Although the use of electric fish handling gloves (EFHGs) has been advocated as a no‐residue alternative to chemical immobilization for field studies, the impact of their use on fish welfare remains uncertain for surgical procedures. The effects of EFHGs (10–16 mV), with and without local infiltration of lidocaine (6 mg/kg), on stress and muscle integrity after the surgical implantation of an intracoelomic

A series of rock jetty and A‐Jack structures was built in 1998 at Branched Oak Reservoir, Nebraska, in an attempt to reduce shoreline erosion and cove degradation. In conjunction with the habitat enhancement project, Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris were stocked to help control the abundant White Perch Morone americana population. Previous research found that Flathead Catfish utilized the habitats

Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and Redear Sunfish L. microlophus are highly regarded recreational species throughout North America. Management of these species relies on sampling methods that accurately and efficiently describe population characteristics of the target population. Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and crappies Pomoxis spp. are commonly sampled with spring electrofishing and fall fyke

Minimizing the mortality and migration time of juvenile salmon (smolts) passing dams is a longstanding objective in the pursuit of salmon recovery in the Columbia River Basin. We compiled and analyzed 40 juvenile salmonid acoustic‐tag studies that were performed at seven of the eight hydroelectric projects in the Federal Columbia River Power System between 2010–2018. We found the utilization of non‐turbine

The premise of catch‐and‐release recreational angling is that post‐release survival is high. Therefore, it is common for anglers, management agencies, and conservation organizations to share information on handling practices and other strategies that are believed to improve the welfare and survival of fish that are released. A recent surge in popularity has sensationalized the use of carbonated beverages

Fisheries managers are devoting considerable effort, time, and funding towards limiting the spread of invasive Bighead and Silver (bigheaded) Carp. A better understanding of factors that influence spatial patterns of bigheaded carp reproduction can help fisheries managers prevent their spread. To examine factors that influence spatial patterns of reproduction, we sampled ichthyoplankton using drift

Density‐dependent growth has been well documented among stream‐dwelling Brown Trout Salmo trutta populations. In Spearfish Creek, South Dakota, biomass of adult Brown Trout (>200 mm) is about three times greater than that reported for similar Black Hills streams, whereas the mean length of adult fish is about 30% less. Here, we evaluate density reduction as a management tool for improving the growth

Measuring fishing effort is a common practice in fisheries management. Traditional access‐point or roving creel surveys rely on in‐person interaction between management agency personnel and anglers, the cost of which can restrict where and when the surveys can be performed. Increasing the efficiency of the techniques that are used to estimate recreational fishing effort would benefit management agencies

This study developed a spatially explicit framework to support the conservation of Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni and Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon. This framework identified locations within the river network likely to support “potential burrowing habitat” for lamprey larvae based on geomorphic conditions and evaluated the overlap of potential

The Jonah crab Cancer borealis is a data‐poor species with an unknown stock status. They were historically caught as bycatch in American lobster Homarus americanus traps. The decline of the southern New England lobster stock since 1990 helped stimulate a targeted fishery and a sixfold increase in both the landings and ex‐vessel value of Jonah crab. Current knowledge on Jonah crab growth and reproduction

Entrainment at hydropower facilities, where fish (volitionally and nonvolitionally) enter hydropower infrastructure such as intake towers, can lead to fish becoming stranded for considerable periods of time rather than being flushed to downstream areas. To reduce fish injury and/or mortality from entrainment stranding events, hydropower operators will salvage stranded fish and release them back into

Hatchery augmentation of dwindling wild populations has become a common strategy to avoid extinction of endangered fishes. While benign hatchery conditions can lead to low persistence of stocked individuals, experiments have demonstrated flow‐conditioning Razorback Sucker Xyrauchen texanus can increase swimming performance and reduce downstream movements from desired locations after stocking in the

Due to time and resource limitations, growth of many fish species is evaluated with age and length data in a length stratified subsample of a sample from a population. Some fisheries professionals draw inferences about growth using age and length data from only those fish actually aged (aged‐only method). Alternatively, growth may be evaluated by employing a method of incorporating the length stratified

Fishing in streams and rivers is a popular outdoor recreation activity in eastern Oklahoma where a majority of anglers target black bass (Micropterus) species. Since the early 1990s, when the last assessment of black bass fishing in the region was conducted, broad‐scale factors such as harvesting behavior, state fishery regulations, and bass population dynamics have changed. In 2018, we conducted creel

Stocking Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to create additional angling opportunities is common; however, these fishing opportunities necessitate evaluation in groundwater‐influenced, warmwater streams where the spatial and temporal implications of stocking are unclear. Our objectives were to determine Rainbow Trout dispersal from a stocking location on Spavinaw Creek, Oklahoma and quantify apparent

Following centuries of declines, there is growing interest in conserving extant wild populations and reintroducing Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) populations of native ancestry. A population genetic baseline can enhance conservation outcomes and promote restoration success. Consequently, it is important to document existing patterns of genetic variation across the landscape and translate these

When performing studies that require fish age estimation, biologists must achieve a high level of accuracy and precision, as age, growth, and survival data are often used in models that inform management decisions. Otolith processing techniques vary, and no studies have assessed which methodology is more precise and cost effective. Our goal was to assess the precision, effort, and resources needed

Southwest Virginia offers a plethora of trout fishing opportunities for wild trout in headwater and large valley floor streams. However, low productivity in most area streams, including the South Fork Holston River, limits growth leading to populations where individuals seldom exceed 25 cm. The Buller Fish Hatchery located in Smyth County, Virginia offers anglers a unique 1.6‐km special regulation

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy are large piscivores stocked into numerous lakes in North America, but the potential effects of these stockings remains poorly understood. To investigate potential fish community changes associated with Muskellunge stocking, we contrasted catch per unit effort (CPUE) for seven fish species commonly found in Minnesota, along with mean weight for two predator species, before

In diet studies, stomach contents from predatory fish may be difficult to identify due to digestion. Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum is an important prey species for sportfish, and determining the size of ingested shad can assist with evaluating competitive interactions, bioenergetic patterns, and niche partitioning and can add precision to predictive models. The gizzard organ of clupeids appears

Managing fisheries for species of conservation concern, such as steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss fisheries in Idaho where wild steelhead are incidentally caught and released, requires a tradeoff between providing opportunity for anglers to fish for hatchery‐origin steelhead and managing conservation risk for wild steelhead. Understanding population‐level effects of catch‐and‐release fishing is critical

Loss of habitat, targeted removals, and overharvest have contributed to the decline of Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula. There is agreement among commercial fishers, some recreational anglers, conservationists, and natural resource managers that this species warrants conservation. Appropriate management actions require research to further understand the life history and ecology of Alligator Gar populations

In the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America, a major issue being confronted by fishery managers is limiting the spread and damaging effects of aquatic invasive species and preventing additional invasions from occurring. The Great Lakes are among the planet’s most invaded aquatic ecosystems (Ricciardi 2006) and are at risk for additional invasions due to multiple factors (e.g., importance to global

Rocky reef habitats in lacustrine systems constitute important areas for lithophilic spawning fishes. Interstitial spaces created by the structure of rocky reefs form micro‐environments where incubating embryos and juvenile fishes are potentially protected from predators and physical displacement. However, if interstitial spaces are filled or blocked by sediment or biofouling, the reef structure may

American Shad Alosa sapidissima is an economically, culturally, and ecologically important anadromous species, which undertakes a significant spawning migration, swimming from the ocean into areas far upstream in coastal rivers to reproduce. The species has a large range in the western Atlantic, occurring from Nova Scotia to Florida. However, because American Shad generally return to natal rivers to

Humans impact ecosystems in many ways and scientific field studies are no exception. If data collection disrupts environments or biota too much, it can lead to inaccurate conclusions in the study of interest or in subsequent studies. We evaluated whether stream electrofishing surveys could measurably impact benthic biofilms in two forested headwaters in western Oregon, USA. While impacts of electrofishing

Silver (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (H. nobilis), collectively bigheaded carps (BHC), are invasive fishes in the Mississippi River and surrounding basins. Increasing evidence suggests harmful impacts of BHC on native fisheries (e.g. competition). Monitoring abundance of BHC is difficult with traditional fisheries gears, and few studies have evaluated early life stage sampling. Identifying

Population parameter estimates from mark‐recapture studies are dependent on individuals retaining marks or tags. As such, tag retention estimates are needed for different tag types and anatomical tagging locations. Few studies have empirically quantified the bias from tag retention on fish population parameters derived from mark‐recapture studies. We examined differences in retention between T‐bar

Freshwater fishes have been introduced outside their native range to establish recreational fisheries, but management conflicts arise when such introductions also result in potential harmful effects on native species. In this case study, we focus on Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus which were introduced in the Chesapeake Bay region and are now considered invasive. In many tidal tributaries, Blue Catfish

Because of their long‐term listing under the Endangered Species Act, much interest has been placed on estimating population vital rates for Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus, but the biotic and abiotic factors that influence the interannual variability in those vital rates have rarely been evaluated. We used mark‐recapture data to estimate fish growth, survival, and trends in abundance for fluvial

Food web investigations using stable isotope analyses inform management strategies by quantitatively describing interactions among species. Fin tissue is a nonlethal alternative to white muscle tissue for obtaining stable isotope ratios of fish. However, the relationship between fin and muscle values must be evaluated before fin tissue can be substituted for muscle tissue. We examined the relationships

In this paper, we demonstrate how one can combine angler survey data with ESRI® TapestryTM data to assist in developing a statewide catfish R3 (Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation) and management plan. In 2010, Mississippi State University surveyed 1,078 Texas freshwater catfish anglers to examine their catch‐related attitudes and trip preferences using a stated choice experiment. The study showed

Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar spawning success is challenged when migratory routes to natal streams are obstructed by hydropower generation stations and reservoirs which lack directional cues, potentially causing migratory delay. This study used 74 acoustic tagged adult Atlantic Salmon during their spawning migrations to quantify migratory success, rates, and delay through the Mactaquac reservoir in

Genetic methods can guide and improve management of recreational mixed‐stock fisheries by informing stock‐specific estimates of harvest. We applied genetic stock identification and parentage‐based tagging to a recreational Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha fishery in the Columbia River to illustrate the value of genetic analysis in management. We sampled landed catch in 2017 and 2018, assigned

Anglers face constraints that influence participation and dropout rates. Some recreational anglers may be able to negotiate constraints by altering the timing or frequency of participation, acquiring new skills, or modifying non‐recreational aspects such as family or work responsibilities. We consider data collected via a mail survey from Georgia‐resident trout license holders to identify both perceived

The successful use of remote site incubators (RSIs) to rear Arctic Grayling Thymallus arcticus eggs along Montana streams has sparked interest to reestablish the species in Michigan. As a preparatory step, we assessed the efficacy of RSIs by deploying them along three Michigan streams during two years using surrogate eggs from Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Our objectives were to: (1) compare hatching

We developed an empirical weight prediction model for juvenile Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, ranging from 33‐113 mm and 0.35‐14.86 g using morphometrics analysis on images collected on live fish in the field. This method relies on consumer‐grade hardware and free software and addresses an issue of a lack of valuable weight and condition data for life‐history and survival modeling. A blind

In fisheries where hatchery and natural‐origin conspecifics occur as mixed stocks, it is often important to estimate both the natural‐origin proportion of the mixture and the composition of attributes within the natural‐origin portion (e.g., genetic stock, sex, and age‐class). These estimates are facilitated by parental‐based tagging, which allows large numbers of hatchery fish to be efficiently tagged

Estuarine habitat has a significant impact on the growth, recruitment, and survival of fish and invertebrate species, and understanding habitat dynamics can improve fisheries management. However, the cost and effort associated with habitat monitoring can be limiting, and many large‐scale fisheries‐independent monitoring programs do not capture habitat and biological data concurrently. Consequently

Resource managers rely on large‐scale flow and habitat enhancement actions to support sensitive species in the San Francisco Bay–Delta. The effects of these actions on target species and ecosystems are largely unknown. In 2018, we implemented an ecosystem‐scale experiment to reduce salinity and improve access to high‐quality habitat in Suisun Marsh, California, for Endangered Species Act‐listed Delta

The black basses (Micropterus spp.) are some of the most important game fishes in the United States. Translocation by both anglers and state agencies for increased angling opportunity has led to widespread hybridization between native and non‐native species. The use of species‐diagnostic single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for the black basses have allowed for rapid assessment of species identification

Diversity in steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss (anadromous Rainbow Trout) is often characterized by varying time spent in freshwater and saltwater environments. However, ontogenetic shifts are not often highlighted as an important diversity characteristic in salmonids. Larger water bodies can play a key role in population stability by buffering limited resources in smaller tributary systems. Based on freshwater

The Common Carp Cyprinus carpio is an invasive fish whose populations have grown to ecologically damaging levels in the North American Midwest. It has been shown that some shallow nursery habitats contribute disproportionally to population growth of Common Carp in interconnected Midwestern lake systems. The ability of managers to discriminate which shallow basins are producing Common Carp across these

Burbot Lota lota were illegally introduced to the Green River, Wyoming, in the mid‐1990s and pose a threat to recreational fisheries and native fish conservation. Although much is known about Burbot population dynamics, little is known about their movement patterns. Our objectives were to describe the movement dynamics of Burbot in the upper Green River system to provide information on the ecology

Panfish populations create some of the most popular and intensively managed recreational fisheries in North America. However, sampling biases may prevent fisheries managers from making informed decisions. Typically, panfish are collected using fyke nets; however, hoop nets also may be effective for capturing these species. Information regarding the most efficient and least biased approach for sampling

Sport fisheries are frequent drivers of nonnative fish introductions throughout the inland waters of North America. These fisheries often value aggressive, large‐bodied predators, and although they satiate angling demand they are also potentially problematic in systems that support imperiled species. The Tonguetied Minnow Exoglossum laurae is a rare species that maintains a disjunct distribution across

The utility of commercial salmonid Oncorhynchus spp. traps in the U.S. Pacific Northwest was recently revisited for the first time in decades to enable selective harvesting of hatchery‐origin salmonids while reducing mortality of Endangered Species Act (ESA)‐listed salmonids. Modifications to historical gear designs resulted in dramatic improvements in salmonid bycatch survival rates relative to conventional

To better understand the reliability of fin clipping as an external mark for early‐summer (<100 mm TL) age‐0 Northern Pike Esox lucius, we experimentally evaluated fin regeneration following complete excision of a pelvic fin over 98 d. The Northern Pike were also marked with a unique visible implant elastomer tag to allow for repeated measures of individuals. Survival, growth, and fin regeneration

Many inland fisheries are supported by stocking hatchery‐produced fish, and fisheries managers often face difficult decisions regarding strain selection. Stocking evaluations that are designed to quantify differences in strain performance provide valuable data for designing stocking programs. Here, we used genetic tools to investigate the capture rate of two strains of Muskellunge that were stocked

Important variability exists in life history attributes among localized populations of Coastal Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii in relation to geographic and environmental factors. Describing the life history of locally adapted populations is critical to successful fishery management and conservation. The number of annuli and distance between circuli in scales (i.e., scale analysis) are

Acoustic telemetry was used to monitor the movements and residency of Sandbar Sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus, Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, Bull Sharks Carcharhinus leucas, and Nurse Sharks Ginglymostoma cirratum around artificial reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Transmitter‐tagged sharks were monitored from November 2012 to July 2019. Residency comparisons were based on

Growth information from known‐age Muskellunge Esox masquinongy is relatively rare in the published literature. We tagged all extended‐growth Muskellunge fingerlings stocked into 10 northwestern Wisconsin lakes during 2009–2019 with PIT tags and later recaptured these fish to establish known age and growth. Our objective was to use known age, and length upon recapture of each stocked Muskellunge, to

Anglers have been one of the major supporters of aquatic conservation activities in the USA through the Dingle‐Johnson Act and other programs. Declining rates of participation in fishing have spurred significant efforts to Recruit, Retain, and Reengage anglers: also known as “R3”. To make R3 strategies more effective, it is important to explore the broader socio‐demographic patterns that underpin angling

The addition of limestone sand directly to streams is an effective method for treating chemical and biological issues associated with acid precipitation, a common concern in many Appalachian watersheds. The unique water chemistry created by limestone remediation potentially creates a “mark” in fish hard parts (e.g., otoliths and fin rays) that can be used to identify fish from remediated habitats,

The introduction and subsequent spread of Common Carp Cyprinus carpio throughout the world represent one of the most destructive and pervasive forces impacting aquatic ecosystems. Herein we use computer simulations to predict if stocking YY male carp in conjunction with manual netting or piscicide use could eradicate invasive Common Carp populations. Two forms of YY males were evaluated, including

Age‐0 Walleye Sander vitreus are stocked throughout North America to maintain and supplement populations. Predation has been implicated as a factor limiting survival of stocked age‐0 Walleye; however, timing, duration, and extent of post‐stocking predation remains uncertain. Our objectives were to estimate the abundance of predators in areas adjacent to stocking locations, estimate temporal variation

Numerous stocking evaluations of pellet‐reared advanced‐fingerling (80–120 mm TL) Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides have assessed the contribution of stocked fish to the wild population, but few studies have quantified longer‐term (1–2 years) survival. Hatchery researchers have developed spawning Florida Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides floridanus (hereafter, "Florida Bass") out of season

The Lemon Shark Negaprion brevirostris is a large coastal shark that commonly occurs in the shallow nearshore waters of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. There are conservation concerns for this species due to fisheries exploitation, low productivity, anthropogenic disturbance at nursery sites, and the depleted status of other large coastal sharks, but no quantitative assessment of Lemon Shark stock

Projecting sound into navigational locks has been suggested as a promising way to block the upstream movement of invasive species of carp (family Cyprinidae). This possibility is promising because carp have a good sense of hearing compared to non‐ostariophysian fishes. Although the broadband sound of an outboard motor has been shown to repel several species of carp in laboratory arenas, its efficacy

Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella is an herbivorous fish that has been stocked throughout the United States for aquatic plant control, commonly to manage hydrilla Hydrilla verticillata. Triploid Grass Carp were purported to have a mean lifespan of about 11 years based on otolith‐assigned ages and mortality estimates for fish associated with large stocking efforts through which aquatic plants were