Smallmouth Bass Collected at the I-5/University Bridge Site
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SPRING/SUMMER HABITAT USE AND SEASONAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF PREDATORY FISHES IN THE LAKE WASHINGTON SHIP CANAL FINAL REPORT, 2006-2009 to SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES by Roger A. Tabor, Scott T. Sanders, Mark T. Celedonia, Daniel W. Lantz, Steve Damm, Terence M. Lee, Zhuozhuo Li, and Benjamin E. Price U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Washington Fish and Wildlife Office Fisheries Division 510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 102 Lacey, Washington 98503 LWSC Predator Acoustic Tracking, 2006-2009 FINAL DRAFT September 2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Federally-protected Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and other juvenile salmon in the Lake Washington basin must migrate through the Lake Washington Ship Canal (LWSC), a narrow, low-velocity artificial waterway. In this waterway, juvenile salmon are vulnerable to predatory fishes, including the non-native smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu and largemouth bass M. salmoides, and the native northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis. Some diet and abundance information on these predatory fish has been collected (e.g., Fayram and Sibley 2000; Tabor et al. 2004) but little is known about their habitat use and movement patterns. Chinook salmon habitat use patterns in the LWSC have been characterized in Celedonia et al. 2008b and Celedonia et al. 2010. The relationship between juvenile Chinook salmon habitat use and predator habitat use is important to understand for management of Chinook salmon in the Lake Washington system. This study used acoustic tracking methods to define habitat use and movement of these juvenile salmon predatory fishes. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the habitat use patterns of smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and northern pikeminnow and determine their relationship to existing overwater and in-water structures; and, 2) determine seasonal movement patterns of these species, with particular emphasis on if and when they move between the LWSC and Lake Washington. To address these objectives, we conducted an acoustic tracking study to determine the spring and summer habitat use and seasonal movement patterns of predatory fishes in the LWSC in 2006-2009. We used two separate systems to address our objectives: a fine-scale system to track ii LWSC Predator Acoustic Tracking, 2006-2009 FINAL DRAFT September 2010 fish over a small area in the LWSC and a course-scale system to track fish over a large area within the LWSC, Union Bay, and Lake Washington for a longer time period. The most intensive, fine-scale tracking was conducted at Gas Works Park and under the I-5 and University Bridges. Most tagged fish were smallmouth bass. Results showed smallmouth bass inhabiting these sites areas commonly used overwater structures, areas of sparse vegetation, vegetation edges, and areas with gravel and sand substrate. Smallmouth bass use primarily used 2-4 m deep water and were rarely in water that was more than 12 m deep. These are also areas used occasionally by juvenile Chinook salmon during outmigration (Celedonia et al 2008b; Celedonia et al. 2010). Course-scale tracking revealed that predatory fish species exhibit varying movement patterns. During most of the year, northern pikeminnow inhabit Lake Washington. However, from May through August some of the tagged northern pikeminnow moved into the LWSC. Here, they were concentrated close to shore during the day and were often associated with vegetation. At night, northerm pikeminnow occupy a wide range of depths. It is possible that northern pikeminnown in the LWSC may overlap with outmigrating juvenile Chinook salmon habitats. However, because of the small number of northern pikeminnow moving into the LWSC and their varied behaviors, this study implies that northern pikeminnow are generally not a major predator of juvenile salmonids in the LWSC. Course-scale tracking showed smallmouth bass have strong seasonal migration patterns. A large portion of smallmouth bass in the LWSC migrate into Lake Washington between June and iii LWSC Predator Acoustic Tracking, 2006-2009 FINAL DRAFT September 2010 October and remain there until early spring. Smallmouth bass size is linked to these migrations, with smaller fish being less likely to migrate into Lake Washington for overwintering. Smallmouth bass return to the LWSC from Lake Washington between March and mid-April. While smallmouth bass migrations may be partially driven by spawning behavior, their return to the LWSC each year ensures that smallmouth bass inhabit the LWSC during the juvenile Chinook salmon outmigration period. The five largemouth bass tagged in the LWSC generally stayed in the LWSC or made occasional forays into Union Bay. Their overlap with juvenile Chinook salmon in the LWSC is still unknown. However, due the small number of largemouth bass successfully tagged and tracked, more research is necessary on this predatory fish. In improving habitat conditions for juvenile Chinook salmon in the LWSC, managers should look to avoid improving habitat for predatory fishes, if possible. Efforts should focus on reducing habitat for smallmouth bass. Unfortunately, smallmouth bass use a variety of habitat types from open beaches to areas with overwater structures. However, large offshore, deep structures like the University Bridge appear to attract smallmouth bass and probably increase the overlap between smallmouth bass and juvenile salmonids. Because smallmouth bass appear to have a discrete population in the LWSC, efforts to remove them could have positive effects on salmonid populations. However, a high removal rate may be impractical and a removal program may have to be continued over a long time period. Additional research is needed to look at the density of smallmouth bass in different areas of the LWSC and in different habitats as well as examine differences in diet. iv LWSC Predator Acoustic Tracking, 2006-2009 FINAL DRAFT September 2010 v LWSC Predator Acoustic Tracking, 2006-2009 FINAL DRAFT September 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. x INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1 STUDY SITE ................................................................................................................................. 2 HTI tracking system .................................................................................................................... 5 Vemco hydrophones/receivers .................................................................................................... 7 Fish collection and tagging ........................................................................................................ 8 Macrophyte surveys .................................................................................................................... 9 Data analysis-HTI ..................................................................................................................... 10 Data analysis-Vemco ................................................................................................................ 17 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 18 Spring/summer habitat use – smallmouth bass ......................................................................... 18 Seasonal movement patterns ..................................................................................................... 30 Northern pikeminnow............................................................................................................ 30 Smallmouth bass ................................................................................................................... 39 Largemouth bass ................................................................................................................... 49 DISCUSSION .............................................................................................................................. 51 Spring/summer habitat use - smallmouth bass ......................................................................... 51 Seasonal movements ................................................................................................................. 53 Northern pikeminnow............................................................................................................ 54 Smallmouth bass ................................................................................................................... 56 Largemouth bass ................................................................................................................... 59 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 60 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... 61 REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................................