Newsletter of the STAGES Early Life History Section of the American Fisheries Society Volume 35, Number 2 Lee A. Fuiman, Editor June 2014 38th Annual Larval Fish Conference Inside this issue President’s Message...... 1 Registration News from the Regions...... 2 Online registration for the 38th Annual Larval Fish Section Officers...... 2 Conference, to be held in Québec City in conjunction with the 144th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Upcoming Events...... 8 Society from 17 to 21 August 2014, is now open here People...... 9 under “Events/Registration.” Publications...... 12 We are delighted to announce that the conference will feature over 140 contributions from 15 countries. To fit the AFS meeting schedule of presentations and events, we needed to plan parallel sessions throughout the meeting. AFS acknowledges the specificity of the ELHS Back Then Larval Fish Conference, and will either provide rooms 10 years ago: Newsletter Editor that are adjacent or located within the same area of the Perce Powles steps down after conference centre. Keynote presentations as well as the almost 5 years. Lee Fuiman takes “A Tribute to William C. Leggett” special session will be over.” [Ed: looks like my time to go held in plenary. is long overdue; any takers?] 15 years ago: John Dower takes The presentation schedule will be published by AFS over as ELHS webmaster, moves shortly. A detailed version of the schedule will then be the website to a server at UBC and gives it a new design. published on the Larval Fish Conference website. In the meantime, please note that the Larval Fish Conference 20 years ago: ELHS celebrates 15 th years as an AFS Section” will run from Monday August 18 (PM) to Thursday August 21 (PM). A Larval Fish Conference social will be ...continued on p. 8 25 years ago: 13th LFC was held in Merida, Mexico, hosted by Mote Marine Lab; 150 participants (13 countries), >100 papers and President’s Message posters This is my last message as President of the ELHS as I will turn the lead to 30 years ago: Term of Section Myron Peck at the upcoming LFC meeting in Québec City in August. Frank President extended from 1 year Hernandez will hand over the responsibility of Secretary to Fred Scharf. First to 2 years. Bob Hoyt is first 2-year of all I’d like to give a big thank you to Frank for his great job as Secretary and President. to the newcomers for volunteering to take the new positions. Many thanks also go to all the other officers and committee chairs for all the work they are doing in the background and all of you for your interest and support in keeping our section active and special. Without you all, there would be no functioning ELHS. Deadline for material I have enjoyed my tenure as President, since it is fun to represent such a lively and dedicated to be included in the community. Although we are a small group, we can have quite an impact and the interest in our field of work is visible in the great response of scientists coming to our meetings. next issue of Stages: September 5, 2014 With me and Myron, as upcoming President, a European perspective has been added. I’m not sure everyone is happy with that, but it has widened our recognition and can help the scientific world to grow together even more. The offers of colleagues to host LFC meetings in ...continued on p. 14 Stages

News from the Regions

to year. In addition to the pleasure of For those of our students who are European having an entire semester (5 ECT willing to endure wet floors, cold water, Region points) to talk about fish larvae, there crashing algae cultures, and the risk are concrete learning outcomes of electric shock from heaters in the Hubert Keckeis focused on the major developmental Artemia hatching tanks, we have the events and constraints in the early life course Marine Juvenile Production (10 history of fishes; the role of the physical ECT points). In this course, students from: Audrey Geffen, Arild environment on the distribution, growth learn the theory and practice of larval Folkvord, University of Bergen and behaviour of early life stages; rearing through exercises that cover the major recruitment mechanism topics such as developmental staging, Fish larvae in the classroom hypotheses underlying variations in gamete quality, feeding rate, live There are several courses on fish fish population abundance; and a prey manipulation, otolith analysis, larvae scattered around the globe, basic knowledge of possibilities and and more. Short term (2-4 weeks) but few of them run as full semester limitations of otolith microstructure and experiments are planned and executed courses giving time for an experimental chemistry analyses in elucidating early by the whole class, or else individuals study. At University of Bergen we life history characteristics. Working and groups take on mini-projects on have two larval fish courses: a lecture/ with classic and current literature, the particular skills or topics. The species seminar course led by Arild Folkvord, students also learn to extract relevant that are used in the course depend on and a hands-on larval rearing course information from aquaculture and availability, adding a realistic amount led by Audrey Geffen. What can you do marine juvenile production studies and of stress to the air. Herring and cod with fish larvae over a whole semester? apply them to field and fisheries-related are the species we include most often, Plenty! research. but we have also worked with hake, haddock, and wrasse eggs and Larval Fish Ecology covers larvae. The students compile the central topics in recruitment biology results of the mini-projects and of fishes. The lectures deal with experiments into a joint report relevant recruitment mechanisms in with and oral presentations. fish populations with emphasis on We have experimented with processes regulating growth and different presentation styles also: survival in the early life history of in 2012, we studied parental fishes. The importance of early life effects in larval herring and studies of fishes for management of used the results in a formal fish resources is also highlighted, often debate, with the question before taking a starting point with Fuiman the house being “Are mothers & Werner’s book Fishery Science: or fathers more important?” The unique contributions of early life We’ve just completed this year’s stages. The seminar part is based on Photo of larval cod otolith – demonstrating the experiment, testing the effects of student presentations of papers from use of radius-at-age to study size-selective live prey manipulation in a “food selected topics which vary from year processes. quality vs quantity” scenario. ...continued on p. 10 Section Officers President Secretary Treasurer Catriona Clemmesen Frank Hernandez Jeffrey Buckel GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Department of Coastal Sciences Center for Marine Sciences & Ocean Research Kiel University of Southern Mississippi Technology [email protected] [email protected] North Carolina State University [email protected]

President-Elect Secretary-Elect Myron Peck Fred Scharf HELP KEEP Institut für Hydrobiologie und Department of Biology & Marine Biology STAGES INTERESTING... Fischereiwissenschaft University of North Carolina, Wilmington Send us a report of your University of Hamburg [email protected] research activities. [email protected]

2 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

Southern an overall increase in average total Institute, Erik Oberg (MS graduate abundance during the same drought student under direction of Lee Fuiman), Region periods. Spatially, fish assemblages is examining the impacts that different responded to zones of lower salinity levels of dietary fatty acids have on Frank Hernandez on the two large river estuary systems, larval southern flounder Paralichthys ( the Pamlico-Tar and the Neuse Rivers. lethostigma). The objective is to better from: Anthony Overton, East Increased average total abundances understand larval nutrient requirements of bay anchovy, silversides, and to improve intensive culture of the Carolina University spot were observed at stations species. To do this, captive spawned What Happens When an Estuary with lower salinities, while mojarra, southern flounder eggs were hatched Gets Thirsty? – Juvenile Fish pinfish, and red drum average total and reared at a temperature of 18 Community Responses to Drought abundances declined. While salinity °C and salinity of 33.5 ppt. Larvae Conditions in Large Estuaries was not determined to be a factor between 4 days posthatch (dph) and Tracy McCulloch, Nick Tolopka, Zach in our exploratory analysis, pairwise 15 dph larvae were fed one of four Gillum, Anthony Overton comparisons of salinity between years live prey diets. The diets were rotifers and between stations found significant enriched with different combinations Determining how fish respond to differences for both. Determining if fish of fatty acid emulsions. At 15 days, environmental changes is a question of assemblages are responding to river approximately the midpoint of the interest for many biologists. In estuarine flow, increased salinity due to low flows, pelagic larval stage, larval fitness habitats, environmental conditions can or cascading effects of low flows and was quantified by measuring growth, change rapidly with tides, variable river increased salinity, such as changes in survival, and behavioral performance. flows, and salinity gradients. Larval primary production, trophic cascades, Incorporation of fatty acids into the and juvenile fishes use estuaries as or hypoxia warrant further investigation. tissues was also measured to see if nursery grounds, adjusting to these It cannot be overstated how useful certain fatty acids were accumulated changes daily. Long term data sets sampling programs such as these can differentially into the head or body. This are becoming more readily available be for management purposes, as well was done by carefully sectioning the to investigate fish distribution, as developing a better understanding heads and bodies of 15 dph larvae and abundance, and assemblage of the ecology in these systems. analyzing the fatty acid composition structure, with tools to determine Though many sampling efforts are using gas chromatography and mass which environmental factors are likely often initiated with single species as a spectrometry. The results of this study to produce the observed patterns. In target, it has become increasingly clear are currently being analyzed, but estuaries where environments are how valuable these databases can be differences in the variables measured harsh, but highly productive, knowing for examining long term community and the fatty acids of the diet and which environmental variables are trends, climate impacts, or the effects tissue sections could help elucidate most influential on species distribution of stochastic events. the relative importance of certain and abundance could help simplify fatty acids to larval southern flounder. complex ecosystem dynamics to from: Lee Fuiman, University of Ultimately this work may provide new better understand the effects of Texas information about the early nutritional regional and global climate change. requirements of this species, and thus We used exploratory multivariate How essential fatty acids in diet improve stock-enhancement efforts analysis to examine the spatial and impacts the growth, survival, and to recover the fishery and future temporal variation in fall juvenile fish behavioral performance of larval commercial aquaculture ventures. assemblages in North Carolina. Our southern flounder Paralichthys ( data set covered 25 years, four riverine lethostigma) Effects of noise on larvae of a estuaries, two coastal lagoon locations, subtropical estuarine fish and one small bay located behind Erik Oberg and Lee Fuiman Lisa Havel, Christopher Wilson, Lee a barrier island. Despite differences Fuiman, University of Texas Marine among individual rivers and estuarine Southern flounder (Paralichthys Science Institute habitats, estuarine fish assemblages lethostigma) is a prized game fish responded similarly to years of severe- species found in the Gulf of Mexico, and Preston Wilson, University of to-extreme drought conditions, when but wild populations have declined in Texas Applied Research Laboratory freshwater flows were at record lows. recent years. The Texas Parks and Some species, including silversides, Wildlife Department has implemented A research team at the University red drum, bay anchovy, and mojarras, a stock-enhancement program and the of Texas (UT) is completing a project decreased in average total abundances species is a candidate for commercial combining physiology, acoustics, and during drought years, while pinfish aquaculture, but more research behavior to determine the potential and spot seemed to take advantage on larval rearing is needed. At the effect of anthropogenic noise on of these conditions, experiencing University of Texas Marine Science larval fish foraging behavior. Noise in ...continued on p. 15 ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 3 Stages

North Central hatched larvae and to provide tissue samples for genetic stock analyses. Region Egg collections reveal a diverse ichthyofauna including a mix of native Frank Hernandez fishes which spawn in the SCDRS ,such as walleye, lake whitefish, from: Ed Roseman, USGS lake sturgeon, several catostomid species, yellow perch, and various Great Lakes Science Center minnows, as well as transient larvae, Research on Fish Spawning and such as rainbow smelt, cisco, and Larval Fish Habitat in the St. Clair – deepwater sculpin, which drifted Detroit Rivers System (SCDRS) and from Lake Huron. Indices of egg Western Lake Erie. abundance are about an order of Kevin Keeler and Ed Roseman magnitude higher in the Detroit River than the St. Clair River for all species except lake sturgeon, which have higher egg densities in the St. Clair River. Data from these collections are being used in several modeling efforts by numerous researchers Patricia Thompson and other USGS crew at state, federal, provincial, and picking and counting fish eggs from egg- university laboratories to assess the mats lifted from the Detroit River in April role of fish production emanating U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes 2014. from the SCDRS in comparison with Science Center (GLSC) scientists from waters and large rivers, adding new other tributaries and western Lake Ann Arbor, Michigan, continue their sampling equipment (to include nets, Erie. Efforts are also underway to engagement in multi-jurisdictional egg collection pumps and mats, and develop a subset of larval fish sample fish early life history (ELH) studies in underwater cameras), laboratory sites into long-term monitoring stations the Great Lakes connecting channel equipment including digital image to provide an early life history context composed of the St. Clair River, Lake St. analysis systems and microscopes, to the overall structure and function of Clair, Detroit River, and western Lake and to recruit talented scientists with the SCDRS fish community. Erie. A majority of this work is funded ELH experience as well as specialists through the Great Lakes Restoration in river survey techniques and use of ...continued on p. 10 Initiative (greatlakesrestoration.us) and advanced technologies. This sampling the USGS Science Support Program. season marks the 9th consecutive year These grants have allowed the GLSC of ELH research and assessments to build and improve its infrastructure conducted in the SCDRS by USGS and ability to conduct ELH studies by and its partners. adding new small research vessels with capabilities for sampling fish Objectives of the work in the SCDRS eggs and larvae in nearshore coastal include gathering contemporary data and information on fish use of spawning and nursery habitats in the corridor. This includes an ambitious sampling program to document the phenology and spatial extent of spawning on various natural and man- made spawning habitats in the system using benthic egg mats and pumps to provide indices of egg abundance. Larval fish assessments include sites in the main river channels, embayments, and in the few remaining wetland complexes along the rivers, McDonald jars (top) in the USGS-GLSC’s as well as in the St. Clair River delta. newly renovated wet lab facility featuring R/V Sander and USGS-GLSC crew heading Collected eggs are reared in the newly egg-rearing systems. Eggs (bottom) were to study sites within the Detroit River to lift renovated wet lab at the GLSC in collected on egg mats in the Detroit River and process egg-mats used to assess the order to verify egg identification using and are being hatched to verify identity. extent of fish spawning in the river.

4 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

45N Northeast Region 40N % successful larvae Dave Richardson 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 30N 28N from: Woods Hole 35N 26N latitude 24N

Oceanographic Institution latitude 22N 70W 65W 60W 55W Colleagues at Woods Hole longitude

Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and 30N Duke University have a new paper in press that examines the dispersal of American eel larvae from the Sargasso

Sea. Physical oceanographers Irina 25N Rypina (WHOI), Larry Pratt (WHOI), and Susan Lozier (Duke) teamed up with larval fish ecologist Joel Llopiz 80W 75W 70W 65W 60W 55W (WHOI) to develop a coupled physical- longitude biological model illustrating a couple A subset of larval trajectories successfully reaching the 200 m isobath (magenta) interesting results about one of the from a coupled physical-biological model for American eel larvae. The simulation ocean’s more mysterious fishes. By covered 1995-1999, was based on 5 million simulated particles, and included diel running several different scenarios vertical migration, directional swimming with a Gaussian distribution of angles, with and without swimming behavior, swimming speed increasing to 6 cm s-1 over 1 year, and mortality. The small they showed evidence for directional inset shows probability (in %) of successful larvae as a function of larval release horizontal swimming (vs. passive drift location. and random-walk-style swimming) being essentially required in order The contributions of Rutgers ingress into estuarine inlets and post- for larvae to reach vast portions of University Marine Field Station settlement habitat for Leiostomus the North American continental shelf, (RUMFS) to the early life history of xanthurus led by Dennis Allen. including offshore of the Gulf of estuarine fishes continue to grow. The Maine and Canada where we know Coastal Collaboration on Recruitment In another study, Ken Able’s lab glass eel ingress to occur in large (CCOR) effort is continuing. This is a is evaluating the multiple sources numbers. Further, by examining the U.S. east coast wide effort to determine of larvae spawned in the ocean that release locations in the Sargasso Sea recruitment patterns for estuarine are supplied to Barnegat Bay, New of the successful larvae (i.e. those dependent fishes based, primarily, on Jersey, including Little Egg Inlet (our reaching the shelf), their model also weekly time series of larval fish ingress. long term study site), Barnegat Inlet, provided some insight into the potential As part of this effort Ken Able and his and the Intracoastal Waterway from spawning location of American eel research group are collaborating with the Manasquan River estuary. Special (see figure). The highest densities of individuals continuing larval ingress attention is focused on ingressing successful larvae were released from time series at Beaufort Inlet (NMFS Anguilla rostrata glass eels (Able et al. in a small portion of the southwestern – Todd Kellison, Chris Taylor; North review). New ichthyoplankton sampling Sargasso Sea, which is consistent Carolina State – J. Buckel), North locations in Barnegat Bay have with — but of a substantially smaller Inlet (Belle Baruch Laboratory – D. documented the presence of larvae of size than — spawning area estimates Allen) and their own at Little Egg Inlet. southern species not previously found stemming from larval survey data. They are also providing these data during long-term sampling efforts. Hopefully this work will stimulate (or to state and federal fishery biologists Two Gobiesox strumosus larvae were reinvigorate) efforts to understand the along the east coast to assist in stock- collected from the intake of Oyster orientation cues and capabilities of assessment analyses of economically Creek Nuclear Generating Station anguillid larvae, and to observe and important species as part of a grant in July 2013 and two more, one from document the occurrence of adult eels from the National Estuarine Research Barnegat Inlet, one from Manasquan on their spawning grounds. Be on the Reserve Marine Science Collaborative. River estuary, were collected from lookout for the paper in an upcoming This effort is also consistent with sampling sites in August 2013. This issue of Limnology and Oceanography. NOAA’s Sentinel Sites Initiative. As species has not been collected from another example, the Rutgers group Little Egg Inlet in more than 24 years from: Rutgers University Marine is determining aspects of timing and of weekly ichthyoplankton sampling. Field Station location of reproduction, larval supply, Adults of this species were collected ...continued on p. 14 ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 5 Stages

In spring and summer 2012-2013, fins and typically has eight principal fin Western daily drift net and live egg samples rays; the anal fin typically has seven. Region documented an extended reproductive The lateral line is complete with 40-51 season for flathead chub, spanning scales. May-August in both years. Daily Dan Margulies increment counts from otoliths of Primarily a benthic insectivore, the larger age-0 flathead chubs were suckermouth minnow typically inhabits then used to construct distributions riffles and faster runs over sand and from: Darrel Snyder, Colorado of hatching dates and identify gravel in small streams to large rivers State University timing and patterns of recruitment of low to moderate gradient. Spawning related to extreme flow events occurs over a protracted season from Matt Haworth, a graduate student caused by summer thunderstorms. April through August at 14-25°C. In the at Colorado State University with Understanding how flow regimes laboratory, spawning was observed in the Larval Fish Laboratory, won the influence reproduction and recruitment flowing water over gravel and cobble, Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of AFS will contribute to the understanding but not sand, with fish vibrating side- Best Student Paper Award for his of flathead chub ecology, provide by-side, pushing their anal fins against presentation entitled “Reproduction insight into how flow manipulations the substrate, and releasing one to and recruitment dynamics of flathead may affect fishes in Fountain Creek, a few eggs at a time. Fertilized eggs chub relative to flow regime in Fountain and inform recommendations for their were spherical, 1.5-1.7 mm in diameter, Creek, Colorado,” co-authored by conservation. demersal, and adhesive. At 17-23°C, Kevin R. Bestgen, both of the Larval eggs hatched in 3-4.5 days, yielding Fish Laboratory, Department of Fish, Also, presented at the Colorado- 4-5 mm TL larvae. Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Wyoming chapter meeting was a Colorado State Univ., Matt.Haworth@ poster paper entitled: “Illustrations of Knowledge of the morphological colostate.edu. Larval and Juvenile Development of ontogeny of a fish is often critical the Suckermouth Minnow” by Darrel E. to identification of its larvae and Snyder, Kevin R. Bestgen, and C. Lynn understanding its early life physiology, Bjork of the Larval Fish Laboratory, ecology, and behavior. In the only known Colorado State University, darrel. description of suckermouth minnow [email protected]. larvae, 6.6-7.8 mm TL protolarvae were reported to have snout-to-vent lengths Extended Abstract: The suckermouth of 61-65% TL, 25-26 myomeres to the minnow Phenacobius mirabilis posterior margin of the vent and 12- (Cyprinidae) is a widespread 13 after; protruding, shelf-like snouts; midwestern and Central Plains fish inferior, horizontal mouths, large native to the Mississippi River Basin, pectoral fins, unpigmented dorsums including the Ohio and Missouri River except over the occipital region, and Basins, with isolated populations in ventral pigment irregularly outlining the western Lake Erie drainages and Gulf anterior gut, and 8.0 mm mesolarvae Matt Haworth (left) receives Colorado- Coast rivers in Texas. The western were reported to have completed yolk Wyoming Chapter of AFS Best Student extent of its native range includes the absorption. The description included Paper Award. eastern plains of Colorado, Wyoming, photographs of one dorsal, one ventral, Abstract: Flathead chub Platygobio and New Mexico, where populations and three lateral views. gracilis is a North American cyprinid have declined considerably and are ...continued on p. 13 with a historic distribution spanning the now respectively considered Great Plains region from Canada south state endangered, imperiled, and to the Gulf of Mexico. Populations threatened. have declined regionally and flathead chub is now considered abundant in It is moderately slender, terete, only a portion of its historic range. In and seldom more than 100 Colorado, flathead chub is presently mm TL (120 mm max). As its listed as a Species of Special Concern. common name suggests, it has A stronghold exists in Fountain Creek, a subterminal to inferior mouth an Arkansas River tributary that may be with prominent lower-lip lobes altered by a municipal water project. To and a protractile upper jaw. The better understand potential effects of snout is long and blunt, eyes are flow manipulation, we are investigating positioned high, and gut is short the reproduction and recruitment and S-shaped with a silvery, dynamics of flathead chub in Fountain speckled peritoneum. The dorsal Suckermouth minnow Phenacobius mirabilis Creek. fin begins forward of the pelvic (Cyprinidae), larva. 6 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

fisheries science as well as the Pacific Rim fishing industry. The award ceremony was held in Hokkaido on March 29, Region 2014, during the annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Akinori Takasuka Science, which was followed by the award presentation on March 30 (see image below). Technical Achievement Award in Fisheries Science given to MOHT from: Gilles Ouellette, Angers, work France In a previous issue of STAGES Cagayan River’s Ludong and (Volume 33, Number 3, October Catfish Conservation in the 2012), I reported the work on “New Philippines autonomous multiple cod-end opening/ closing control system for a frame Gilles Ouellette, CESO – Volunteer trawl” to introduce a research article Adviser – Fisheries published in Methods in Oceanography. ([email protected]) BFAR Catfish Hatchery region 2 staff with A collaboration team led by Yoshioki Gilles Ouellette (left) from CESO in hatchery Oozeki (National Research Institute of A project designed to save the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research endemic Lobe River mullet or “ludong” Region 02 (BFAR-02) are teaming up to Agency, Yokohama, Japan), Fuxiang (Cestraeus plicatilis) from extinction and promote an Integrated Inland Fisheries Hu (Tokyo University of Marine Science restore the native Philippines catfish Management and Aquaculture Strategy and Technology, Tokyo, Japan), and (Clarias macrocephalus) populations for both the ludong and the native Mr. Chiaki Tomatsu (Tsurumi Seiki Co., in Northern Luzon. Philippines coastal Philippines catfish populations in Ltd.) developed the Matsuda–Oozeki– and inland fishery resources currently Northern Luzon. Hu Trawl (MOHT) for late larval and face an enormous risk of severe and juvenile fish sampling and produced irreversible depletion. Capture fisheries The strategy is dedicated to the new versions of the MOHT with continue to be exploited at a non- development of an Inland Fishery autonomous multiple opening/closing sustainable pace and regional human management and Sustainable control systems. population size may double by the end Aquaculture Training facility at the of the century. CSU-Sanchez Mira campus to support Finally, they received a “Technical BFAR-region 02 Save the Ludong in Achievement Award in Fisheries What will become of today’s northern the various stages of planning and Science” from the Japanese Society Luzon fisheries? Will inland fisheries of implementation. of Fisheries Science (JSFS) based on Ludong in the Cagayan and Abra River a series of their MOHT development be thing of the past if its management The Ludong and the native Philippines work. This award is given to JSFS fate is only left in the hands of user catfish populations in Northern members who have made technically groups? Luzon R&D program will address distinguished achievements and the following general objective: To contributed to the development of This proposal advocates the develop a comprehensive community- participation of based Fisheries Management and international R&D on Conservation Strategy for the ludong biodiversity and resource and the native Philippines catfish in the conservation agencies Cagayan and Abra River watersheds of to participate in this northern Luzon. regional initiative initiated by Filipino fisheries Namely among other objectives managers and scientists the R&D program should make use of northern Luzon. of genetic DNA analysis to describe relative species composition, evaluate With the assistance of relative abundance between species, a Canada-funded NGO and map distribution/migration patterns (Canadian Executive for migrating larvae/juveniles caught Services Organization) during the Cagayan and Abra River Award recipients with the JSFS President after the Cagayan State University watersheds survey in northern Luzon ceremony. From left to right: Dr. Yoshioki Oozeki, Dr. at Sanchez Mira (CSU) and the annual upriver run. Shugo Watabe (JSFS President), Dr. Fuxiang Hu, and Mr. and the Bureau of Chiaki Tomatsu. ...continued on p. 16 ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 7 Stages

Upcoming Events ICES Working Group on Larvae and Egg Surveys

During 1-5 December we will organize our first WGALES We also encourage presentations on surveys that are not (Working Group on Atlantic Larvae and Egg Surveys, www. coordinated by ICES. Survey presentations can address ices.dk/community/groups/Pages/WGALES.aspx), meeting methodologies, objectives and deliverables, extra data and we would like to invite you to participate. WGALES is collected, historic overview of the surveys, issues and future an ICES group with the aim to bring scientists involved in developments. ichthyoplankton surveys and research surveys together to discuss and exchange new ideas, techniques and For session 2 we welcome presentations on: sampling developments on the surveys and analyses and to discuss strategies and experiments (at sea and in the laboratory) specific topics which can be identified and addressed to for mortality determination, causes of natural mortality, WGALES by the ICES community. We especially encourage comparisons between species and/or distribution regions, scientists from ICES, but also from outside the ICES ageing procedures for eggs and larvae, models of eggs and community, working on ichthyoplankton surveys and related larvae distribution and mortality with associated estimation issues, to attend the meeting in order to gather expertise, procedures, accuracy and precision. discuss common questions, and exchange ideas with us. Next to the presentations we will also schedule time for WGALES will meet from 1 to 5 December in San Sebastian, discussions. Spain. You are welcome to attend the whole meeting or parts of The setup of the meeting will be: it. For those of you who would like to attend the meeting but are not able to travel to San Sebastian, we will open the Monday afternoon: General WGALES business and possibility of following the presentations and discussions via subgroup on herring larvae surveys issues (ICES Web as well (WebEx facilities or other depending upon the requests) number of interested people).

Tuesday – Thursday: workshop “Ichthyoplankton surveys Andrés Uriarte from AZTI has kindly agreed to host the and recent advances in egg and larval mortality studies” meeting in AZTI’s building. For the attendees, it is suggested that they make their booking directly in any of the hotels Friday: General WGALES business (and subgroup on in the city centre of San Sebastian, e.g. Hotel Astoria7, herring larvae surveys issues if necessary) TrypOrly or Niza.

The workshop “Ichthyoplankton surveys and recent Please let us know by email (cindy.vandamme@wur. advances in egg and larval mortality studies” will have 2 nl) if you would like to attend the meeting. If so, please sessions: send to us the title and, if possible, a short abstract of the presentation(s) you would like to make. Please inform us of Session 1 – General presentations on surveys your participation by Friday 13 June.

Session 2 – Advances in egg and larval mortality studies We hope to meet you all in San Sebastian,

For session 1 we would like to invite presentations with Maria Manuel Angelico (IPMA) and Cindy van Damme a general overview of ichthyoplankton surveys within and (IMARES), Co-chairs of WGALES outside the ICES region, directed at regular ichthyoplankton methodologies (for biomass estimation or other aims).

th 38 annual Larval Fish Conference...cont’d from p. 1 rates (but still expensive - $229 per night) to AFS delegates. held on the night of Thursday, August 21st, following the “A That website also lists budget options for students. Several Tribute to William C. Leggett” session. We recommend you smaller hotels located in the Old Québec district (within to arrive in Québec City on or before Sunday August 17th, 15 minutes on foot from the venue) offer reasonable rates and stay until the morning of Friday August 22nd. (please check this site to locate hotels) Don’t hesitate contacting us if you have any questions. We Because the meeting will be held during the tourist season, are looking forward to welcoming you soon in Québec City! § we encourage you to book your flights and accommodations as early as possible. As mentioned on the AFS meeting — Dominique Robert ([email protected]) and website (afs2014.org/accomodations), both the Delta and Pascal Sirois ([email protected]), Hilton hotels are affiliated with the venue and offer special on behalf of the local organizing committee. 8 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

People Kevin Bestgen Receives Award of Excellence

Dr. Kevin R. fishes and aquatic ecosystems. [Needless to say, much of Bestgen, Director that work involved the collection or study of fish larvae.] In of the Larval Fish addition to his own and co-authored publications, he has Laboratory at served as a referee for well over a dozen journals, several Colorado State book chapters, and a multitude of agency or recovery University, Fort program final reports. He is frequently called upon as a guest Collins, was lecturer and to offer special courses or workshops, including presented the most a regularly offered workshop on plains fish identification for prestigious award Colorado Parks and Wildlife. of the Colorado/ Wyoming Chapter The hallmarks of most of Kevin’s research are collaboration of the American and cooperation with other in-house and outside researchers Fisheries Society, and managers and a dedication to detail and quality that the “Award of have earned him and the Lab deep respect and appreciation Excellence,” by among our colleagues, peers, and contracting agencies. He Dr. Kurt Fausch and his collaborators or research teams have documented during the the systematics, taxonomy, distribution, biology, and Chapter’s annual conservation needs of the Rio Grande silvery minnow; the meeting banquet loss of Rio Grande bluntnose shiner and phantom shiner Kevin Bestgen, Director of the Larval Fish on March 6th from the Rio Grande; and the distribution, biology, and status Laboratory at Colorado State University. 2014 in Laramie, of the Rio Grande chub in Colorado and the roundtail and (Image from vpr.colostate.edu.) Wyoming. In a Gila chubs, loach minnow, spikedace, and other fishes of letter of support for nomination of Kevin for the award, Darrel the Gila River Basin in New Mexico. In eastern Colorado, Snyder noted that the nomination was long over-due and they (and/or Kevin’s students) have done the same for wrote the following: redbelly dace, lake chub, suckermouth minnow, plains and brassy minnows, and flathead chub, as well as document For nearly 30 years, beginning with his graduate studies the historical records of all fishes in the eastern plains. But at Colorado State University in the early 1980s, Kevin has most of his or their work has focused on investigations studied, researched, and contributed significantly to the and development of criteria or methodologies critical to knowledge and conservation of fishes in the American understanding the biology, and facilitating and monitoring, Southwest. The focus of most of his work has been native the recovery of the Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker, and endangered species in Colorado, Wyoming, New humpback chub, and bonytail in the Upper Colorado River Mexico, and Utah. Basin. Recognizing these and other valuable contributions, the Upper Colorado River Basin researchers group awarded In 1989, after serving short stints as a Wildlife Technician him “Researcher of the Year” in January 2004, and last with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, a contractor with the fall, during celebration of the Larval Fish Laboratory’s 35th New Mexico Department of Fish and Game, and a Research anniversary, the Upper Colorado River Basin Endangered Associate at the University of New Mexico, he joined the Fish Recovery Program presented Kevin and the Lab with an Colorado State University Larval Fish Laboratory and “Award of Appreciation” for his and our ongoing contributions Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology as a Research to the program. It’s now time for the members of the AFS Associate. In 1997 he earned his Ph.D. and assumed the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter to do same and recognize the role of Director of the Larval Fish Laboratory. Today, as a importance of Kevin’s contributions throughout our region Senior Research Scientist and Assistant Professor in the with our most prestigious “Award of Excellence.” [And they Department, he continues to lead the Lab as its Director. did!]

His expansive interests, research, and expertise in native P.S.: During that meeting, Kevin was also presented fish taxonomy, systematics, ecology, behavior, reproduction, the Chapter’s Best Paper Award for his presentation early life history, recruitment, and population dynamics entitled “Phenotype predicts genotype for lineages of have resulted in 30 formal publications, innumerable native cutthroat trout in the southern Rocky Mountains presentations, and more than 40 final project reports for “– not ELH related, but still worthy of note. § contracting agencies including most local, state, and federal agencies, and recovery programs managing our regional — Darrel Snyder

ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 9 Stages

European Region...cont’d from p. 2 North Central Region...cont’d from p. 4 trophic levels. Since 2012, zooplankton Obtaining these essential data, have been collected throughout the however, first requires evaluation of SCDRS to establish an important potential sampling sites. Physical baseline for the previously undescribed habitat assessments have been a vital crustacean community within the component in the creation of our man- corridor. These collections will aide made spawning reefs. This work is in understanding how invertebrate primarily completed by two methods; dynamics impact recruitment and larval side-scan sonar (SSS) and acoustic fish condition. Our current analysis Doppler current profiler (ADCP). of the composition, abundance, and SSS coupled with underwater videos biomass of zooplankton provides collected during SCUBA dives were essential information on how these used to characterize surficial sediments species pass through the system, for potential reef construction sites. moving through the rivers and Lake But starting in autumn 2014, we’re Substrate composition maps are then St. Clair and then ultimately entering joining these courses into a single used in conjunction with GIS systems Lake Erie, thus connecting how course to give practical skills together to display the sediment distribution important fish prey items are potentially with the basis for understanding throughout the study sites. Potential utilized between Great Lakes. The the research methods and their restoration sites place emphasis on results provide not only an additional applications to studies of growth, areas in which the surficial sediments component to characterize the ecology development, physiology, behaviour, indicate a low probability for natural of the system, but to help identify how and ecology of fish larvae (BIO 338 spawning but also characteristics ideal restoration efforts impact important Early Life History Studies). As we say for the placement of reef material. non-target species. in the course description, we will cover Habitat assessments have also been central topics in early life history studies enhanced by using the Sontek MP The overall goals of the SCDRS work of fishes. The topics are presented ADCP. The tool determines flow would not be possible without essential through lectures, discussions, and patterns (based upon depth and total collaboration across agencies and laboratory experiments. The course discharge) and changes in the riverbed institutions. Currently, GLSC scientists content and skills are relevant for for a candidate site to guide decisions are working with Ohio Department of recruitment biology, aquaculture, on future construction of artificial reefs ...continued on p. 11 hatchery production, fish development, within the SCDRS. The combination and general larval fish ecology. The of these tools and the continuation of lectures will deal with recruitment physical habitat assessments after mechanisms in fish populations with reef construction will provide detailed emphasis on processes regulating information on reef maturation and growth and survival in the early life performance. history of fishes. The importance of early life studies of fish studies for Continually, assessments have management of fish resources will focused not only on the fish community, also be exemplified. The colloquium but a newer component of our work part will include student presentations also places importance on lower of papers from selected topics (can vary from year to year). The laboratory activities will give practical skills in research techniques for larval fishes and basic methods for larval rearing in experimental and aquaculture environments, including live prey production. Methods for maintaining, measuring and studying early life history stages will be emphasized. We hope this course will give students the ideal combination of intellectual and practical challenges, and contribute to developing new early life history researchers. § Photos from BIO 305 “Marine Juvenile Production”, April 2014, during final sampling of larval food quality experiment. 10 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

North Central Region...cont’d from p. 10 available spawning habitat in the McDonald, E., S. McNaught, and E.F. river and help guide decision making Roseman. 2014. Use of main channel related to restoration of habitats and and two wetland habitats by larval populations. fishes in the Detroit River. ournalJ of Great Lakes Research, In press. Lastly, Dr. Ed Roseman (GLSC) is working together with colleagues Drs. Pritt, J.J., M.R. DuFour, C.M. Mayer, Ed Rutherford (NOAA Great Lakes E.F. Roseman, and R.L. DeBruyne. Environmental Research Laboratory), 2014. Sampling little fish in big rivers: Tomas Höök (Purdue University), and Larval fish detection probabilities in Stuart Ludsin (Ohio State University) to two Lake Erie tributaries. Transactions organize and moderate a special theme of the American Fisheries Society, In session titled “Ecology, Modeling, and press. Emerging Issues for Fish Early Life Collected lake whitefish Coregonus History in the Laurentian Great Lakes” Pritt, J., E.F. Roseman, and T.P. clupeaformis egg. at the 2014 Larval Fish Conference in O’Brien. 2014. Mechanisms driving Natural Resources and the University Québec City. This session will feature recruitment variability: Comparisons of Toledo where Masters of Science one dozen presentations about ELH between Great Lakes and marine candidate Brian Schmidt (mentored by studies ongoing in the basin. systems. ICES Journal of Marine Dr. Chris Mayer) is assessing walleye Science, In press. spawning and larval production in the Recent Publications Maumee River, a major tributary to Francis, J., J.A. Chiotti, J. Boase, Roseman, E.F. 2014. Diet and habitat western Lake Erie. Brian is continuing M. Thomas, B. Manny, and E.F. use by age-0 deepwater sculpins in collections of ichthyoplankton in the Roseman. 2014. An assessment of northern Lake Huron, Michigan and Maumee River, now in the fifth year, to the nearshore fish communities in the Detroit River. Journal of Great assess phenology and production of the St. Clair-Detroit River system. Lakes Research, In press. larval fishes with a focus on walleye. Journal of Great Lakes Research, In He is also assessing the spatial extent press. George, E.M., E.F. Roseman, B. of spawning by walleye and mapping Davis, and T.P. O’Brien. 2013. the spatial extent of spawning substrate Hondorp, D.W., E.F. Roseman, B.A. Feeding ecology of pelagic larval in the Maumee River to determine the Manny, P.W. Seelbach, K.R. Newman, burbot Lota lota in northern Lake amount of habitat available for walleye and R.M. Strach. 2014. An ecological Huron, Michigan. Transactions of and other lithophilic spawners, such as basis for fish habitat restoration in the the American Fisheries Society 142: lake sturgeon. This work will provide Huron-Erie Corridor. Journal of Great 1716-1723. new information about suitability of Lakes Research, In press. Roseman, E.F., and T.P. O’Brien. 2013. Inshore-offshore distribution of larval fish in northern Lake Huron. Journal of Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 16:211-221.

Stott, W., Ebener, M.P., Mohr, L., Hartman, T., Roseman, E.F., Johnson, J.E. 2013. Spatial and temporal genetic diversity of lake whitefish from northern Lake Huron and western Lake Erie. Advances in Limnology.

O’Brien, T.P., W.W. Taylor, A.S. Briggs, and E.F. Roseman. 2012. Influence of water temperature on rainbow smelt spawning and early life history dynamics in St. Martin Bay, Lake Huron. Journal of Great Lakes Research 38:776-785.

Roseman, E.F., G. Kennedy, B.A. Various zooplankton species collected within the St. Clair-Detroit River system Manny, J. Boase, and J. McFee. (dyed for easier identification). ...continued on p. 13 ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 11 Stages

Publications

Available now: Proceedings of the 36th Annual Larval represented with articles in this collection: “Assessing the Fish Conference . relative contribution of different sources of mortality in the Edited by H.I. Browman and A.B. Skiftesvik. early life stages of fishes”; “The contribution of mechanistic, behavioural, and physiological studies on fish larvae to Published in ICES Journal of Marine Science 71(4). 2014. ecosystem models”; “Effects of oil and natural gas surveys, extraction activity and spills on fish early life stages.” The themed set of articles that follows this introduction Looking back at the main themes of earlier conferences contains a selection of the papers that were presented at about the early life history of fish reveals that they were the 36th Annual Larval Fish Conference (ALFC), convened not very different from those of ALFC2012. Clearly, we still in Osøyro, Norway, 2–6 July 2012. The conference was have a lot of work to do on these and other topics related organized around four theme sessions, three of which are to the biology and ecology of fish early life stages. § Other Publications A Handbook to Help Identify Hudson River Fish Larvae. By Advances in Early Life History Study of Fish. C. Clemmesen, L. G. Arvidson and J. B. Alber. Published by the authors, A.M. Malzahn, M.A. Peck, and D. Schnack, eds. Scientia Rosendale, New York. 2013. Marina, volume 73S1, Supplement 1. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. 2009. Larval Fish Aquaculture. Edited by Jian G. Quin. Published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.. ISBN:978-1-62417-899-3. Plankton. A Guide to Their Ecology and Monitoring for Water 2013 Quality. I.M. Suthers & D. Rissik. Published by CSIRO Publishing, 272 pp. 2009. ISBN: 9780643090583. Zooplankton of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts: A Guide to Their Identification and Ecology. 2nd edition. By William S. Manual of Recommended Practices for Modelling Physical – Johnson and Dennis M. Allen. Published by Johns Hopkins Biological Interactions during Fish Early Life. Edited by E.W. University Press. ISBN-13:978-1421406183. 2012. North, A. Gallego, and P. Petitgas, Jr. ICES Cooperative Research Report No. 295. 111 pp. 2009. ISBN: 978–87– Larval Fish Nutrition. Edited by G. Joan Holt. Published by 7482–060–4. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN-0813817927. 2011. Early Life History of Marine Fishes. B.S. Miller and A.W. Identification of Eggs and Larvae of Marine Fishes. Edited Kendall, Jr. Published by University of California Press. by A.W. Kendall, Jr. Published by Tokai University Press. ISBN: 978-0-520-24972-1. 2009. ISBN-978-4-486-03758-3. 2011. Fish Larval Physiology. R.N. Finn and B.G. Kapoor. Ecology of Estuarine Fishes: Temperate Waters of the Published by Science Publishers. ISBN: 1578083885. 2008. Western North Atlantic. By Kenneth W. Able and Michael P. Fahay. Published by Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN- Reproductive Biology and Early Life History of Fishes in 0801894719. 2010. the Ohio River Drainage

Early stages of marine fishes occurring in the Iberian Volume VI, Elassomidae and Centrarchidae. Edited by R. Peninsula. P. Ré and I. Meneses. Published by IPIMAR/ Wallus and T.P. Simon. Published by CRC Press. ISBN 978- IMAR. ISBN-978-972-9372-34-6. 0-8493-1923-8. 2008; 472 p.

Ecology of Anguilliform Leptocephali: Remarkable Volume V, Aphredoderidae through Cottidae, Moronidae, Transparent Fish Larvae of the Ocean Surface Layer. and Sciaenidae. Edited by R. Wallus and T.P. Simon. M.J. Miller. Published by Aqua-BioScience Monographs. Published by CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-1921-1. 2006; TERRAPUB. 2009. 360 p. ...continued on p. 13

12 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

Publications...cont’d from p. 12 Developmental Biology of Teleost Fishes. Y.W. Kunz. Volume IV, Percidae – Perch, Pikeperch, and Darters. T.P. Published by Springer Press. ISBN 1-4020-2996-9. 2004. Simon and R. Wallus. Published by CRC Press. ISBN 978- 0-8493-1920-4. 2006; 648 p. Early Life History of Fishes in the San Francisco Estuary and Watershed. Edited by F. Feyrer, L.R. Brown, R.L. Brown, Volume III, Ictaluridae – Catfish and Madtoms. T.P. Simon and J.J. Orsi. Published by the American Fisheries Society. and R. Wallus. Published by CRC Press. ISBN 0849319196. ISBN 1-888569-59-X. 2004. 2003; 232 p. Freshwater Fishes of the Northeastern United States - A Field Ecology of Juvenile Salmon in the Northeast Pacific Ocean: Guide. R.G. Werner. Published by Syracuse University Press. Regional Comparisons. Edited by C. B. Grimes, R. D. Broder, ISBN 0815630204. 2004. L. J. Halderson and S. M. McKinnell. American Fisheries Society, Symposium 57, Bethesda, MD. 2007. The Development of Form and Function in Fishes and the Question of Larval Adaptation. Edited by J.J. Govoni. Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean: Published by the American Fisheries Society. ISBN Davis Strait, Southern Greenland and Flemish Cap to Cape 1-888569-58-1. 2004. Hatteras. Michael P. Fahay. Published by North Atlantic Fisheries Organization. The Larvae of Indo-Pacific Coastal Fishes: An Identification Guide to Marine Fish Larvae. (2nd edition). J.M. Leis and Early Development of Four Cyprinids Native to the Yangtze B.M. Carson-Ewart. Published by Brill Academic Publishers. River, China. Edited by D.C. Chapman. U.S. Geological ISBN 90-04-13650-9. 2004. Survey Data Series 239. 2006. accessible online at pubs. usgs.gov/ds/2006/239 The Big Fish Bang. Proceedings of the 26th Annual Larval Fish Conference. Edited by H.I. Browman and A.B. Recent Advances in the Study of Fish Eggs and Larvae. Skiftesvik. Published by the Institute of Marine Research, Edited by M.P. Olivar and J.J. Govoni. Published in Scientia Bergen, Norway. ISBN 82-7461-059-8. 2004. Marina, Volume 70S2 Supplement 2. ISSN: 0214-8358. 2006. Fishery Science: The Unique Contributions of Early Life Eggs and Larvae of North Sea Fishes. P. Munk and J.G. Stages. Edited by Lee A. Fuiman and Robert G. Werner. Nielsen. Published by Biofolia Press. ISBN 0849319161. Published by Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-632-05661-4. 2005. 2002. §

Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes: An Identification Guide for the Western Central North Atlantic. Edited by W.J. Richards. Published by CRC Press. ISBN 0849319161. 2005. Western Region...cont’d from p. 6 7) a more but variably pigmented North Central Region...cont’d from p. 11 To more fully documented the ventrum between heart and vent in late 2012. Life history characteristics of a early morphological development of protolarvae and mesolarvae, often at recovering lake whitefish Coregonus suckermouth minnow, and thereby least partially outlining the ventrolateral clupeaformis stock in the Detroit better facilitate identification of aspects of the gut anteriorly and River, North America. Proceedings collected larvae, we’ve prepared eight the ventral fin fold posteriorly; 8) a of the 10th Coregonid Fishes detailed, three-view illustrations from a dark caudal spot forming in recent Symposium. Advances in Limnology recently hatched 4.7 mm TL protolarva metalarvae and becoming prominent in 63:477-501. to a 40.2 mm TL young-of-the-year later metalarvae and juveniles; and 9) juvenile. Notable, possibly diagnostic, prominent patterns of sensory papillae Roseman, E.F., B.A. Manny, J. Boase, features include: 1) a mouth that on the lower lateral and ventral surfaces G. Kennedy, M. Child, J. Craig, K. forms and remains in a subterminal to of the head from postflexion mesolarvae Soper, and R. Drouin. 2011. Lake ventral position; 2) prominent, widely through recently transformed juveniles. Sturgeon Response to a Spawning separated lower lip lobes beginning with Morphometric and meristic data can be Reef Constructed in the Detroit flexion mesolarvae; 3) eyes that are reliably extracted from the drawings. River. Journal of Applied Ichthyology dorso-ventrally flattened in protolarvae, The drawings of a late protolarva 27(Suppl 2):66-76. becoming deltoid in mesolarvae and recently transformed flexion through recently transformed juveniles; mesolarvae match quite well with Roseman, E.F., J. Boase, G.W. 4) unusually large pectoral fin buds the description referenced above. § Kennedy, and J. Craig. 2011. in later protolarvae and mesolarvae; Adaptation of two techniques for 5) dorsal fin origin anterior to pelvic sampling fish eggs and larvae in deep fin origin beginning in metalarvae; 6) rivers. Journal of Applied Ichthyology very sparsely pigmented dorsum in 27(Suppl 2):89-92. protolarvae and flexion mesolarvae; ...continued on p. 15 ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 13 Stages

Northeast Region...cont’d from p. 5 and space (Musumeci at al. 2013). Flatfishes: Biology and Exploitation by seine during efforts at East River Other recent publications include an (2nd edition). (September 2011, n = 1) and Hudson evaluation of New Jersey surf zones River (September 2012, n = 3). as nurseries (Able et al. 2013), and the Able, Kenneth W., J. M. Smith, and J. response of juvenile Lutjanus griseus Caridad. (In review.) American eel Abundances of larval flatfish species captured in New Jersey estuaries to supply to an estuary and tribuatries: have also varied locally during our winter mortality and climate change Spatial variation in Barnegat Bay, NJ. long-term ichthyoplankton sampling (Wuenschel et al. 2012). Other efforts Northeastern Naturalist. at Little Sheepshead Creek inside on juvenile fishes have used acoustic Little Egg Inlet. Over the last 24 years telemetry to evaluate habitat use in Able, K. W., T. M. Grothues, I. M. (Able and Fahay 2010), they have urban estuaries (Able et al. 2013) Kemp. 2013. Fine-scale distribution seen diverse flatfish species, including of pelagic fishes relative to a large Scophthalmus aquosus, Etropus Several of the long term residents urban pier. Marine Ecology Progress microstomus, Paralichthys dentatus, of RUMFS are moving on. Jenna Series 476:185-198. Pseudopleuronectes americanus and Rackovan is leaving her technician Citharichthys spilopterus. Although position to begin graduate school at the Able, K. W., T. M. Grothues, J. M. the abundances of these species vary University of New Hampshire. Maria Morson, and K. E. Coleman. (In annually, two species, C. spilopterus Berezian will be starting at Drexel press). Temporal variation in winter and E. microstomus, showed University and Dana Christensen will flounder recruitment at the southern seemingly uncharacteristic variation in begin at University of Delaware in the margin of their range: Is the decline abundances in 2011. E. microstomus fall. due to increasing temperature? ICES (n = 1,217) was present each year Journal of Marine Science. from 1989 through 2012. However, C. Recent and Pending Publications spilopterus (n = 89) was only present Able, K.W., M.J. Wuenschel, T.M. Musumeci, V. L., K. W. Able, M. C. during four of those years (1993, 1994, Grothues, J. Vasslides, and P. Rowe. Sullivan, and J. M. Smith. 2013. 2007, 2011). Other efforts focused on 2013. Do surf zones in New Jersey Estuarine predator-prey interactions juvenile and adult flatfish distribution provide “nursery” habitat for southern in the early life history of two eels and dynamics of habitat use (Able and fishes? Environmental Biology of (Anguilla rostrata and Conger Fodrie, in press) and temporal variation Fishes 96: 661-675. oceanicus). Environmental Biology in Pseudopleuronectes americanus of Fishes DOI 10.1007/s10641-013- recruitment (Able et al., in press). Able, K. W. and M. P. Fahay. 2010. 0194-7. Ecology of Estuarine Fishes: As part of a broader interest in Temperate Waters of the Western Wuenschel, M.J., J.A. Hare, M.E. early life history stages that act as North Atlantic. Johns Hopkins Kimball and K.W. Able. 2012. piscivores, they determined that University Press, Baltimore, MD. 566 Evaluating juvenile thermal tolerance Conger oceanicus elvers are predators p. as a constraint on adult range of on glass eels and elvers of Anguilla gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus): and other Conger while Anguilla only Able, K. W., and F. J. Fodrie. (In press) a combined laboratory, field and occasionally preys on other Anguilla Distribution and dynamics of habitat modeling approach. Journal of rostrata. These interactions are likely use by juvenile and adult flatfishes. Experimental Marine Biology and limited to the higher salinity portions Book chapter to be published in new Ecology 436-437: 19-27. § of estuaries where they overlap in time edition of R.N. Gibson (editor), President’s Message...cont’d from p. 1 What have we achieved during the about? Well, the membership numbers the coming years are very encouraging. last two years? We have a great group are good, but not as good as they This reflects the dedication of our of dedicated people and we are in could be. We all have tried to convince members to support our section and good financial shape. We were able people to join our section, encouraging the decisions where to go in the future again to support student travel (see them that it really is worthwhile and is will be tough ones. This year we have the LFC homepage for details) and will not difficult to sign up for membership. the opportunity to meet with our mother try to find a way to keep that going for The problem is that one has to do it organization to demonstrate our the next years. We have earned a lot every year, and members tend to forget expertise and advertise for our section. of international recognition, we share about paying their dues. I could have I will be doing this at the governing a cooperate identity and our meetings been more “pressing, but I will now board meeting in Québec City and you are well attended. The raffles and the leave that up to Myron. Something we all can do that by exchanging ideas gifts the attendees are bringing to our have started to think about, but not and thoughts at the scientific meetings. meetings are great and the support we really followed through is the stronger I’m sure it will be a great conference have received from the membership integration of younger scientist to take and from what I have seen and heard and community for the Sally Richardson over a leading role in our section. I will Québec City is fabulous. So, come and Award and John Blaxter Award are use the last phase of my presidency to join us there! outstanding. What is there to complain ...continued on p. 16 14 AFS - Early Life History Section June 2014

Southern Region...cont’d from p. 3 change in the number of the marine environment is increasing turns, pauses, or activity. in expanse and intensity due to a surge in human activities, including This study was followed construction, oil and gas drilling, military by a laboratory experiment operations, and shipping and boating that quantified the reactive traffic (Andrew et al. 2002, Hildebrand distance of red drum 2009). The effects of increasing noise larvae to their prey using pollution on marine organisms are high-speed videography. beginning to receive attention, but This was done in order to most studies to date have focused on calculate the difference marine mammals. in the volume of water that larvae could search For many species in the Gulf of while foraging when in the Mexico, eggs and young larvae travel presence of loud noises through tidal inlets from offshore to the vs. more quiet conditions. bays, and in the process are exposed For every hour exposed to a large amount of anthropogenic to anthropogenic sound, noise, especially shipping traffic. To the researchers estimated determine the effects of noise on that larvae would search larval behavior, PhD student Lisa approximately 10% less Havel and her collaborators conducted than in a quiet environment. experiments on red drum, Sciaenops Considering red drum spend ocellatus, a common estuarine fish in three weeks in the water the Gulf of Mexico, and an important column before reaching the component of the local recreational quieter bays and estuaries, fishery. The acoustic soundscape in this reduction could have the Aransas Pass Ship Channel, the significant consequences inlet connecting the Gulf of Mexico to for their prey encounter the bays surrounding the UT Marine rates, and consequently, Science Institute, was recorded in fitness. order to characterize the noise levels to which the local pelagic larvae are References: exposed (see figure at right). Through Andrew RK, Howe BM, collaboration with Dr. Dennis Higgs Mercer JA, Dzieciuch MA (University of Windsor), the auditory (2002) Ocean ambient evoked potential (AEP) of red drum sound: comparing the larvae was quantified to resolve 1960s with the 1990s for a auditory thresholds. Then, larvae were receiver off the California tested for behavioral performance coast. Acoustics in response to acoustical stimuli of Research Letters Online amplitudes comparable to those 3:65-70. measured in the field. Hildebrand JA (2009) The acoustical soundscape of the Aransas Pass Ship From the AEP, it was clear that larvae Anthropogenic and Channel, February 6, 2012 with (a) two small outboard were capable of hearing anthropogenic natural sources of ambient boats and (b) a larger tanker passing by. The upper noise at the ecologically relevant noise in the ocean. Marine graph in (a) and (b) representents the underwater levels used in the experiment. Larvae Ecology Progress Series amplitude (sound pressure level) for all sound in the 0 – decreased their activity when the sound 395:5-20 § 5000 Hz frequency range over time. The lower graphs was on, compared to silent controls. represent amplitude (warmer shades = louder) for each They spent less time swimming, which frequency over the same time period. Graphs courtesy resulted in a lower turning rate and of Dr. Theodore Argos, created on Matlab. slower mean speed over the study period. Their number of pauses during swimming was not affected, but the duration of each pause increased North Central Region...cont’d from p. 13 C.L. 2012. Genetic structure of lake when in the presence of sound. There Stott, W., Ebener, M.P., Mohr, L., whitefish populations in the northern was a decrease in mean speed with Schaeffer, J., Roseman, E.F., Harford, main basin of Lake Huron. Advances an increase in noise amplitude, but no W.J., Johnson, J.E., and Fietsch, in Limnology 63:241-260. §

ELHS website: www.elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu 15 16 Stages

Newsletter Production Team Stages is published in February, June, and October each year. It is assembled by the Newsletter Editor with contributions from several Regional Representatives and other individuals. Please send any articles, announcements, or information of interest to Early Life History Section members or affiliates to your local Regional Representative or to the Editor.

Newsletter Editor Lee A. Fuiman Marine Science Institute University of Texas at Austin [email protected]

Northeast Region Southeast Region North Central Region David Richardson vacant vacant NMFS, Northeast Fisheries Science Center Narragansett, Rhode Island [email protected]

Western Region European Region Pacific Rim Region Daniel Margulies Hubert Keckeis Akinori Takasuka Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Department of Limnology National Research Institute of LaJolla, California University of Vienna Fisheries Science [email protected] Vienna, Austria Yokohama, Japan [email protected] [email protected]

Join ELHS Western Region...cont’d from p. 7 Membership in ELHS is open to all persons The Cagayan River is the largest river in the Philippines with a drainage or organizations interested in furthering ELHS area of 27,280 km2 at its mouth in Aparri. The Cagayan River, which is objectives, regardless of membership in the the main drainage channel of the basin, flows in a northerly direction American Fisheries Society (AFS). If you are an from its head waters in Nueva Vizcaya to its mouth in the Babuyan AFS member, simply add ELHS membership Channel near Aparri. Its principal tributaries include the Siffu-Malling, when you pay your Society dues. Chico, Ilagan and Magat Rivers. The estimated annual discharge is Affiliate membership is open to persons or 53,943 million m3. organizations who are not members of AFS. Affiliate members are encouraged to participate For more information on the Cagayan River’s ludong and catfish in Section meetings, committee work, and other conservation, and how to team with us, please contact Gilles activities, but they cannot vote on official Section Ouellette at: [email protected]. § matters, run for or hold an elected office, or chair standing committees. All members receive STAGES. President’s Message...cont’d from p. 14 ELHS has a PayPal account to receive affiliate approach people and hope to come up with some more detailed ideas membership dues. To join ELHS as an affiliate at our business meeting in Québec City. or to renew affiliate status online, go to: www. elhs.cmast.ncsu.edu/index.php/how-to-join. Well, now that my presidency is going to end soon, I’d like to thank html or mail your name, institutional affiliation (if everyone for their support in the last two years. It was an honor to serve appropriate), mailing address, telephone and fax our section as President. numbers, e-mail address, and dues (US $15 per With this, I wish you all success with your research and enjoyment year) for the current and/or upcoming year(s) to the ELHS Treasurer (see page 2). with the interesting work you all are doing and hope to see many of you in Québec City in August. § Please specify the membership year(s) for which you are paying dues. Make checks or — Catriona Clemmesen-Bockelmann, money orders payable to “AFS-ELHS.” President

AFS - Early Life History Section