maturation schedules. This diversity confers resilience but complicates their monitoring and management. The Situk River in Southeast Alaska has the longest running set of biological data and scale samples for steelhead in the state, and