This article presents a personal account of the important contribution a publication from David Noakes’ lab (Pot, Noakes, Ferguson and Coker 1984, Quantitative sampling of fishes in a simple system: failure of conventional methods. Hydrobiologia 114:249–254) made to freshwater fish science in general and to the successful public defence of a doctoral thesis in particular. Pot et al. (1984) tested the

Along the Gulf ofAlaska, rapid glacier retreat has driven changes in transport of freshwater, sediments, and nutrients to estuary habitats. Over the coming decades, deglaciation will lead to a temporary increase, followed by a long-term decline of glacial influence on estuaries. Therefore, quantifying the current variability in estuarine fish community structure in regions predicted to be most affected

David Lloyd George Noakes (1942–2020) was a remarkable man. He was a friend, mentor, professor, editor, and writer. Herein, his peer-reviewed and edited publications are compiled and synthesized to demonstrate his academic contributions. David generated more than 213 publications including nine books, 29 book sections, and 175 peer-reviewed articles between 1973 and 2021. His research was focused in

Visual census conducted by divers has remained the most common method for obtaining quantitative data on reef fish assemblages since it was first applied in the 1950s. More recently, stereo-video systems are increasingly becoming popular as a sampling method to complement underwater visual counts. Understanding which method is more suitable to estimate fish assemblage metrics for particular objectives

In the southwestern Gulf of California one of the most successful marine protected areas (MPA) worldwide is found: Cabo Pulmo National Park (CPNP). Due to the level of protection and availability of prey, a large population of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) exists in this MPA. Historical records about the abundance and distribution of these sharks in the park are scarce. Here we describe the movement

This study revealed a previously undocumented association between a teleost and a shark. Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus were observed following spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias during 3 consecutive years (2018–2020) on off-shore banks in Kattegat (57°N; 11°E, Sweden). The observations were made by the use of stereo-BRUV (baited remote underwater stereo-video systems). Our findings provide

The duration of the ammocoete life stage in Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) is not well understood, particularly in southern latitudes, hampering the development of conservation strategies. We studied the development of anadromous Pacific lamprey from hatchling to transformation into macrophthalmia near the southern extent of their range. Lampreys were absent from San Luis Obispo drainage

Expansion of aquatic deoxygenation has altered the quality and availability of habitats and worsened body condition for many fish species through past decades. Identifying complementary chemical redox proxies in fish otoliths, in addition to Mn/Ca, would strengthen the ability to identify hypoxia exposure in a diversity of aquatic habitats. I/Ca ratios have been used in marine sediments and bio-mineralized

Hypoxia is a seasonally recurring environmental condition in small temperate lakes during summer thermal stratification and under ice cover in winter. Anthropogenic eutrophication contributes significantly to hypoxia by increasing primary production of organic materials that subsequently decompose in the hypolimnion. Greenhouse gas emissions that increase global temperatures will reduce the capacity

The upstream migration of four potamodromous salmonid species (brown trout Salmo trutta fario, grayling Thymallus thymallus, Danube salmon Hucho hucho, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) through five fish bypass channels in southern Germany was investigated almost daily with fish counting pools from April 2017 to December 2019. In addition, 14 abiotic environmental factors (water temperature, change

Spawning aggregations have been widely observed in fish. However, individual reproductive performance in aggregations has rarely been measured because of the lack of techniques for individual identification throughout the spawning period. Here, we investigated the individual reproductive performance of four male and 12 female white-streaked groupers (Epinephelus ongus) in simulated spawning aggregations

Two species of marine catfishes (family: Ariidae) are abundant within the Apalachicola Bay System for much of the year. They function as 2nd and 3rd order consumers and as prey for top predators. Males perform oral incubation, a trait of most ariid catfish species, and thus, unique considerations may be factored into conservation efforts. The purpose of this study was to reveal trends in catfish abundance

The previously studied geographic variability in the growth patterns of different European sardine or European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) populations has been attributed to the trophic status and productivity of the various ecosystems, as well as the genetic distance among populations. However, in the face of ocean warming and its multifaceted effects on marine populations and fisheries, it is interesting

Coastal rivers provide habitat for fishes that have developed life-history strategies to take advantage of low salinity and high structural complexity. The coastal rivers of southeastern Florida have been ranked high for restoration at a national scale by conservationists because of the great potential for projects to benefit both human assets and aquatic communities. To help prioritize projects, a

Feeding habits of common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) were investigated in the Southeast Pacific Ocean using stomach content analysis. Stomachs were collected from 1506 individuals ranging between 18 and 187 cm in fork length. The fish were caught by longliner boats in 2009–2017. Based on percentage of wet weight (%Wi), percentage of number (%Ni), and frequency of occurrence (%Oi), flyingfishes

The Macrhybopsis aestivalis complex (nine recognized species of small-bodied, riverine cyprinids) is predicted to have diversified allopatrically in response to prehistoric reorganizations of rivers tributary to the Gulf of México. To flesh out details of this hypothesis, we derived, from previous work, a mitochondrial (ND2) chronogram for interpretation against the background of a published nuclear

Global warming affects the phenology of the Earth’s flora and fauna, notably by advancing the date at which many plants and animals tend to reproduce. We use fish, where this reproductive acceleration is well-documented, to present a simple approach based on sine curves to predict, in spring spawning fish, the minimum number of days (Δdmin) that spawning is advanced as the result of a given increase

Species of the genus Lophius spawn ribbon-shaped egg masses called an “egg veil.” Egg veils are composed of numerous mucoid chambers each enveloping eggs. The subsequent larvae have been observed to remain in the chamber for a period of time after hatching from eggs in some species of Lophius. However, the period until the larvae emerge from the egg veil is unclear. Here we discuss the timing of the

Fine-scale spatial acoustic telemetry, including hyperbolic and centre-of-activity localisation, is widely used to provide insight into the ecology of aquatic animals. However, these positional telemetry systems require numerous receivers, even for limited study areas such as narrow rivers, creeks, and canals, where tagged animals are typically monitored by receivers deployed at locations of particular

Effective conservation must account for fish migrations to minimize threats to freshwater fishes. Many floodplain fishes, like giant Neotropical arapaima (genus Arapaima), migrate laterally into seasonally flooded habitats to feed and reproduce. Effects of seasonal migrations on conservation efforts like community-based management remain uncertain. Acoustic telemetry was applied to arapaima in floodplain

Anadromous chars are iteroparous and have complex migratory patterns, with multiple annual descents and ascents between seawater and freshwater. Winter habitat use, whether in the sea or rivers, varies among regions and individuals, and it is necessary to understand these patterns to examine the environmental responses of anadromous chars. We investigated the winter migratory patterns of sea-wintering

This study aimed to assess diet characteristics and ingestion of microplastics (MPs) by short mackerel (Rastrelliger brachysoma) based on fish size, water, depth, and season. Samples of fish were collected monthly from three depth contours during February 2019 and February 2020 by mackerel gill nets in the mouth area of Pattani Bay, Thailand. Plankton samples in the natural environment were simultaneously

Long-distance migrations by marine vertebrates are often triggered by pronounced environmental cues. For the endangered basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), seasonal changes in water temperature are frequently proposed as a cue for aggregation within (and dispersal from) coastal hotspots. The inference is that such movements reflect year-round occupancy within a given thermal ‘envelope’. However, the

In the open ocean, cycles in vertical movement of predators in response to physical environments and distributions of prey are fundamental to the behavior of predatory species. Multi-species assemblages of sharks provide an ideal venue to study habitat partitioning by upper-level predators in the marine environment. We conducted a pilot study, using acoustic telemetry, to examine the vertical habitat

Growth rate, longevity, and maturity were estimated for four commonly targeted species of surgeonfish in Hawai‘i: ringtail surgeonfish/pualu Acanthurus blochii, eyestripe surgeonfish/palani Acanthurus dussumieri, orange-band surgeonfish/na‘ena‘e Acanthurus olivaceus, and yellowfin surgeonfish/pualu Acanthurus xanthopterus. All species demonstrated rapid growth with long life spans. The maximum observed

Acquisition of biological information on invasive fishes during the early stages of invasion could be critical in orienting subsequent management strategies. To achieve such a task, biological invasion researchers and practitioners take advantage of numerous technologies (e.g. genomics and acoustic telemetry). Surprisingly, the study of invasive fish ecology by analysis of the chemical composition

Anadromous fishes like hilsa shad are found near the delta region of Ganges River which are exotic and carry economic potential. The river offers a tidal environment connecting with marine and freshwater ecosystem providing nutrient-rich seasonal water for their growth and development. The complex migratory pattern of these fishes is a major concern in fisheries research. The present study is based

The controlled breeding program of Schizothorax labiatus requires in-depth knowledge of its reproductive features, which were studied for 2 years (October 2017 to September 2019). The study revealed four maturity phases in S. labiatus differing morphologically as well as histologically. Overall gonadosomatic index (GSI) followed the same trend in both the sexes (p>0.05; t-test), but a significant difference

Anthropogenic habitat alteration is a threat to biodiversity globally. Challenges to conservation are often related to lack of data and public awareness of conservation importance. In terrestrial conservation, these challenges have predominately been addressed using surrogate species. This includes umbrella species, whose ecological needs are known and encompass the needs of many other species that

We present a compilation of published telemetric results, complemented by the addition of new results where necessary, to justify the expansion of the marine protected areas in the Eastern Pacific. In addition, we furnish evidence that fishing effort by commercial vessels, carrying position-monitoring, satellite-communicating radio beacons, has diminished within their boundaries. Researchers have described

Salmonid fish often experience size-selective mortality when descending the river (i.e., seaward migration). However, it is unknown whether size-selective mortality is specific to this life history (i.e., migrants), or is shared by an alternative life history (i.e., residents). In this study, we investigated the size-dependent mortality patterns of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) migrants and residents

Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1837) is one of 270 fish species in the Rio Paraná system yet it comprises > 50% of the fish biomass and is the only fish species in the system known to feed entirely on flocculent benthic biofilm. We studied the feeding behavior and diet of P. lineatus, and the composition of benthic biofilm in river channels, the moving littoral, and in isolated floodplain lakes

Accurate maturity schedules are critical to ensure that stock assessment models can track changes in spawning stock biomass. To generate updated maturity estimates, the Northwest Fisheries Science Center’s Fishery Resource Analysis and Monitoring Division instituted a reproductive biology program in 2009. This program uses histological analysis of ovaries to determine maturity, a technique that is

Climate change and deoxygenation are affecting fish stocks on a global scale, but disentangling the impacts of these stressors from the effects of overfishing is a challenge. This study was conducted to distinguish between climate change and mismanagement as possible causes for the drastic decline in spawning stock size and reproductive success in cod (Gadus morhua) and herring (Clupea harengus) in

Many predatory marine fishes undergo ontogenetic diet and habitat shifts as they grow. Most fishery datasets, such as catch records, length frequencies, and stomach contents, create a series of snapshots, with each captured fish representing a single timepoint during the lifespan. Chemical archives, such as eye lenses, preserve information regarding several life stages for each individual. By combining

Sphyrna lewini is a viviparous shark that pups in shallow coastal waters. Given dramatic declines in the S. lewini Eastern Pacific population, it is essential to identify nursery grounds that could potentially increase the resilience of adult populations. Here, we provide evidence of a putative nursery ground for S. lewini at an oceanic island in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. A fortuitous finding of