DOCSLIB.ORG

Final NASPS Newsletter V2I2 Cover

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Final NASPS Newsletter V2I2 Cover North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society THE LIVING FOSSIL Volume 2 ISSUE 2 | SEPTEMBER 2015 IN THIS ISSUE Society updates MEETING DETAILS Student travel awards AWARD WINNERS In the news FISHING, RESEARCH, AND REGULATIONS Scaphirhynchus spotlight SHOVELNOSE STURGEON 70+ years of managing a successful Lake Sturgeon fishery WINNEBAGO SYSTEM OSHKOSH 2015! LAKE STURGEON 72 PRESENTATIONS Feature Article: Highlighting sturgeon and 19 POSTERS paddlefish recovery teams 3 WORKSHOPS SOUNDS SHED LIGHT ON 4 FORUM DISCUSSIONS GULF STURGEON SOCIALS, BANQUET & MORE! AND THEIR HABITATS NASPS MISSION STATEMENT The North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Society (NASPS) was founded in 2012 at the Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society in St. Paul, MN, and is the North American affiliate of the World Sturgeon Conservation Society. Seeking to address current declines in sturgeon and paddlefish populations across North America, NASPS is dedicated to promoting the conservation and restoration of these species by developing and advancing research pertaining to their biology, management, and utilization. Distributing scientific, cultural, and historical information related to sturgeon and paddlefish in North America and encouraging the inclusion of sturgeon and paddlefish fisheries science in college and continuing education curricula is critical to achieving these objectives. As such, NASPS recognizes the importance of engaging NASPS members, local, national, and international government organizations, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the general public through publications, professional meetings, and community events. Volume 2 Issue 2 1 THE LIVING FOSSIL VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 | SEPTEMBER 2015 Table of Contents Letter from the President ............................................................................ 3 Society Updates .......................................................................................... 4 NASPS Annual Meeting ........................................................................... 4 NASPS Meeting Schedule at a Glance ....................................................... 8 Species Spotlight ........................................................................................ 9 Sturgeon and Paddlefish in the News ....................................................... 11 Feature Article .......................................................................................... 12 Sounds Sheds Light on Gulf Sturgeon and their Habitats: an Evolving Approach to Sturgeon Recovery Utilizing Low-Cost Side Scan Sonar ... 12 Heterocercal Tales .................................................................................... 19 2015 Winnebago Lake Sturgeon Update .................................................. 20 Publication Updates .................................................................................. 23 On the Cover: A juvenile White Sturgeon being released into the Columbia River. Photo Credit: Chad Fritz, Cranbrook, BC, Canada. Volume 2 Issue 2 2 Letter from the President Dear NASPS Members, We are busy preparing for an excellent 2015 annual meeting in Oshkosh, WI on October 19-22, 2015. We have workshops that will be held on Monday the 19th followed by 2½ days of presentations. We have 72 oral presentations that will be given in concurrent sessions each day and 14 posters presented at the Poster Social on Wednesday. We are excited to have four forum discussions throughout the meeting focusing on the Application of Telemetry for Sturgeons and Paddlefish Conservation and Management, the Bottlenecks to Sturgeons and Paddlefish Recovery, Fish Passage, and Conservation Genetics for Sturgeons and Paddlefish. As well, we will have several social events starting on Monday with the Welcome Social and ending with our banquet and raffle on Wednesday evening. We are pleased to announce the winners of our two travel awards: Emily Miller, Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Peter Klimley's Biotelemetry Lab in the Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis, and Alex DiJohnson, a M.S. Candidate in Dr. Dewayne Fox's lab in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Delaware State University. The awards will be presented at the banquet on Wednesday evening. More information about the meeting can be found in this newsletter and on our website at http://www.nasps-sturgeon.org/conferences/north-american-conference- announcements.aspx. Don’t forget the registration deadline is October 2. On behalf of the NASPS Executive Committee, we look forward to seeing you in Oshkosh. Sincerely, Molly A.H. Webb, Ph.D. President Volume 2 Issue 2 3 Society Updates NASPS Annual Meeting Important Registration Dates: Don’t miss out! With summer winding down, now is the time to start planning for your attendance at the 19-22 October 2015 NASPS annual meeting in Oshkosh WI. Here are the important dates: To allow workshop organizers sufficient time to prepare presentation materials, the registration deadline for the workshops is September 14. The registration deadline for the meeting has been extended to October 2. The last day to request refunds for either the meeting registration or the workshops is October 12. Accommodations - Book your room ASAP! The Best Western Premier, adjacent to the convention center, will serve as the host hotel and is offering a room block under the name of NASPS. Hotel: http://www.oshkoshwaterfronthotel.com/hotel_rooms_suites.phtml Convention Center: http://www.oshkoshwaterfronthotel.com/oshkosh_meetings_events.phtml Registration Packet Pickup: Pick up your registration packet up starting at 3 PM outside of the Oshkosh Convention Center Conference Rooms (Paul L and BF Carter Rooms). Workshops: The meeting will offer three workshops on Monday October 19th (Workshop 1: Using Genetics to Improve Sturgeon and Paddlefish Management and Conservation, Workshop 2: Sturgeon and Paddlefish Age Estimation and Tagging Workshop, Workshop 3: Techniques to Determine Sex and Stage of Maturity in Sturgeons and Paddlefish). The last day to register for workshops is September 14th. Meeting Socials: A welcome social will be held on Monday October 19th from 6-9 PM, a student-mentor social will be held on Tuesday October 20th from 5:30-7:00 PM, and the poster session (6-7 PM) will precede a banquet and raffle on Wednesday October 22nd from 7-10 PM. Volume 2 Issue 2 4 Student-Mentor Social: The Student-Mentor Social will be held on Tuesday October 20th from 5:30-7:00 PM. It will be a great time to discuss research projects with the NASPS students. Appetizers will be provided. Please email David Deslauriers ([email protected]) if you would like to participate and include your name, if you are a Student or Mentor, agency/institution, and your area of professional interest. Student Travel Award: Student Travel Awards for the NASPS 2015 Annual Meeting have been awarded to one Masters student and one Ph.D. student. The winners are: MS: Alex DiJohnson, Delaware State Univ Ph.D.: Emily Miller, UC Davis Emily Miller is a Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Peter Klimley's Biotelemetry Lab in the Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis. Her dissertation examines spatio-temporal distributions and niche partitioning among Green and White Sturgeon in the San Francisco Bay, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and Sacramento River. Emily will be presenting a talk entitled “Green and White Sturgeon migratory movements in the San Francisco Bay, Delta, and Sacramento River, California” at the NASPS annual meeting in Oshkosh WI. Alex DiJohnson is a M.S. Candidate in Dr. Dewayne Fox's lab in the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Delaware State University. His thesis examines fine-scale behavior and habitat use of Atlantic Sturgeon relative to the presence of commercial shipping in the Delaware River. Alex will be presenting a talk entitled “Behavioral response of adult Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) to commercial shipping in the Delaware River” at the NASPS annual meeting in Oshkosh WI. Slideshow at Annual Meeting: We will have a slideshow of photos running during the Banquet Wednesday night. Please share your photos of sturgeon and paddlefish, and we will include them in the slideshow. Send them to info@nasps- sturgeon.com Donation for Funding Raising Raffle: We are still requesting donations for our funding raising raffle at our annual meeting. The proceeds from the raffle will be used to fund a student travel award to our annual meeting and continuation of the NASPS newsletter. With your donation, please include your name and/or business card so that we may properly acknowledge your generosity. Any donation would be greatly appreciated. Should you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Cam Barth (Canada; 204-794-6521) or Zach Snobl (USA; 715-829-0979). Volume 2 Issue 2 5 Additional information pertaining to the annual meeting can be found on our website: http://www.nasps-sturgeon.org/conferences/north-american-conference- announcements.aspx. Stay tuned for information about loading your talks for the meeting Other Society News NASPS Annual Meeting Rotation: Member Survey: Recently, a survey was circulated to all members to help the NASPS Governing Board set a schedule for annual meetings over the next several years. In particular, NASPS is trying to determine how often we should hold NASPS standalone meetings. NASPS requests that members complete the survey by September 18th to help us make an informed decision that will best serve the interests of our members.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Yangtze Sturgeon (Acipenser Dabryanus) - Sturgeons
    Pond Life - Yangtze Sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) - Sturgeons http://www.pond-life.me.uk/sturgeon/acipenserdabryanus.php Search Pond Life... Home Sturgeons Koi Other Fish Fish Health Ponds Plants Forums Contents Yangtze Sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) Home Sturgeons Acipenseriformes Sturgeon Food & Feeding Sturgeon Care Sheet Sturgeon Guide Sturgeon Species List Adriatic Sturgeon Alabama Sturgeon Amu Darya Sturgeon Amur Sturgeon Atlantic Sturgeon Beluga Sturgeon Chinese Paddlefish Chinese Sturgeon Yangtze Sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) photo from the website of CAFS Common Sturgeon (http://zzzy.fishinfo.cn/) Diamond Sturgeon Dwarf Sturgeon by Karen Paul Green Sturgeon Description: The Yangtze Sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) has 8-13 dorsal scutes, 26-39 lateral Gulf Sturgeon scutes, 9-13 ventral scutes, 44-57 dorsal fin rays and 25-36 anal fin rays. Colouration ranges from Kaluga Sturgeon dark grey to brown-grey on the back to white on the ventral side. The body is rough because it is Lake Sturgeon covered with small pointed denticles. The four barbels are located closer to the mouth than the end Paddlefish of the snout. The Yangtze Sturgeon can reach 1.3 meters in length and a weight of 16kg. Pallid Sturgeon Persian Sturgeon Sakhalin Sturgeon Ship Sturgeon Shortnose Sturgeon Shovelnose Sturgeon Siberian Sturgeon Stellate Sturgeon Sterlet Syr Darya Sturgeon White Sturgeon Yangtze Sturgeon Sturgeon Videos Koi Other Fish Fish Health Yangtze Sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) photo from the website of CAFS Ponds (http://zzzy.fishinfo.cn/) Plants Forums Wild Distribution: Asia; restricted to the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River system, Search rarely seen below the Gezhouba Dam. The Yangtze Sturgeon is a potamodromous (freshwater only) species.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Life History Stages of Gulf Sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida Kenneth J
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USGS Staff -- ubP lished Research US Geological Survey 1998 Early Life History Stages of Gulf Sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida Kenneth J. Sulak Florida–Caribbean Science Center Biological Resources Division, [email protected] James P. Clugston Florida–Caribbean Science Center Biological Resources Division Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub Part of the Geology Commons, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons, and the Other Environmental Sciences Commons Sulak, Kenneth J. and Clugston, James P., "Early Life History Stages of Gulf Sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida" (1998). USGS Staff -- Published Research. 1070. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub/1070 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the US Geological Survey at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USGS Staff -- ubP lished Research by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 127:758±771, 1998 American Fisheries Society 1998 Early Life History Stages of Gulf Sturgeon in the Suwannee River, Florida KENNETH J. SULAK* AND JAMES P. C LUGSTON1 Florida±Caribbean Science Center Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey 7920 Northwest 71st Street, Gainesville, Florida 32653, USA Abstract.ÐEgg sampling con®rmed that Suwannee River Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, a subspecies of Atlantic sturgeon A. o. oxyrinchus use the same spawning site at river kilometer (rkm) 215 from the mouth of the river each year.
    [Show full text]
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service Revised
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Revised RECOVERY PLAN for the Pallid Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) Original Plan Approved: November 1993 Prepared by: Pallid Sturgeon Recovery Coordinator U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Billings, Montana For Mountain-Prairie Region U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Denver, CO January 2014 DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate reasonable actions that are believed necessary to recover and/or protect listed species. Plans are prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sometimes with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Plans are reviewed by the public and subject to additional peer review before they are adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Objectives will only be attained and funds expended contingent upon appropriations, priorities, and other budgetary constraints. Recovery plans do not obligate other parties to undertake specific tasks. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views nor the official positions or approval of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They represent the official position of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only after they have been signed by the Regional Director or Director as approved. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species’ status, and the completion of recovery tasks. Copies of all documents reviewed in development of the plan are available in the administrative record, located at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Billings, Montana.
    [Show full text]
  • Caviar and Conservation
    Caviar and Conservation Status, Management, and Trade of North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish Douglas F.Williamson May 2003 TRAFFIC North America World Wildlife Fund 1250 24th Street NW Washington DC 20037 Visit www.traffic.org for an electronic edition of this report, and for more information about TRAFFIC North America. © 2003 WWF. All rights reserved by World Wildlife Fund, Inc. All material appearing in this publication is copyrighted and may be reproduced with permission. Any reproduction, in full or in part, of this publication must credit TRAFFIC North America. The views of the author expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the TRAFFIC Network, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), or IUCN-The World Conservation Union. The designation of geographical entities in this publication and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of TRAFFIC or its supporting organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The TRAFFIC symbol copyright and Registered Trademark ownership are held by WWF. TRAFFIC is a joint program of WWF and IUCN. Suggested citation: Williamson, D. F. 2003. Caviar and Conservation: Status, Management and Trade of North American Sturgeon and Paddlefish. TRAFFIC North America. Washington D.C.: World Wildlife Fund. Front cover photograph of a lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) by Richard T. Bryant, courtesy of the Tennessee Aquarium. Back cover photograph of a paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) by Richard T. Bryant, courtesy of the Tennessee Aquarium. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface .
    [Show full text]
  • Gulf Sturgeon Spawning Migration and Habitat in the Choctawhatchee River System, Alabama±Florida
    Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129:811±826, 2000 q Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2000 Gulf Sturgeon Spawning Migration and Habitat in the Choctawhatchee River System, Alabama±Florida DEWAYNE A. FOX North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695-7617, USA JOSEPH E. HIGHTOWER* North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Department of Zoology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695-7617, USA FRANK M. PARAUKA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Field Of®ce, 1612 June Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32405, USA Abstract.ÐInformation about spawning migration and spawning habitat is essential to maintain and ultimately restore populations of endangered and threatened species of anadromous ®sh. We used ultrasonic and radiotelemetry to monitor the movements of 35 adult Gulf sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi (a subspecies of the Atlantic sturgeon A. oxyrinchus) as they moved between Choctawhatchee Bay and the Choctawhatchee River system during the spring of 1996 and 1997. Histological analysis of gonadal biopsies was used to determine the sex and reproductive status of individuals. Telemetry results and egg sampling were used to identify Gulf sturgeon spawning sites and to examine the roles that sex and reproductive status play in migratory behavior. Fertilized Gulf sturgeon eggs were collected in six locations in both the upper Choctawhatchee and Pea rivers. Hard bottom substrate, steep banks, and relatively high ¯ows characterized collection sites. Ripe Gulf sturgeon occupied these spawning areas from late March through early May, which included the interval when Gulf sturgeon eggs were collected.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphological Phylogeny of Sturgeons
    Morphological Phylogeny of Sturgeons Biological Classification of Sturgeons and Paddlefishes Kingdom Anamalia Multicellular organism Phylum Chordata Vertebrates Superclass Osteichthyes Bony Fishes Class Actinopterygii Ray-finned fishes Subclass Chondrostei Cartilaginous and ossified bony fish Order Acipenseriformes Sturgeons and Paddlefishes Family Acipenseridae Sturgeons Genus Species Acipenser Huso Pseudoscaphirhynchus Scaphirhynchus Family Polydontidae Paddlefishes Genus Species Polydon Psephurus Currently there are 31 species within the order “Acipenseriformes” which contains two paddlefish species and 29 sturgeon species. Sturgeons and paddlefishes are a unique order of fishes due to their interesting physical and internal morphological characteristics. Polydontidae Acipenseridae Acipenser Huso Scaphirhynchus Pseudoscaphirhynchus Sturgeons and Paddlefishes Acipenseriformes Teleostei Holostei Chondrostei Polypteriformes Birchirs and Reedfishes Ray-Finned Bony Fishes • •Dorsal Finlets Jawed Fishes •Ganoid Scales •Cartilaginous Skeleton Actinopterygii •Rudimentary Lungs •Paired Fins •Heterocercal Tail Osteichthyes Sarcopterygii Sharks, Skates, Rays (Bony Fishes) Lobe-Finned Bony Fishes Chondrichthyes Coelacanth, Lungfishes, tetrapods •Fleshy, Lobed, Paired Fins •Complex Limbs •Enamel Covered Teeth Agnatha •Symmetrical Tail Lamprey, Hagfish •Jawless Fishes •Distinct Notocord •Paired Fins Absent Acipenseriformes likely evolved between the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous geological periods (70 to 170 million years ago). The word “sturgeon”
    [Show full text]
  • GULF STURGEON (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi)
    GULF STURGEON (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region Panama City Ecological Services Field Office Panama City, Florida National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region Office of Protected Resources St. Petersburg, Florida September 2009 GULF STURGEON (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) 5-YEAR REVIEW I. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1. Methodology used to complete the review A public notice initiating this review and requesting information was published on April 16, 2008, with a 60-day response period (73 FR 20702). The public notice was supplemented with a request for information by postcard dated April 17, 2008, mailed directly to 130 entities (individuals, natural resources agencies, conservation organizations) that could likely have information pertinent to this review. One (1) set of comments/data was received in response to the public notice and postcards, which was incorporated as appropriate into this 5-year review. The lead recovery biologists for the NMFS and the FWS gathered and synthesized information regarding the biology and status of the Gulf sturgeon. Our information sources included: the Gulf Sturgeon Recovery/Management Plan (1995); peer-reviewed scientific publications; grey literature (annual reports); information presented at annual Gulf sturgeon meetings; ongoing field survey results and information shared from Gulf sturgeon researchers (both Service and State biologists); the final rule listing the Gulf sturgeon as threatened (56 FR 49653) (September 30, 1991); and the final rule designating critical habitat for the Gulf sturgeon (68 FR 13370) (March 19, 2003). We submitted a peer-review draft of this document to 16 professional biologists with expertise on the Gulf sturgeon and its habitats.
    [Show full text]
  • Status of Scientific Knowledge, Recovery Progress, and Future Research Directions for the Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi Vladykov, 1955 K.J
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USGS Staff -- ubP lished Research US Geological Survey 9-30-2016 Status of scientific knowledge, recovery progress, and future research directions for the Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi Vladykov, 1955 K.J. Sulak Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, [email protected] F. Parauka US Fish and Wildlife Service W. T. Slack U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center R. T. Ruth Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries M. T. Randall Wetland and Aquatic Research Center FSeoe nelloxtw pa thige fors aaddndition addal aitutionhorsal works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub Part of the Geology Commons, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons, and the Other Environmental Sciences Commons Sulak, K.J.; Parauka, F.; Slack, W. T.; Ruth, R. T.; Randall, M. T.; Luke, K.; and Price, M. E., "Status of scientific knowledge, recovery progress, and future research directions for the Gulf Sturgeon, Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi Vladykov, 1955" (2016). USGS Staff -- Published Research. 1055. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub/1055 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the US Geological Survey at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USGS Staff -- ubP lished Research by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors K.J. Sulak, F. Parauka, W. T. Slack, R. T. Ruth, M. T. Randall, K. Luke, and M. E. Price This article is available at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usgsstaffpub/1055 Journal of Applied Ichthyology J. Appl.
    [Show full text]
  • SR 87 Connector EIS Appendix I
    Appendix I: Biological Opinion, Formal Consultation Comments SR 87 New Connector Road Federal Highway Administration Florida Department of Transportation Santa Rosa County, Florida Biological Opinion FWS No. 2013-F-0159 December 20, 2013 Prepared by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1601 Balboa Avenue Panama City, FL Table of Contents BIOLOGICAL OPINION ............................................................................................................ 5 1.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION ....................................................................... 5 1.1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................... 9 1.2 Action Area ...................................................................................................................... 9 1.3 Conservation Measures................................................................................................. 10 2.0 STATUS OF THE SPECIES .............................................................................................. 13 2.1 Gulf Sturgeon ....................................................................................................................... 13 2.1.1 Species Description .................................................................................................... 13 2.1.2 Critical Habitat Description ...................................................................................... 13 2.1.3 Life History ................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater And
    FEATURE: ENDANGERED SPECIES Conservation Status of Imperiled North American Freshwater and Diadromous Fishes ABSTRACT: This is the third compilation of imperiled (i.e., endangered, threatened, vulnerable) plus extinct freshwater and diadromous fishes of North America prepared by the American Fisheries Society’s Endangered Species Committee. Since the last revision in 1989, imperilment of inland fishes has increased substantially. This list includes 700 extant taxa representing 133 genera and 36 families, a 92% increase over the 364 listed in 1989. The increase reflects the addition of distinct populations, previously non-imperiled fishes, and recently described or discovered taxa. Approximately 39% of described fish species of the continent are imperiled. There are 230 vulnerable, 190 threatened, and 280 endangered extant taxa, and 61 taxa presumed extinct or extirpated from nature. Of those that were imperiled in 1989, most (89%) are the same or worse in conservation status; only 6% have improved in status, and 5% were delisted for various reasons. Habitat degradation and nonindigenous species are the main threats to at-risk fishes, many of which are restricted to small ranges. Documenting the diversity and status of rare fishes is a critical step in identifying and implementing appropriate actions necessary for their protection and management. Howard L. Jelks, Frank McCormick, Stephen J. Walsh, Joseph S. Nelson, Noel M. Burkhead, Steven P. Platania, Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Brady A. Porter, Edmundo Díaz-Pardo, Claude B. Renaud, Dean A. Hendrickson, Juan Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, John Lyons, Eric B. Taylor, and Nicholas E. Mandrak, Melvin L. Warren, Jr. Jelks, Walsh, and Burkhead are research McCormick is a biologist with the biologists with the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Completion Report for Sturgeon Gillnet Study (EA-133F-12-RQ-0697)
    Completion Report for Sturgeon Gillnet Study (EA-133F-12-RQ-0697) Year Three, the Influence of Sink Gillnet Profile on Bycatch of Atlantic Sturgeon in the Mid-Atlantic Monkfish Fishery Recipient Name: Endeavor Fisheries Inc. Fox, D. A. J. L. Armstrong, L. M. Brown, and K. Wark COR: Henry Milliken Northeast Fisheries Science Center Protected Species Branch "Although released by NOAA, the information in this paper does not reflect, represent, or form any part of the support of the policies of NOAA or the Department of Commerce. Further, release by NOAA does not imply that NOAA or the Department of Commerce agrees with the information contained herein." 1 Summary In 2012, five Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) were listed under the Endangered Species Act. A preceding Status Review concluded that bycatch in sink-gillnets was a significant hurdle to Atlantic sturgeon recovery. Over three field seasons (2010-2012), we worked collaboratively with commercial harvesters to modify sink gillnet configurations to reduce Atlantic sturgeon bycatch while still achieving adequate catches of monkfish (Lophius americanus) and winter skate (Leucoraja ocellata), which were the primary target species. In 2010, we fished paired replicates of gillnets (12 meshes x 12 in (30.5 cm) stretch) with and without tie-downs, and, although Atlantic sturgeon bycatch did not differ significantly, target species catches were reduced in nets without tie- downs. In 2011, we subjected two different tie-down configurations: standard (12 meshes with 48 in (1.2 m) tie-downs) and low profile (six meshes with 24 in (0.6 m) tie-downs) to the same experimental protocol.
    [Show full text]
  • Sturgeon Hatchery Manual
    FAO ISSN 2070-7010 FISHERIES AND 558 AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL PAPER 558 STURGEON HATCHERY MANUAL This Sturgeon Hatchery Manual includes the latest available scientific research findings and experiences and compiles advice given in earlier manuals and handbooks on sturgeon culture and reproduction practices. This document was prepared in response HATC STURGEON to numerous requests for practical guidance on this subject from the Central Asian and Caucasus region to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This manual is targeted particularly at sturgeon farmers, sturgeon hatchery operators, hatchery technicians, and fisheries and aquaculture managers involved in sturgeon aquaculture development and the restocking and rehabilitation of sturgeon populations in the countries around the basins of the Black and Caspian seas. It aims to provide a practical handbook of modern sturgeon hatchery practices and management. The H manual is available in the English, Russian and Turkish languages. MANUAL ERY FAO FAO Sturgeon Hatchery FISHERIES AND Manual AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL PAPER 558 Prepared by Mikhail S. Chebanov FAO Consultant Krasnodar, Russia and Elena V. Galich Krasnodar, Russia FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Ankara, 2013 Reprinted 2013 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.
    [Show full text]