2019 American Fisheries Society Arkansas Chapter Meeting

February 20-22 The Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa Hot Springs, Arkansas

*ON THE COVER: Graphic artwork by Jeanne Zaffarano, AGFC Graphic Artist

Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society

Executive Committee – 2018-2019 Mike Eggleton, President Matt Schroeder, President-elect Eric Brinkman, Past President Casey Cox, Treasurer Dustin Lynch, Secretary

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS!

January 10, 2019

Dear Chapter:

Welcome to the 33nd Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. We hope you are able to make full use of this opportunity to reconnect with our fisheries colleagues from around the state, network with new ones, and learn about the excellent aquatic research that is occurring throughout Arkansas. It continues to amaze me at the caliber and diversity of research occurring throughout Arkansas. It seems to get better every year!

For some of you, this will also be an opportunity to visit a part of the state you have never seen. The meeting planners hope you enjoy having the conference at the historic Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, which has been a Hot Springs tradition for over a century. We encourage you to also check out historic Central Avenue and Bathhouse Row. You might also want to grab a few jugs of water at one of the many hot springs along the strip.

The conference committee has planned an excellent meeting for us. Thank you for coming to Hot Springs and supporting our Chapter. We hope you have a great experience.

Respectfully,

Michael A. Eggleton 2018-19 President Arkansas Chapter AFS

January 10, 2019

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

Welcome on behalf of the organizing committee of the 33rd annual meeting of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). The organizers working in concert with the Chapter’s Executive Committee have worked diligently at planning the conference, which we hope you find meaningful, informative, and entertaining. We are very happy to be hosting the conference in Hot Springs at the historic Arlington Hotel. For convince, all activities, besides pas president lunch, will be on site at the Arlington. However, feel free to explore nearby historic bathhouse row.

This year’s Arkansas Chapter AFS meeting promises to be among the best, with 32 oral presentations, 12 posters, and a cyprinid identification short course being taught by Dustin Lynch, Aquatic Ecologist with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. We hope the conference will be beneficial and well worth your trip to Hot Springs. Please enjoy the conference, and feel free to ask for anything you might need.

Thank you,

Matthew D. Schroeder Conference Program Chair Arkansas Chapter AFS

PROGRAM OVERVIEW American Fisheries Society 33rd Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society The Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa, Hot Springs, AR

Wednesday, 20 February 2019 Activity Time Location Cyprinid ID Workshop 8:30 am – 11:30 am Cypress Room Lunch – On Your Own 11:30 am – 12:50 pm Hot Springs Meeting Registration 12:00 pm – 5:30 pm Conference Center A Foyer Presentation Loading 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm Conference Center President’s Welcome 1:00 pm – 1:10 pm Conference Center Keynote Address 1:10 pm - 2:00 pm Conference Center Session I 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Conference Center Break / Poster Session 3:00 pm – 3:20 pm Conference Center A Foyer Session II 3:20 pm – 5:00 pm Conference Center Presentation Loading 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Conference Center Welcome Social 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Crystal Ballroom

Thursday, 21 February 2019 Activity Time Location Meeting Registration 7:30 am – 5:00 pm Conference Center A Foyer Presentation Loading 7:30 am – 1:00 pm Conference Center Session III 8:10 am – 10:10 am Conference Center Break / Poster Session 10:10 am – 10:30 am Conference Center A Foyer Session IV 10:30 am – 11:50 am Conference Center Lunch – On Your Own 11:50 am – 1:00 pm Hot Springs Session V 1:20 pm – 3:00 pm Conference Center Break / Poster Session 3:00 pm – 3:20 pm Conference Center A Foyer Session VI 3:20 pm – 5:00 pm Conference Center Banquet/Silent Auction 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Crystal Ballroom

Friday, 22 February 2019 Activity Time Location Session VII 8:00 am – 9:20 am Conference Center Chapter Business Meeting 9:30 am – 11:00 am Conference Center Past-President’s Luncheon 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Superior Bathhouse Brewery

Wednesday, 20 February 2019 12:00 – 5:30 PM Meeting Registration 12:00 – 12:50 PM Presentation Loading 1:00 – 1:10 PM President’s Welcome, Mike Eggleton *denotes presenter (S) = signifies student presenter

1:10 – 2:00 PM Keynote Address: Restoring America’s Greatest River Jim Wise* Session I Water Quality & Fish Diversity Moderator: Tate Wentz, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality 2:00 – 3:00 PM

2:00 (1) A Collaborative Approach to Monitoring and Predicting HABs in Arkansas Brie Olsen*

2:20 (2) Status of Ongoing USGS Studies on the Buffalo River (Arkansas) Billy Justus* and Lucas Driver

2:40 (3) Stream Habitat Relations of the Yellowcheek Darter (Etheostoma moorei) Among Four Forks of the Little Red River in Arkansas Lucas Driver*, Billy Justus, and Chris Davidson

3:00 – 3:20 PM BREAK

Session II Fish Diversity Moderator: Brian Wagner, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 3:20 – 5:00 PM

3:20 (4) Center of Diversity: the story of Neosho and Ouachita Smallmouth Bass Jeffrey Quinn*

3:40 (5) Migration Dynamics of Silver American Eel in the Ouachita River Basin Jeffrey Quinn, Maxwell Hartman*, Kelly Winningham, and Jenn Ballard

4:00 (6) Evaluation of Current and Historic Fish Assemblages in the Ouachita Mountain Ecoregion Chris Naus*, Nathan Wentz, and Chelsey Sherwood

4:20 (7) Have Fish Assemblages Changed in the Strawberry River Over the Last 30-40 Years? Jennifer Main* (S), Ginny Adams, and Reid Adams

4:40 (8) Commercial Aquatic Turtle Harvest in Arkansas Kelly Irwin*

5:00 – 5:30 PM Presentation Loading

6:00 – 9:00 PM Welcome Social in Crystal Ballroom

Thursday, 21 February 2019 Session III Fish Diversity & Program/Project Overview Moderator: Jeff Quinn, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 8:10 – 10:10 AM

8:10 (9) Habitat Associations of Riffle Fishes in an Ozark River Having a Dynamic Gravel Bed Load Chance Garrett* (S), Ginny Adams, and Reid Adams

8:30 (10) Seasonal Changes in Habitat Suitability for Adult Shovelnose Sturgeon in the Lower Mississippi River Dylan Hann* and Hal Schramm

8:50 (11) Surveys Crucial for Protection of Arkansas Natural Areas Katie Morris* and Dustin Lynch

9:10 (12) US-China Trade in Seafood: Trends, Opportunities and Challenges Uttam Deb*

9:30 (13) Family and Community Fishing Program: A Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R-3) Approach to the Outdoors in Arkansas Maurice Jackson*

9:50 (14) Lake June Renovation Project Andrew Yung* and Aaron Kern

10:10 – 10:30 AM BREAK

Session IV Fish Management Moderator: Allison Asher, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 10:30 – 11:50 AM

10:30 (15) Evaluating the Utility of an Age-Length-Key in Estimating Growth Parameters: A Largemouth Bass Example Sean Lusk and Christopher Middaugh*

10:50 (16) Current Management Efforts for Alligator Gar Across Their Historic U.S. Range Eric Brinkman*, Daniel J. Daugherty, Nathan G. Smith, and, Matt Wegener

11:10 (17) Population Evaluation and Stock Contribution of Channel Catfish Stocked into Beaver Lake, Arkansas Jon Stein*, Kevin Hopkins, and Jordan Lindaman

11:30 (18) Low-frequency Electrofishing Riverine Habitats for Blue Catfish in the Arkansas River Charles Jordan* (S), Zach Moran, and Joseph Stoeckel

11:50 AM – 1:00 PM LUNCH

Session V Fish Management Moderator: Colton Dennis, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 1:00 – 3:00 PM

1:20 (19) Habitat Overlap Between Hybrid Striped Bass and Largemouth Bass in DeGray Lake, Arkansas Jeremiah Salinger* (S) and Steve Lochmann

1:00 (20) Estimation of Hybrid Striped Bass Mortality Using Telemetry and Transmitter Returns in DeGray Lake, Arkansas Steve Lochmann* and Jeremiah Salinger (S)

1:40 (21) Observations of Largemouth Bass genetics along the lower Arkansas River, Arkansas Nick Feltz* and Chelsea Tucker

2:00 (22) Sauger Seasonal Habitat Use and Movement in the Arkansas River Peter Leonard* (S) and John Jackson

2:20 (23) Assessing and Quantifying Available Spawning Habitat for Brown Trout on the Greers Ferry Tailwater Derek Owens* (S) and Steve Lochmann

2:40 (24) Commercial Fishing in Arkansas: Acknowledging the Past and Understanding the Present Jessica Feltz* and Kendall Moles

3:00 – 3:20 PM BREAK

Session VI Invasive Species & Aquatic Diversity Moderator: Jimmy Barnett, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 3:20 – 5:00 PM

3:20 (25) Movement of Northern Snakehead within the White River, Arkansas System Micah Tindall* (S), Steve Lochmann, Justin Homan, and Shannon Smith

3:40 (26) Effects of Silver Carp Establishment on Native Fishes in White River Oxbow Lakes Cody Salzmann, Joseph Kaiser, Shannon Smith, and Michael Eggleton*

4:00 (27) Effects of Silver Carp on Age-0 Bluegill and Gizzard Shad Characteristics in Oxbow Lakes of the Lower White River, Arkansas Joseph Kaiser* (S), Cody Salzmann, Shannon Smith, and Michael Eggleton

4:20 (28) Status and Distribution of the Spectaclecase Mussel in the Ouachita River in Arkansas Kendall Moles*, Kelly Irwin, Maxwell Hartman, and William Posey

4:40 (29) Life History of Two Undescribed Lampsilis Species in Arkansas Kendall Moles* and Andrea Russenberger

6:00 – 9:00 PM Awards Banquet in Crystal Ballroom

Friday, 22 February 19 Session VI Contributed Papers Moderator: Matt Schroeder, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

8:00 AM (30) Occupancy of the Ouachita Darter and Associated Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Little Missouri and Ouachita Rivers Jeffrey Quinn*, Maxwell Hartman, Will Glenn, and Dustin Lynch

8:20 AM (31) Fecundity of Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae in an Impounded Reach of the Lower Flint River, GA Aaron Kern*, Steven Sammons, and Travis Ingram

8:40 AM (32) Factors Influencing Fishing Activities Among Minority Teenagers in Arkansas: Evidence from a Randomized Control Experiment Pengfei Liu*, Annette Fields, and Steve Lochmann

9:00 AM (33) Smallmouth Bass Feeding Dynamics in Headwater Streams in the Boston Mountains Brandon Plunkett* (S) and Charles Gagen

9:30 AM Arkansas Chapter AFS Business Meeting

11:30 AM Past President’s Luncheon

Poster Session: (P-1) Constructing a Distributional Map for Winter Stonefly Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Arkansas Brianna Hillebrand* (S) and Michelle Evans-White

(P-2) Method Development to Assess Physical Habitat in Arkansas Reservoirs Jamie Kindschuh* (S) and Jonathan Spurgeon

(P-3) Assessment of Walleye in the Eleven Point River, Arkansas, Following a Six-Year Stocking Gap Dustin R. Thomas* (S), Brett Timmons, Brook L. Fluker, and Allison Asher

(P-4) Variation in Habitat Use and Body Condition of Etheostoma caeruleum and Etheostoma fragi in the Strawberry River, Arkansas Blake Mitchell* (S), Jennifer Main, Ginny Adams, and Reid Adams

(P-5) Phylogeographic Analyses Suggest Cryptic Diversity within the Bluntnose Darter, Etheostoma chlorosoma Hilary K. Canada* (S), Brittany L. McCall, and Brook L. Fluker

(P-6) Taxonomic Evaluation of the Goldstripe Darter, Etheostoma parvipinne, Using Species Delimitation Methods with Molecular and Morphological Data River A. Watson* (S), Brook L. Fluker, and Bernard R. Kuhajda

(P-7) Assessing the Biodiversity of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in Northeast Arkansas Agricultural Ditches Emma Martin* (S) and Jennifer Bouldin

(P-8) History of Spring River Crayfish (Faxonius roberti) Collections in the Strawberry River, Arkansas Brian Wagner*

(P-9) The Rearing of Advanced Fingerling Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) at Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery 2018 Chad Wicker*, Jason Miller, Marc Dyer, Chris Baker, and Cody Speight

(P-10) Including Action Camera Gear Type in Multi-Gear Approach for Indexing Silver Carp Abundance Joseph Kaiser* (S), Cody Salzmann, Shannon Smith, and Michael Eggleton

(P-11) Reproductive Ecology of Alligator Gar in a River-Floodplain Ecosystem Reid Adams*, Tommy Inebnit, Chris Naus, Lindsey Lewis, Geoffry Spooner, and Edward Kluender

(P-12) Blue Catfish Movement and Habitat Selection in the Arkansas River Charles Jordan* (S), Zach Moran, and Joseph Stoeckel

ORAL PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS 33rd Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society “Restoring America's Greatest River" Jim Wise- keynote speaker Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, North Little Rock, AR [email protected]

Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee (LMRCC) - 25th Anniversary

The Mississippi River is one of the most dynamic and economically important large river systems in the world. Its watershed encompasses over 40% of the United States. More than 500 million tons of cargo is shipped annually past the Port of Louisiana. It has one of the richest and most diverse fish populations, the largest migratory bird flyway in North America, and more than 145 amphibian species live in and around the river. Since the early 1700s, significant modifications have occurred to enhance navigation and reduce the flood risk of the fiver. Dams in the upper river have reduced aquatic habitat and regulated flows. Levees have disconnected the lower river from over 90% of its existing floodplain. Dikes has constricted flows to the main channel during moderate to low flow conditions and sediment deposition behind the dikes has filled in thousands of miles of secondary channels, creating access for predators to once disconnected islands. The LMRCC and its partners are working to Restore America’s Greatest River by restoring aquatic habitat, bottomland hardwoods, recreation opportunities, national awareness, and federal government status. The Mississippi and Arkansas AFS chapters deserve the credit for making this happen.

(1) A Collaborative Approach to Monitoring and Predicting HABs in Arkansas Brie Olsen Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, North Little Rock, AR [email protected]

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a growing concern across the United States. During the U.S. EPA 2012 National Lakes Assessment (NLA), 39% of lakes had detectable levels of microcystin a 9% increase from the 2007 NLA. While factors contributing to HAB events are complex, there has been some success in developing predictive models to assess waterbodies susceptible to HABs. In Arkansas, available data on lentic waterbodies is limited, and indicators of HABs have historically been restricted to chlorophyll α, a pigment that does not distinguish cyanobacteria from non-toxin producing algae. In an effort to develop a database for predictive modeling, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has partnered with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) to sample six lakes for phytoplankton, nutrients, and two cyanotoxins. This partnership has allowed ADEQ to expand the spatial, temporal, and analytical reach of current lake sampling efforts while providing AGFC with water quality and productivity data. Although sampling will continue on these six lakes through summer 2019, there is potential that HABs will develop and go undetected on numerous non-sampled lakes around the state. ADEQ intends to reduce the number of undetected HABs by continuing to build partnerships aimed at comprehensively monitoring Arkansas water.

Oral – Professional

(2) Status of Ongoing USGS Studies on the Buffalo River (Arkansas) Billy Justus and Lucas Driver U.S. Geological Survey Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

Nutrient pathways and sources are a consistent aspect of three studies being conducted in the Buffalo River watershed by the U.S. Geological Survey Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center. A study that began in 2017 in cooperation with the National Park Service, investigates the response of periphyton to nutrients at two mainstem sites upstream of Big Creek, a tributary to the Buffalo River where a confined swine feeding facility is located; a site on Big Creek, and three mainstem sites downstream of Big Creek. The second study, a cooperative project with ADEQ which began in spring 2018, uses microbiological and stable isotope methods to identify contaminant sources in the Mill Creek watershed. Six sites, five of which are on Mill Creek and one on Crooked Creek (which influences water quality in Mill Creek via interbasin groundwater transfer), are being sampled. The third study, which began in late summer 2018 and is a cooperative project with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, investigates the nuisance occurrence of filamentous algae in the Buffalo River. Reconnaissance and analyses conducted for these projects seem to indicate groundwater and surface-water nutrient sources are influencing river water quality in different areas of the karst setting.

Oral – Professional

(3) Stream Habitat Relations of the Yellowcheek Darter (Etheostoma moorei) Among Four Forks of the Little Red River in Arkansas Lucas Driver1, Billy Justus1, and Chris Davidson2 1U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Little Rock, AR 2U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conway, AR [email protected]

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conducted a study in Spring 2018 to investigate the association of in-stream habitat variables with the occurrence of the federally threatened Yellowcheek Darter (Etheostoma moorei). Habitat and fish data were collected from 23 riffle sites, including both historical sampling sites and a number of new sample locations, from 9 reaches among South, Middle, Archey, and Beech Forks of the Little Red River in north central Arkansas. E. moorei was collected in each of the 9 stream reaches and from 19 of the 23 riffle sites sampled. Preliminary results indicate that stream velocity, substrate size, and substrate embeddedness are important variables that are associated with the occurrence and relative abundance of E. moorei among riffle habitats. Results from this study are important for understanding critical habitat requirements as well as identifying and prioritizing current and future threats, such as hydrologic alteration, land-use impacts, and climate change in the upstream forks of the Little Red River.

Oral – Professional

(4) Center of Diversity: The Story of Neosho and Ouachita Smallmouth Bass Jeffrey Quinn Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Mayflower, AR [email protected]

The Ozark and Ouachita highlands are the center of diversity for Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu (Lacepede 1802). Three major genetic lineages occur in Arkansas: Neosho, Ouachita, and northern lineages. My objective for this presentation was to review the relevant studies concerning Smallmouth Bass diversity to (1) increase awareness that Arkansas is the center of diversity for the species and (2) highlight problems associated with introgression caused by stocking. Stocking since the late 1800’s has led to introgressive hybridization within the range of the Neosho subspecies, and evidence of stocking-related changes to the morphological traits has been documented. The Ouachita lineage of Smallmouth Bass has been threatened with introgression by the stocking of multiple reservoirs with the northern subspecies obtained from Tennessee. Education and managing angler desires is needed to prevent permanent introgression caused by stocking of non-natives.

Oral – Professional

(5) Migration Dynamics of Silver American Eel in the Ouachita River Basin. Jeffrey Quinn1, Maxwell Hartman2, Kelly Winningham3, Jenn Ballard4, Todd Slack5, and Jack Kilgore5 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Mayflower, AR 2Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Benton, AR 3Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hot Springs, AR 4Arknasas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR 5U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg, MS [email protected]

We studied out-migration chronology of American Eels to understand the potential impacts of multiple navigation dams on migration of eels in the Ouachita River navigation system. As part of a collaborative multi-agency research effort, 34 large American Eels (676-804 mm) were surgically implanted with acoustic tags during September 2017 and 2018. Stationary acoustic telemetry receivers were deployed in the Ouachita and Black rivers at Thatcher, Felsenthal, and Jonesville Lock and Dams. During 2017, a fall drought was associated with delayed migration. A late December high-water event was associated with downstream movements of 4 of 9 eels (44%). During 2018, 7 of 25 tagged eels (28%) moved past Felsenthal Dam between October 19 and November 16. All movements were associated with high water events, and movements across the dams were usually rapid (< 30 minutes). The timing of out-migration of American Eel was variable among years and migration appeared to be influenced by drought and high-water events.

Oral – Professional

(6) Evaluation of Current and Historic Fish Assemblages in the Ouachita Mountain Ecoregion Chris Naus, Nathan Wentz, and Chelsey Sherwood Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, North Little Rock, AR [email protected]

The Ouachita Mountain Ecoregion (OMER) covers approximately 8 million acres from Little Rock, Arkansas to southeastern Oklahoma. The OMER is primarily forest, but has seen changes in land use land cover (LULC), particularly forest type and increasing urbanization and pasture. In 2016, ADEQ began a study to evaluate physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of OMER wadeable streams. Sixty-one sites were selected based on a summed a priori rank disturbance gradient (very high, high, moderate, and least) of fifteen LULC and disturbance metrics (NPDES facilities, road density, dams, etc.). Water quality data was collected monthly for 24 months and fish assemblage data were collected via electrofishing once during summer low flows for 56 sites. Sites (17) with historic fish collection data were analyzed to assess changes in fish assemblages at family and species levels. Mean percent relative abundances of historic and current fish families by sites did not show significant differences (p > 0.05). However, evaluations at the species level showed changes in most abundant species, as well as, species losses and additions. Evaluation of LULC change at ten year intervals from 1982 to 2012 yielded little insight into changes of fish assemblages due to most LULC changes occurring prior to 1982, with the exception of three sites.

Oral – Professional

(7) Have Fish Assemblages Changed in the Strawberry River Over the Last 30-40 Years? Jennifer Main, Ginny Adams, and Reid Adams University of Central Arkansas, Department of Biology, Conway, AR [email protected]

The Strawberry River watershed (SRW) is a highly speciose river in Arkansas having 104 documented fishes. Historical SRW fish collections by Dr. H. Robison (1974 and 1976) and D. Hilburn (1986) using seines were compared to contemporary collections using similar methods (2017-2018) to study patterns of stability and persistence of fish communities at 16 sites. SRW has a variation in land use and land cover that can influence fish assemblages by changing fluvial geomorphology, sedimentation rates, and water quality. Fish assemblage persistence (0.83-0.43) and stability (0.66-0.17) calculations suggested some sites experienced little change, while others exhibited noteworthy changes, particularly four tributary sites having higher pasture land use within the upstream catchment. In fact, persistence and stability were negatively associated (rho = -0.59 and -0.56, respectively) with the amount of pasture upstream within 200 m of the stream. Expansions of tolerant species included Western Mosquitofish, Bluegill, and Longear Sunfish. By monitoring fish assemblages within the SRW, impacts of additional anthropogenic perturbations on fish assemblages can be better understood and provide a framework for understanding how fishes in the Ozarks respond to disturbance.

Oral – Graduate Student

(8) Commercial Aquatic Turtle Harvest in Arkansas Kelly Irwin Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Benton, AR [email protected]

Eleven of Arkansas’s 16 species of turtles are commercially harvested for export in the Eurasian food and pet trade market. The first regulations, establishing harvest criteria and reporting requirements were initiated in 2006. Based on harvest report data, from 2004 - 2017, approximately 1.3 million aquatic turtles were commercially harvested. The predominant species is the Slider (Trachemys scripta) comprising 72.6% (n= ~1 million individuals) of total harvest. Spiny Softshells Apalone spinifera (6.1%), Stinkpots Sternotherus odoratus (4.3%), Snappers Chelydra serpentina (3.8%), and River Cooters Pseudemys concinna (3.4%) accounted for 90.2% of total harvest. The Mississippi Delta ecoregion produced 95% (n= ~1.25 million) of total harvest. Four counties in northeast Arkansas account for 42.2% (n=555,539) of total harvest. The majority of harvest occurs on private land waters (e.g., agricultural reservoirs, aquaculture ponds, etc.). Large size class Sliders, Snappers, and Softshells are marketed as food turtles, while juvenile Sliders, River Cooters, and any size Map, Mud, or Musk turtles are taken for pet and traditional medicine markets. The trend in harvest rates of all species and sale of commercial harvest related permits have declined steadily during this report period. Overall demand for selected turtle species has decreased as captive propagation in Asia has increased.

Oral – Professional

(9) Habitat Associations of Riffle Fishes in an Ozark River Having a Dynamic Gravel Bed Load Chance Garrett, Ginny Adams, and Reid Adams University of Central Arkansas, Department of Biology, Conway, AR [email protected]

Streams of the Arkansas Ozarks have experienced extensive erosion and gravel intrusion due to land use change. As a result, modifications to instream habitat have resulted in an increase in transverse and diagonal gravel bars along with associated transient, shallow, low velocity riffles. This study was conducted to determine if variation in riffle habitat affects riffle fish communities. For this study, 37 riffles were sampled across fall and spring in the Kings River, Arkansas using seines and kick-set methods. Additionally, physical and chemical environmental characteristics were measured. Riffles in the Kings River exhibited a gradient in available habitat with two extremes, one being shallower, slower riffles with smaller substrate (unstable riffles) and the other deeper, faster riffles with larger substrate (stable riffles) (PCA). Two-way ANOVAs were used to evaluate differences in relative abundances of benthic fishes based on riffle type and season. During spring, stable riffles had greater richness than unstable riffles, but during fall there was no difference. Noturus albater, N. exilis, Etheostoma euzonum, and E. zonale were found in greater abundances and/or frequency in stable riffles during at least one season. These findings indicate gravel intrusion has altered riffles in the Kings River and could be influencing population sizes of benthic fishes.

Oral – Graduate Student

(10) Seasonal Changes in Habitat Suitability for Adult Shovelnose Sturgeon in the Lower Mississippi River Dylan Hann1 and Hal Schramm2 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hope, AR 2U.S. Geological Survey, Mississippi State, MS [email protected]

Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus are distributed throughout the Mississippi River basin where riverine habitat has been and continues to be modified for navigation. Shovelnose Sturgeon have previously been found to select particular habitat types, and these selected habitats vary seasonally; although these past analyses do not consider the selected habitats in a landscape context. We used ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) that uses distributions of telemetry locations and environmental variables to model habitat suitability in a landscape context. We recorded 333 locations of Shovelnose Sturgeon during July - December 2013 that included periods of relatively high and low river stages. The ENFA analysis indicated high-suitability locations were near deep water during both high and low river stages. During high river stages, high-suitability locations were near island tip habitat, deep water, and steep bottom slope and far from main channel habitat. During low stages, high-suitability locations were near deep water and main channel habitat and far from secondary channel and wing dike habitats. This landscape-scale analysis supports seasonal shifts in habitat use and provides insights that can be used to inform habitat conservation and management to benefit Shovelnose Sturgeon in the lower Mississippi River and possibly other large rivers.

Oral – Professional

(11) Surveys Crucial for Protection of Arkansas Natural Areas Katie Morris1 and Dustin Lynch2 1Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR 2Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission preserves the best and last remaining examples of our state's natural communities through its System of Natural Areas, consisting of 73 properties across the state. These natural areas, many of which contain aquatic habitats, are essential to the protection of imperiled natural communities. Many species considered rare in Arkansas are primarily or partly aquatic (60% of tracked animals and 30% of total tracked organisms). Researchers at ANHC document and track rare and imperiled species as part of our role in the Heritage Network. In fall 2017, we began conducting surveys of aquatic habitat on ANHC natural areas using a variety of methods, including backpack electrofishing, seining, trapping, and snorkeling. We inventoried 23 natural areas, and documented 77 species of fish, 19 species of crayfish, 27 species of reptiles and amphibians, and many other aquatic and terrestrial species. Fifteen of these were new records of tracked aquatic species on ANHC natural areas and included five species considered globally imperiled. With continued survey work, we hope to eventually have complete inventories for all of the Arkansas natural areas.

Oral – Undergraduate Student

(12) US-China Trade in Seafood: Trends, Opportunities and Challenges Uttam Deb University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

China is a major source of seafood imported by the USA and also one of the top destinations for seafood exported by the USA. The present study analyzes the long-term trends (2001 to 2017) in seafood trade (export, import and re-export) between USA and China. Between 2001 and 2017, total import of seafood by USA from China increased by 4.1 times (from $ 674.0 million to $ 2747.6 million) and US export to China has increased by 8.1 times (from $ 164.5 million to $ 1335.0 million). On the other hand, re-export of seafood items to China from USA has increased by 3.4 times (from $ 1.96 million to $6.64 million). Interdependence in trade between these two countries has increased over time. In 2018, both United States and China initiated trade restriction and imposed new tariffs on different commodities including seafood products which are termed as a trade war. We have documented such regulatory measures on seafood items carried out by both countries and quantified impacts of so called trade war on trade and seafood producers, consumers and traders in the United States. Finally, it has put forward some suggestions for promotion of fish and seafood trade between two countries.

Oral – Professional

(13) Family and Community Fishing Program: A Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R-3) Approach to the Outdoors in Arkansas Maurice Jackson Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

In an effort to increase participation in angling in densely populated areas of Arkansas, the Family and Community Fishing Program (FCFP) was formed. Two main fish species stocked in most of the 39 locations are channel catfish and rainbow trout. Warmer months allow multiple stockings of catchable channel catfish and cooler months allow multiple stockings of catchable rainbow trout. In order to bring awareness to FCFP locations, community fishing events and the availability of tagged fish for prizes were offered to the public. The use of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s (AGFC) media outlets (via website, newsletter, magazine, TV, radio and social media accounts) allowed for more public awareness of FCFP. With changes in demographics, participation in FCFP community events and awareness of FCFP seemed to level off. During 2017 and 2018, Family Fun Day (FFD) events were developed and implemented as a new way of reaching a diverse population of potential outdoor enthusiasts in cities such as Pine Bluff, Texarkana, West Memphis, and Springdale. FFD events consisted of community partners and various AGFC divisions working together to provide the ultimate outdoor experience that would recruit, retain, and reactivate folks into the outdoors. This presentation will focus on FFD events as a method to expand and to increase public interest in fishing and in the outdoors.

Oral – Professional

(14) Lake June Renovation Project Andrew Yung and Aaron Kern Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Camden, AR [email protected]

Lake June is a 50 acre lake located in Stamps, AR. Built in the late 1800’s, the lake has been a popular fishing location for residents of Lafayette County for decades, but time had taken its toll on both the water level control infrastructure and fish habitat. The spillway was undermined by floodwaters in 2014, and the lake was no longer able to be held at full pool during dry periods. Additionally, due to sediment build-up, the lake had become extremely shallow along the shorelines, which degraded fish habitat, led to dense weed growth around the lake, and made shore fishing extremely difficult. Given the importance of this waterbody to the residents of southwest Arkansas and the dire need to replace the water control structures, AGFC agreed to enter into a collaborative project with the City of Stamps and Lafayette County in order to renovate Lake June. After 130 years Lake June has gotten a much-needed renovation to both the water control infrastructure and fish habitat. Lake June has provided great fishing opportunities for the citizens of Southwest Arkansas for over 100 years, and this project hopes to make it even better during the next 100 years.

Oral – Professional

(15) Evaluating the Utility of an Age-Length-Key in Estimating Growth Parameters: A Largemouth Bass Example Sean Lusk1 and Christopher Middaugh2 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hot Springs, AR 2Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

Sound fisheries management revolves around a basic understanding and estimates of population vital rates, and in particular, growth. Largemouth Bass growth is often evaluated via a von Bertalanffy growth curve fit to weighted mean lengths-at-age calculated using aged fish from a sub-sample of the population (e.g., 10 fish per 25 mm length bin). However, von Bertalanffy growth curves could also be fit using individual fish lengths after applying an age-length-key to age all unaged fish in a sample. Potentially, the input data used to fit the von Bertalanffy model can influence parameter estimates derived from the growth curve. In this study, we use empirical age data from a Largemouth Bass population to inform a simulation model comparing final von Bertalanffy parameters calculated using weighted mean lengths-at-age from only aged fish, and using all fish in the sample after applying an age-length-key. We simulate a range of sample sizes and variabilities in collected data and compare resulting von Bertalanffy parameter estimates to the values used to inform the simulation. Results indicate that both methods were similar in accuracy in predicting von Bertalanffy parameters, but using an age-length-key was generally more precise by decreasing relative error in most simulations.

Oral – Professional

(16) Current Management Efforts for Alligator Gar across Their Historic U.S. Range Eric Brinkman1, Daniel J. Daugherty2, Nathan G. Smith2, and Matt Wegener3 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Hope, AR 2Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Mountain Home, TX 3Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FL [email protected]

Since the late 2000s natural resource agencies have increased focus on management of Alligator Gar due to conservation concerns and increased angler interest. In an effort to understand the magnitude and variation of management actions across the U.S., fisheries managers from state agencies where Alligator Gar populations are native were surveyed. A Google Forms document was distributed to participants, consisting of multiple choice and open response questions, and a population status map. Survey topics covered general management, population viability, harvest management, stocking and research needs. Response rate was 100%. Fifty-seven percent of respondents (N= 8) indicated that Alligator Gar populations were stable or improving in their state. Most states (N= 9) have documented juvenile fish in their populations. Eight states have closed commercial fishing, and five closed recreational harvest. Eight have implemented stocking programs, citing reestablishment of extirpated populations as the most common purpose. Research needs included stock assessments, population dynamics and habitat studies. A range-wide population status map was compiled. This summary of current management status across the species U.S. range provides a much-needed status update roughly a decade after Alligator Gar were listed as vulnerable by AFS and can be used to guide future management and research efforts.

Oral – Professional

(17) Population Evaluation and Stock Contribution of Channel Catfish Stocked into Beaver Lake, Arkansas Jon Stein, Kevin Hopkins, Jordan Lindaman, Joe Adams, and Justin Hopper 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Rogers, AR [email protected]

Beaver Lake has been stocked with Channel Catfish for many years, but no stock contribution or population evaluations have taken place. In 2016, AGFC District Biologists sampled Beaver Lake with tandem baited hoop nets to evaluate the population. Channel Catfish ages ranged from 1-10 years with mean age of 3.8 and catfish were in good condition (relative weight = 93). To evaluate stock contribution 60,000 Channel Catfish were given an adipose fin clip and 20,000 were given a right pelvic clip in 2017. AGFC personnel set 60 tandem hoop net series in summer 2018 and collected 634 Channel Catfish. Stock contribution of fish less than 450 mm was 21% (101 marked fish out of 475). Samples were collected in three sections of Beaver Lake and stock contribution was 21% in the upper end, 28% in middle and 0% in the lower end (furthest from stocking sites). In 2018, all stocked fish were given an adipose fin clip and left horizontal freeze brand for evaluation in 2019. Results from the stock contribution study will determine future stocking in Beaver Lake. Oral – Professional

(18) Low-frequency Electrofishing Riverine Habitats for Blue Catfish in the Arkansas River Charles Jordan, Zach Moran, and Joseph Stoeckel Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR [email protected]

The primary sampling method for Blue Catfish is low-frequency electrofishing, but the relative effectiveness of sampling in varied riverine habitats has not been fully evaluated. Differences in catch rates and lengths of Blue Catfish were tested among three different habitats: wing dike, main channel, and channel edge. Pool 9 and 10 of the Arkansas River were stratified into the three habitat types and sampled May thru September from 2015 to 2018 using low-frequency electrofishing. Sample duration was 10 minutes, with electrofishing settings of 35 percent duty cycle, 200 V, and 15 pps. Temperature ranged from 20.3 C to 33.1 C, and catch rates ranged from 0 to 624 fish per hour. Sampling wing dikes had the highest median catch rate of 78 fish per hour, and main channel habitat had the lowest median catch rate of 24 fish per hour. All habitat catch rates were significantly different (X2 = 18.81, df = 2, P < 0.001). Fish caught in the main channel appear to under represent sizes that are greater than 300 mm. We recommend sampling wing dikes to target fish recruited to the fishery and to maximize catch rate.

Oral – Graduate Student

(19) Habitat Overlap between Hybrid Striped Bass and Largemouth Bass in DeGray Lake, Arkansas Jeremiah Salinger and Steve Lochmann University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

DeGray Lake, Arkansas supports several popular sport fisheries, including Hybrid Striped Bass Morone chrysops x M. saxatilis and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides. Concerns have been raised by Largemouth Bass anglers that interspecific competition for habitat may occur between Hybrid Striped Bass and Largemouth Bass. We analyzed the potential for competition using habitat data from a telemetry study. Pianka’s index of overlap for these two fishes in the spring, summer, and fall was 0.26, 0.87, and 0.99, respectively. These results indicate strong seasonal habitat overlap, particularly in summer and fall. Preliminary field data on habitat usage by DeGray Lake Largemouth Bass in the spring is consistent with the literature, with a preponderance of observations in vegetated shoreline. The results for Largemouth Bass are less consistent with the literature in the summer and fall, with an increased number of observations in the pelagic zone. DeGray Lake Hybrid Striped Bass habitat usage is consistent with the literature, with a large number of observations occurring in pelagic areas. These preliminary results suggest a cause for concern regarding competition for habitat between the two fishes on a seasonal basis, but further study of their interactions and diet preferences is necessary before management recommendations are made.

Oral – Graduate Student

(20) Estimation of Hybrid Striped Bass Mortality using Telemetry and Transmitter Returns in DeGray Lake, Arkansas Steve Lochmann and Jeremiah Salinger University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

Hybrid Striped Bass are stocked in reservoirs in the United States to provide anglers additional fishing opportunity and to control baitfish populations. Information on vital population rates, such as mortality and exploitation, is scarce. We conducted a tag-reward study in conjunction with a radiotelemetry study in DeGray Lake, southwest Arkansas. Fifty Hybrid Striped Bass were collected in winter 2017 and implanted with radio transmitters. Fish were also tagged with an external tag. Tag returns were monitored during the year. Fish were considered a fishing mortality if their radiotransmitters were returned to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Eight fish were harvested during the study. Hence, the unadjusted exploitation rate was 16% per year. Most exploitation occurred in the spring. Instantaneous total mortality (±SE) was 0.19 ± 0.04. Because of the observed exploitation pattern, instantaneous total mortality rate fluctuated through the year, and was highest in the spring (0.80 ± 0.10). Although no natural mortalities were observed, it is unlikely that no natural mortalities occurred. In the absence of observed natural mortality, we conclude that most of the total mortality was fishing-related. The exploitation and mortality rates should interpreted with caution. We did not adjust exploitation for non-reporting, tag loss, or tagging mortality.

Oral – Professional

(21) Observations of Largemouth Bass genetics along the lower Arkansas River, Arkansas Nick Feltz and Chelsea Tucker Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Russellville, AR [email protected]

The Arkansas River Task Force (ARTC) was formed in 2014 to develop a monitoring program and conduct research specific to the Arkansas River. Much of the early development of this program has consisted of establishing a population variation through annual monitoring or collecting initial baseline data for species and pools where data gaps exist. As Florida Bass Micropterus floridanus continue to be a species of high interest to the public and state agencies and are introduced throughout Arkansas as well as the entire Southeast, one such data gap is the genetic composition of Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides populations along the Arkansas River. It is important to capture the current genetic composition of these stocks because of the Arkansas River’s high connectivity to known stocks of Florida Bass and other major river systems. Results of genetic sampling collected in spring 2018 from four pools of the Arkansas River include the presence of Florida Bass alleles. Potential sources of these alleles and significance of these findings must be discussed to make informed management decisions.

Oral – Professional

(22) Sauger Seasonal Habitat Use and Movement in the Arkansas River Peter Leonard1 John Jackson1 and Frank Leone2 1Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR 2Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Russellville, AR [email protected]

Sauger Sander canadensis are a native game fish present in the Arkansas River and have an affinity for high nutrient levels, high turbidity, and deep moving water. Little is known about Sauger habitat use and movement among navigation pools in the Arkansas River. However, they aggregate below lock and dams during winter and early spring. We caught 50 adult Sauger using experimental gillnets downstream from dams in two navigation pools. Fish were implanted with acoustic telemetry tags. Habitat use and movement was assessed for nine months using both active and passive receivers. A passive tracking array was set up to monitor intra- and interpool movements. Interpool movement was detected for 10 Sauger in both up and down stream directions, suggesting dams may not be restrictive to the species. Habitat was based on anthropogenic influences and identified as main channel, channel edge, wing dike, dam, flats, and backwater. Compositional analysis of habitat use suggests main channel is selected for in Pool 9 and wing dike is selected for in Pools 10 and 11. Main channel habitat had the highest average depth (6.45 m) and wing dike habitat provided refuge from current and forage opportunity.

Oral – Graduate Student

(23) Assessing and Quantifying Available Spawning Habitat for Brown Trout on the Greers Ferry Tailwater Derek Owens and Steve Lochmann University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

There are numerous unanswered questions regarding Brown Trout spawning within Arkansas tailwaters. I will assess spawning characteristics and spawning locations of Brown Trout within the Greers Ferry Tailwater. Side-scan sonar mapping will be used to quantify bottom hardness and differentiate between substrate types. The assessment of bottom hardness will allow us to identify areas that may be selected as redd locations. Stratified random sampling will be conducted throughout the river to determine presence or absence of redds at sampling locations. With this information, logistic regression will be used to test significance of substrate types on redd site selection. Redd surveys will be completed to assess the distribution of redds throughout the river and the timing of redd development through the spawning season. GPS coordinates of each redd will be determined so redd locations can be placed on a georeferenced map within ESRI ArcMap 10.4.1. Microhabitat measurements including depth, velocity, and substrate particle size will be made at each redd, determining importance of those characteristics in redd site selection. Upon completion of this project, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will have solid, defensible data to inform future management decisions regarding Brown Trout spawning in the Greers Ferry Tailwater.

Oral – Graduate Student (24) Commercial Fishing in Arkansas: Acknowledging the Past and Understanding the Present Jessica Feltz1 and Kendall Moles2 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR 2Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Benton, AR [email protected]

Commercial Fishing has a long-standing history in Arkansas that dates back to the constitutional creation of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (Amendment 35). Historically, very little data has been collected on commercial anglers or their activity in the state, yielding many unanswered questions about the impact of commercial angling. However, acknowledging this gap, Jeff Quinn (AGFC Biologist) analyzed commercial fishing license data summary and conducted the first ever commercial license holder angler survey in 1999. Results indicate that less than 10% of anglers commercial fish full-time and mostly utilize commercial gear for consumption and/or recreation. These results were mirrored in the second commercial angler survey, conducted in 2018. Though no trends can be established between the two surveys as no data was collected during the 19 year gap, many similarities between the surveys were recognized. However, due to a lack of consistent data collected and no formal commercial harvest reporting system present in the state, full understanding of the impact that commercial fishing has on Arkansas’s aquatic systems has led AGFC to evaluate the importance of this demographic, both socially and biologically.

Oral – Professional

(25) Movement of Northern Snakehead within the White River, Arkansas System Micah D. Tindall1, Steve E. Lochmann2, Justin M. Homan1, Shannon Smith2 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Brinkley, Arkansas 2University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

Northern Snakehead Channa argus were first discovered in Arkansas in 2008. Little effort has been expended understanding their movements among the many interconnected waterways of the White River system. To characterize these movements, Northern Snakehead were implanted with ATS radio transmitters and released into three tributaries of the White River: the Cache River, Wattensaw Bayou, and Bayou Des Arc. Stationary receivers were used to monitor the movements made by these individuals. Additionally, attempts were made to locate fish every two weeks using a mobile receiver and locations were marked with a GPS. In particular, we observed the choices individuals made at the intersection of a tributary and the main stem of the White River. These patterns were examined across three seasons, winter (Jan-Mar), summer (June- Sept) and fall (Oct-Dec). Movement patterns differed among seasons, but was highest within tributaries. Upstream movements occurred mostly during spring and summer months, indicating that lateral spread likely occurs in warmer months. Downstream movement within the White River occurred largely during late fall and winter. Because these movements coincided with flood pulses, winter floods may explain a large portion of downstream movement.

Oral – Professional (26) Effects of Silver Carp Establishment on Native Fishes in White River Oxbow Lakes Cody Salzmann, Joseph Kaiser, Shannan Smith, and Mike Eggleton University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

Natural resource agencies nationwide have become concerned about aquatic nuisance species (ANS) to the point of adopting state-level management plans to complement existing national management plans. The newly adopted Arkansas ANS Management Plan (2013) has established specific criteria to identify focal or target species, though widespread implementation is still in the early stages. Silver Carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix are commonly listed as focal species in ANS plans. During the past decade, this species has expanded tremendously and established within the lower Mississippi River basin, including the White River. Using well-studied oxbow lakes in the lower White River, this research compared present-day fish assemblages to historical fish assemblages. Fish assemblages were assessed in 2017 (i.e., post-carp) and in a previous study in 2002 (i.e., pre-carp) using experimental gill nets, mini-fyke nets, and boat-mounted electrofishing in replicate oxbow lakes. Results suggested that fish species richness, evenness, and diversity were comparable between pre-carp and post-carp periods. Although eight species collected historically were absent in post-carp sampling, ten new species were recorded, though three of these were Asian carps. Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus abundances declined sharply between the two time periods while abundances of other lepomids increased. Analyses further detected a distinct shift in fish assemblages occurring between 2002 and 2017. Although not possible to conclude assemblage shifts were entirely related to carps, establishment of Silver Carp is the most pervasive change to have occurred in lower White River. Impacts of further range expansions by Silver Carp in Arkansas are unclear, though this study suggests possible negative influences on native fishes, which underscores the need for continued research.

Oral – Student

(27) Effects of Silver Carp on Age-0 Bluegill and Gizzard Shad Characteristics in Oxbow Lakes of the Lower White River, Arkansas Joseph Kaiser, Cody Salzmann, Shannon Smith, Michael Eggleton University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

Reports of Silver Carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix effects on native fishes are well documented in upper basins of the Mississippi River, but lacking within the lower Mississippi River (LMR). Understanding the potential influences of Silver Carp is an essential first step in preserving fisheries and biological integrity in the LMR. The objectives of this study were to: 1) examine relationships between age-0 fish characteristics (abundance, size, growth and condition) and carp densities in lower White River oxbow lakes, and 2) examine patterns between juvenile fish characteristics and environmental variables in these same lakes. Juvenile characteristics were quantified for Bluegill and Gizzard Shad and assessed during summer (July-August) and fall (October-November) in 2017. During summer, Bluegill and Gizzard Shad size and condition were related to lake-specific Silver Carp abundance (P < 0.05). Additionally, size and condition of Bluegill and Gizzard Shad were related to Silver Carp abundances during fall (P < 0.05).

Silver Carp are hypothesized to affect juvenile fishes more strongly than adults due to their voracious planktivory. However, oxbow lakes experienced seasonal environmental variations that appeared to influence Bluegill and Gizzard Shad characteristics as much as or more so than Silver Carp. This study is companioned with another project quantifying subsequent shifts in overall fish assemblages.

Oral – Graduate Student

(28) Status and Distribution of the Spectaclecase Mussel in the Ouachita River in Arkansas Kendall R. Moles, Kelly J. Irwin, Maxwell Hartman, and William R. Posey II Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

The Spectaclecase Mussel Cumberlandia monodonta (Say, 1829) was listed as a federally endangered species in March 2012. This species historically occurred in 44 rivers within the Mississippi River Basin, but known populations have been reduced to 20 rivers, a 55% decline. Of the 20 extant rivers, six have records based on only one or two individuals. Prior to 2012, the known distribution for C. monodonta in Arkansas was from scattered records in the Ouachita (n=4) and Mulberry (n=1) rivers. The Ouachita River records were based on three live individuals collected within a 56 km reach between Tates Bluff and Camden and one relic shell from above Lake Ouachita. We conducted surveys for the species in 93 river km of the Ouachita River and discovered a total of 13 populations, from Arkadelphia to Camden. Intensive systematic sampling was initiated to delineate suitable habitat, determine demographics, and estimate population size at suitable sites. The number of individuals encountered at each of these new sites ranged from a few to thousands of individuals. Preliminary results indicate robust populations with consistent recruitment at several sites.

Oral – Professional

(29) Life History of two Undescribed Lamsilis Species in Arkansas Kendall R. Moles and Andrea C. Russenberger Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

Population characteristics and life history aspects of many mussel species are poorly understood. Currently, there are two undescribed Lampsilis species that were historically treated as Lampsilis hydiana, but are now considered genetically distinct and warrant elevation to species. The Red River Mucket, Lampsilis sp. B cf. hydiana, and Arkoma Fatmucket, Lampsilis sp. A cf. hydiana, are considered at risk species in AR. Reproductive cycle, host fish suitability, age and growth, and population structure of these two species were examined. Both species were confirmed to be bradytictic species, spawning in the late summer and holding glochidia in the gills months until the following summer. Fecundity was positively related to mussel length (R ≥ 0.92) but differed between species (p < 0.0001). Twenty one species of sympatric fish were infested with glochidia in the laboratory to determine potential hosts. Juveniles successfully transformed on Lepomis cyanellus, Micropterus dolomieu, M. punctulatus, and M. salmoides. Based upon thin-sections,

individuals live to at least 11 y and males grew faster and obtained a larger size than females in the Red River Mucket but not the Arkoma Fatmucket.

Oral – Professional

(30) Occupancy of the Ouachita Darter and Associated Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Little Missouri and Ouachita Rivers Jeffrey Quinn1, Maxwell Hartman2, Will Glenn1, and Dustin Lynch3 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Mayflower, AR 2Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Benton, AR 3Arkansas Department of Natural Heritage, Little Rock, AR [email protected]

The Ouachita Darter Percina brucethompsoni is an imperiled endemic species only found in the Ouachita River basin, and dams have highly fragmented the range of the species. Our objective was to use trawling to determine occupancy and probability of detection of all Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SCGN) in the Ouachita and Little Missouri rivers. We used a stratified spatial occupancy design with three strata per river and ten random 600-m sites per strata. Three random 100-m long trawl hauls were made at each 600-meter site. Flooding prevented us from sampling several strata and hindered sampling efforts. We captured a total of 29 Ouachita Darters at 28 sites with 84 total trawl hauls of effort, and 79% of captures were from the Little Missouri River. Occupancy of Ouachita Darter in the Little Missouri River was estimated as 0.55 (95% CI: 0.19-0.87) and detection probability was 0.44 (95% CI: 0.17-0.74). Other SCGN taxa captured included 185 Percina uranidea, 226 Percina vigil, 23 Crystallaria asprella, and 15 Ammocrypta clara. Ouachita Darters were difficult to detect in the Ouachita River. We recommend that future trawling studies should increase the number of hauls per site or use snorkeling to improve detection probabilities.

Oral – Professional

(31) Fecundity of Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae in an impounded reach of the Lower Flint River, GA. Aaron Kern1, Steven Sammons2, and Travis Ingram3 1Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Camden, AR 2 Auburn University, Auburn, AL 3Georgia Department of Natural Resources, GA [email protected]

The Shoal Bass Micropterus cataractae is a black bass endemic to the Apalachicola- Chattahoochee-Flint River (ACF) system in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, and has experienced population declines throughout much of its native range. The recently approved range-wide Shoal Bass Management Plan outlines increased stockings as one approach to address the effects of habitat degradation and hybridization. Increased stocking rates to “swamp” introgressive effects from non-native black bass has proven effective at reducing the occurrence of non-native alleles in other native black bass populations (i.e., Guadalupe Bass). The only known estimates of Shoal Bass fecundity are decades old, and updated estimates are provided here. To improve

hatchery production and field collection efforts, relationships between fecundity estimates and multiple common field and laboratory measurements were examined. Results suggest that larger, older individuals may be more important to the persistence of Shoal Bass populations than previously thought, and that the collection of fewer, larger fish for hatchery operations would be more beneficial to conservation efforts than the collection of more, smaller fish.

Oral – Professional

(32) Factors Influencing Fishing Activities Among Minority Teenagers in Arkansas: Evidence from a Random Control Experiment Pengfei Liu, Annette Fields, and Steve Lochmann University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

We investigate factors that may potentially influence the participation of fishing activities among minority teenagers based on a randomized control experiment during the 700 Youth Empowerment Summit Workshop at Arkansas. The workshop includes about 700 high school teenagers sponsored by a non-profit organization. We leverage the unique event to compare the influence of several common motivations for recreational fishing. In our experiment, we randomly assign teenagers to one of the four treatment groups indicating fishing encourages 1) the appreciation of nature, 2) family bonding, 3) self-reliance and patience, 4) all of the three above, and 5) a control group without mentioning the benefit of fishing. We then compare the change in the fishing days and the likelihood of purchasing a license among the five experimental groups. We find that the self-reliance and patience treatment is the most effective way in increasing the likelihood of purchasing a fishing license. The appreciation of nature and family bonding treatments have positive influences, but the effects are not statistically significant. We find the only the combined treatments (i.e., including all three motivations) significantly influence the days of fishing. Our results provide important implications on how to recruit the next generation anglers.

Oral – Professional

(33) Smallmouth Bass Feeding Dynamics in Headwater Streams in the Boston Mountains Brandon Plunkett and Charles Gagen Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR [email protected]

Arkansas represents the southern extent of the Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu native range and includes intermittent streams leading to pool isolation. Reduced riffle and run habitat, potential competitors, and increasing temperatures in summer could challenge Smallmouth Bass feeding habits. We monitored potential diet changes of Smallmouth Bass in relation to habitat characteristics and presence of other piscivores. We sampled Smallmouth Bass from seven, similarly-sized streams in the Boston Mountain ecoregion of Arkansas during the summer of 2018. In addition to Smallmouth Bass (≥ 150 mm), we targeted Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus (≥ 100 mm) and Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus (≥ 100 mm) by electrofishing three designated pools in each stream on two occasions. Total length and wet weight were

measured, and we extracted stomach contents by pulsed gastric lavage. Stomach contents were preserved in an ethanol solution for later measurement of diet weight and volume. Smallmouth Bass and Green Sunfish had decreasing stomach fullness as temperature increased, while Creek Chub had increasing stomach fullness as temperature increased. Median stomach fullness ((wet weight of stomach contents / weight of predator) x 100) was higher in Green Sunfish (0.197) than both Smallmouth Bass (0.127) and Creek Chub (0.079). Crayfish were the dominant prey item in Smallmouth Bass diets, and stomach fullness from consumed crayfish decreased as temperature increased.

Oral – Graduate Student

POSTER ABSTRACTS 33rd Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (P-1) Constructing a Distributional Map for Winter Stonefly Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Arkansas Brianna Hillebrand and Michelle Evans-White University of Arkansas, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Fayetteville, AR [email protected]

Stoneflies (Order: Plecoptera) are important detritivores for freshwater ecosystems due to their ability to channel terrestrial detritus into stream food webs. Stoneflies serve as bio-indicators of water quality due to their sensitivity to polluted water. The winter stonefly (Allocapnia spp.) is a species of greatest conservation need in Arkansas. A formal survey of Allocapnia has not occurred in Arkansas in more than 25 years. One goal of this project is to collect distribution data from the Arkansas and White River basins concerning Allocapnia with particular focus on A. warreni due to its supposed extinction. The nymphs will be collected in their final instar, reared in the lab to adulthood, and then identified due to the difficulty in identifying Allocapnia as nymphs and collecting them as adults. A second goal of this project is to collect baseline information regarding the winter stonefly habitat (e.g. water temperature, water quality, and flow characteristics) and characteristics of the watershed throughout the year. These data will go on to guide possible conservation efforts.

Poster – Graduate Student

(P-2) Method Development to Assess Physical Habitat in Arkansas Reservoirs Jamie Kindschuh and Jonathan Spurgeon University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

Reservoirs, created through the impoundment of streams and rivers, are comprised of complex physical habitat (i.e., wood structure, aquatic vegetation, substrate) that vary in space and time. There is, currently, limited research that focuses on the development of standardized sampling methods to assess the amount and distribution of physical habitat in reservoir systems. The purpose of this study is to develop a standard framework to evaluate the status of physical habitat within Arkansas reservoirs located in highland and lowland regions. Multiple sampling methods including side-scan sonar will be used to assess habitat within reservoirs. Habitat will be layered in ArcMap 10.6.1 to provide a snapshot image of the true population of each habitat type. Sample designs and techniques will be evaluated and compared to known habitat quantities. The developed framework will be verified with field sampling. Increased knowledge regarding the abundance and distribution of physical habitat within reservoirs may benefit habitat rehabilitation projects as well as provide a mechanism with which to test hypotheses regarding ecological responses to gradients in habitat abundance and distribution.

Poster – Graduate Student

(P-3) Assessment of Walleye in the Eleven Point River, Arkansas, Following a Six-Year Stocking Gap Dustin R. Thomas1, Brett Timmons2, Brook L. Fluker1, and Allison Asher2 1Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 2Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Jonesboro, AR [email protected]

The Eleven Point River contains a natural population of Walleye, Sander vitreus. Supplemental stocking of Walleye in Arkansas has occurred in the Eleven Point River since 1986. The river is managed for multiple sport fish species, but it was not until 2002 that researchers began to investigate the complexities of Walleye stocking programs in the Eleven Point River. Researchers discovered a unique mitochondrial DNA haplotype for the native population in the Black River drainage. The native haplotype is identified as Black River Strain Walleye. From 1986 to 2011, a non-native northern strain known as White River Strain Walleye were stocked into the Eleven Point River. This project will assess the Walleye stocking program in the Eleven Point River using haplotype frequencies, growth, and relative abundance. Population dynamics between strains of Walleye will be compared, and microsatellite data will be used to determine the prevalence of the non-native genes. Preliminary results from 2017-2018 sampling in the Eleven Point River follows a six-year gap in Walleye stocking since 2011. These data show a relative abundance of less than half in 2017 (2.8/hr.) than in 2011 (5.8/hr.). Relative abundance in 2018 (11/hr.) was more than double the relative abundance estimated in 2011.

Poster – Graduate Student

(P-4) Variation in Habitat Use and Body Condition of Etheostoma caeruleum and Etheostoma fragi in the Strawberry River, Arkansas Blake Mitchell, Jennifer Main, Ginny Adams, and Reid Adams University of Central Arkansas, Department of Biology, Conway, AR [email protected]

The Strawberry River is occupied by 19 fishes listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the endemic Etheostoma fragi. We explored potential differences in habitat use and body morphometrics between E. fragi and the more widespread E. caeruleum to better understand interactions between these two species. Totals of 453 E. fragi and 571 E. caeruleum were collected during 2017 and 2018 across 30 sites. Compared to historical data (1970-1980s), E. fragi was found at three additional sites and in higher abundance overall. Mean relative abundance E. fragi to E. caeruleum was significantly higher in pools (0.67 +0.08) compared to riffles (0.28 +0.06) and runs (0.20 +0.1) (P < 0.001). At 40% of sites where E. fragi was detected, they were found at 2X or greater abundance in pools compared to riffles, while E. caeruleum showed the opposite pattern. Both species showed similar condition (ANCOVA, p>0.05) within a species across habitat types (riffle, run, pool). Based on our data, future monitoring should include pool and run habitat to increase detection probability of E. fragi. Our data suggest E. fragi is stable or expanding within the system and interactions with E. caeruleum are probably influenced by habitat segregation.

Poster – Undergraduate Student

(P-5) Phylogeographic Analyses Suggest Cryptic Diversity within the Bluntnose Darter, Etheostoma chlorosoma Hilary K. Canada, Brittany L. McCall, and Brook L. Fluker Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR [email protected]

Pervious morphological studies of the Bluntnose Darter Etheostoma chlorosoma revealed little variation among populations across the Gulf Coastal Plain. Although some western populations (e.g. Colorado River, Texas) showed significant divergence from other populations, there was little support for taxonomic recognition. We sampled E. chlorosoma from multiple river drainages across the southeastern United States to examine patterns of phylogeographic structuring among populations throughout its distribution range. Phylogeographic reconstructions and species tree estimations were conducted using the mtDNA cytochrome b gene and six nuclear DNA loci of sampled individuals. Preliminary results from phylogenetic analyses of nuclear DNA markers revealed a pattern of divergence between two clades of E. chlorosoma; western group including all populations in and west of the Sabine River, and an eastern group including populations east of the Sabine River. mtDNA preliminary analyses revealed a phylogeographic break among eastern and western haplogroups. However, mtDNA- based patterns suggest multiple instances of mtDNA introgression among eastern and western haplogroups since their initial divergence. Despite this pattern of mtDNA introgression, divergence among eastern and western clades of E. chlorosoma suggests unrecognized cryptic diversity. Increased sampling across the distribution will need to be incorporated to fully understand the taxonomic status of these unique clades.

Poster – Undergraduate Student

(P-6) Taxonomic Evaluation of the Goldstripe Darter, Etheostoma parvipinne, Using Species Delimitation Methods with Molecular and Morphological Data River A. Watson1, Brook L. Fluker1, and Bernard R. Kuhajda2 1Arkansas State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Jonesboro, AR 2Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institution, TN [email protected]

The Goldstripe Darter, Etheostoma parvipinne, inhabits shallow spring-fed streams in the Gulf Coastal Plain from the Colorado River drainage in Texas to the Altamaha River drainage in Georgia. This wide range potentially allows for large amounts of variation within the species, as shown by similar species with wide spread ranges whose studies have resulted in divisions into multiple species. A previous morphological study of E. parvipinne revealed a population above the fall line in the Black Warrior River drainage to be a distinct species; the Rush Darter, E. phytophilum. This discovery allowed insight into the speciation of the Goldstripe Darter through statements of the differing scale counts in different populations. Preliminary data showed a deep phylogenetic rift for E. parvipinne populations east and west of the Mississippi River resulting in two separate clades. Mitochondrial DNA data and novel nuclear DNA markers are being added to the previous data, with the objective of providing finer resolution of the phylogenetic disconnection between populations east and west of the Mississippi River. Additional sampling of individuals and molecular markers, meristic and morphometric analyses, and species

delimitation methods will be used to fully understand the cryptic diversity and taxonomic uncertainty within the species.

Poster – Undergraduate Student

(P-7) Assessing the Biodiversity of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages in Northeast Arkansas Agricultural Ditches Emma Martin and Jennifer Bouldin Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR [email protected]

Agriculture in Arkansas is a $3 billion/year industry with 41% of land devoted to the industry. Runoff from farmland collects in ditches and often contains contaminants that negatively affect water quality and the aquatic life therein. These ditches are historically understudied, but can support a wide variety of both flora and fauna. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are one such group that have a wide range of sensitivities to pollutants making them good indicators of water quality and ecosystem health. The purpose of this study is to quantify macroinvertebrate diversity in two agricultural ditch systems in northeast Arkansas to assess water quality. Methods based on the US EPA Rapid Bioassessment Protocols and published studies were used to collect macroinvertebrates from six sites in two watersheds in April and September 2018. Organisms were preserved in 70% ethanol and transported to the Ecotoxicology Research Facility at Arkansas State University for identification using insect keys, and additional literature for non- insect taxa. Using multiple diversity indices, these ditches were assessed to have overall poor water quality and no significant difference between watersheds, although slight improvements in abundance and species richness were measure between seasonal surveys.

Poster – Graduate Student

(P-8) History of Spring River Crayfish (Faxonius roberti) Collections in the Strawberry River, Arkansas Brian Wagner Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Benton, AR [email protected]

The Spring River Crayfish (Faxonius roberti) was recently distinguished from the Coldwater Crayfish (Faxonius eupunctus), encompassing its range in the Spring and Strawberry river basins. It was first detected in the Strawberry basin in a tributary in 1972 and the main river in 1974 - neither have yielded specimens in more recent sampling. In 2006 it was found at a low water crossing 17.6 km downstream. A 2010-11 study only collected 4 individuals from one site in the basin using quantitative kick-seining, suggesting lower abundance in the Strawberry. In 2011 snorkeling collections extended the range downstream 14.3 km from the 2006 collection. In 2016 efforts began to better understand of the species range in this river by kayaking between access points and searching selected riffles. This documented 8 additional sites, including one 9 km upstream of the 2006 site. In 2017 efforts continued above and below the area surveyed in 2016. Upstream collections searched an additional 2 km above the 1974 collection, but did not locate any occupied sites. Downstream searches extended the occupied stream reach by 17.1

km. Combined, this documents that F. roberti currently occupies at minimum 15 sites over a 40.4 km section of the Strawberry River.

Poster – Professional

(P-9) The Rearing of Advanced Fingerling Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) at Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery 2018 Chad Wicker, Jason Miller, Marc Dyer, Chris Baker, and Cody Speight Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Lonoke, AR [email protected]

Lake Greenlee, located in Brinkley, AR, has an over abundant Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) population, with a catch per unit of effort (CPUE) electrofishing of 1,500 Green Sunfish/hour. To control this overpopulation, 3,300 Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), at 6/acre, with an average total length of 125 mm, were requested. The lengths for Green Sunfish in Lake Greenlee ranged from 60 mm to 160 mm, with the largest gape widths of approximately 22 mm. A Flathead Catfish 125 mm in length has an average head width greater than 25 mm. The goal was to culture Flatheads to a size that would limit predation from Green Sunfish. For the past four years this has been an ongoing management practice to enhance the fishery of the lake. Recommendations from the 2016 advanced fingerling grow out period inferred that pond culture using Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) as forage would be the most efficient culture method. In addition, fewer Flathead brood pairs were utilized to make the project more economical. Cohorts in each pond were stocked at a density of 15,026 fry/acre with a high density of Fathead minnows to improve survival. Lengths and weights were taken biweekly. Growth and costs were both factored for economical comparisons to former years. The project produced Flathead Catfish fry for Colorado, Auburn University, and Flathead fingerlings for Texas. As well as, advanced Flathead fingerlings for Lake Greenlee and Frierson in Arkansas and the state of Mississippi.

Poster – Professional

(P-10) Including Action Camera Gear Type in Multi-Gear Approach for Indexing Silver Carp Abundance Joseph Kaiser, Cody Salzmann, Shannon Smith, and Michael Eggleton University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, Pine Bluff, AR [email protected]

Silver Carp Hypopthalmichthys molitrix is a highly invasive fish species found ubiquitously throughout the Mississippi River basin. These fish are considered to be gear-shy, and difficult to capture with traditional gear types. A potential efficient and cost-effective technique that could be used to index Silver Carp in situ abundance is videography. Action cameras were utilized with traditional methodologies to quantify Silver Carp abundance in 15 oxbow lakes within the lower White River, Arkansas during summer and fall 2017. There was a significant relationship between area of uncertainty (AoU) and distance from cameras (P < 0.01). However, the average predicted number of Silver Carp lost with the camera array was less than one individual for each technique. The number of Silver Carp lost with the camera configuration increased in lakes with

large surface areas and lower volumes. Camera techniques also experienced seasonal differences in catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE; P < 0.05), whereas traditional dip-net and gillnet techniques did not reflect significant seasonal differences (P > 0.05). A comprehensive ranking system for all gears was developed that incorporated seasonal differences among gears. Videography may be an efficient and cost-effective sampling tool for studies on Silver Carp.

Poster – Graduate Student

(P-11) Reproductive Ecology of Alligator Gar in a River-Floodplain Ecosystem Reid Adams1, Tommy Inebnit2, Chris Naus3, Lindsey Lewis2, Geoffry Spooner1, and Edward Kluender4 1University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR 2U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conway, AR 3Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, North Little Rock, AR 4Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO [email protected]

Better knowledge of where, when, and how alligator gar, Atractosteus spatula, spawn and factors influencing reproductive success will aid understanding of population declines and inform managers in recovering populations. Starting in 2007, we continuously monitored reproduction at a floodplain tributary of the Fourche LaFave River (FLR) in Arkansas on about a yearly basis. Spawning is associated with flooding of the lower FLR during spring/early summer when channel water temperatures warm to at least the low/mid 20s (Celsius). Adults leave the river channel and swim upstream in floodplain tributaries during the ascending limb of the flood and spawn over a short period of time (< 24 hrs) in flooded herbaceous vegetation in proximity to tributary channels. A banner year for data collection through the fall juvenile stage occurred during 2007 when flooding extended into July. In other years, we have observed no spawning attempts, presumably due to lack of flooding, de-coupled flooding/temperature regimes, and/or lack of suitable vegetation. There have been instances where eggs were spawned, but immediately desiccated due to receding water levels. Floodplain connectivity via floodplain tributaries, extended late spring/summer flooding, and availability of herbaceous moist soil vegetation enhanced reproductive success of alligator gar in our system.

Poster – Professional

(P-12) Blue Catfish Movement and Habitat Selection in the Arkansas River Charles Jordan, Zach Moran, and Joseph Stoeckel Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR [email protected]

Understanding habitat use and movement patterns facilitates sampling and management of Blue Catfish. To better understand use patterns in Pools 9 and 10 of the Arkansas River, we implanted acoustic transmitters in 95 fish and tracked their movements from May through September in 2016 and from March through November in 2018. Differences in habitat selection were identified using compositional analysis. Blue Catfish disproportionately selected for wing dikes, frequently used main channel habitat, and used channel edge habitat to a lesser degree than main

channel. They tended to avoid flats and backwaters. Distances moved from the original capture location were small (Median = 4.31 km, Range = 0.03-73.98 km). Differences in upstream and downstream dispersion was tested using a Wilcoxon sign rank test. Upstream movement away from capture location was significantly greater than downstream movement away from capture location (V = 2337.5, P = 0.007). Three fish moved upstream through locks, but returned to the original capture pool. In general, fish exhibited relatively high site fidelity oriented around structure, with occasional large scale movements.

Poster – Graduate Student

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