Early Life History, Movements, and Genetic Differentiation of Young-Of
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National Library Bibliothèque nationale l*I ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une Licence non exclusive licence aiiowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sel1 reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fonne de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in ths thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protége cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othenvise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son pemiission. autorisation. Dedication This thesis is dedicated to Sharon Robinson who encouraged my development and interests in the natural world around me. Without her encouragement and tolerance for my habit of examining dead things during rny "formative" years. I doubt 1 ei.er itouId have allowed my curiosity to bring me this far. Thanks mom! Ahstract The status of smped bass (hforotresarurilis) spawning was examined in the Kouchibouguac and Richibucto Rivers through ichthyoplankton and beach seining surveys in the spring and surnmer of 1997 and 1998. No evidence of spawning, in the form of eggs, lawae, or small underyearling fish. was found in either system indicating that striped bass did not spawn in these rivers in 1997 or 1998. Large numbers of larvae from other anadromous species were captured indicating that the gear used was eEective for the capture of pelagic larvae. Small numbers of young-of-the-year striped bass were found in or around both systems in the late summers of 1997 and 1998. These underyearlings were likely migrants fiom another nearby system. Coastal beach seining surveys in Auçust of 1997 and 1998 indicated that the likely origin of these migrant underyearling striped bass was the Miramichi River, where striped bass are known to spawn on an annual basis. An analysis of polymorphic microsatellite DNA found no significant genetic differences between underyearlings collected from the Miramichi and Richibucto Rivers. This represents the first study to document inter-riverine movements of young-of-the-year striped bass. ... Ill Acknowledpements A wise and gified person once said "It takes a whole village to raise a child". This sentiment might also be extended to "lt take a whole community to write a Master's thesis in Zoology". To thank everyone who helped me with this project would take several volumes. so 1 apologize to anyone 1 rnay be missing. I would like to thank the staff of Kouchibouguac National Park, especially Eric Tremblay and Firmin LeBlanc who provided shelter. boats. and bodies throughout the long field seasons. 1 would also like to thank al1 the students and technicians who assisted in field sarnpling and plankton sortinç, especially Grace Maxwell, Yves Arsenault, and Matt Freebom. Gerald Beck provided a luxurious marina, and DFO provided a behemoth death-trap of a boat that somehow manaçed to stay toçether through two years of abuse. Dr. Andrea Locke provided moral support and always entertained my scientific imaginings. Dr. Greg Klassen, who hired me many years ago to go and catch fish larvae, paved the way for my education to continue unabated. Many kind folks at the Gulf Fisheries Centre loaned me gear and shared their expertise tliroughout the past three years. Thanks are due to Dr. Gary Saunders for providing a slick molecular lab and an automatic genetic analyzer. Sean Rogers helped to steer me away fiom the dark path many times and was my mentor for al1 the molecular wizardry used in this research. 1 would like to thank my sister Mary for always providing me with a shoulder when 1 needed one. My fhends (the ones who 1 have lefi) al1 deserve medals (or better yet autographed copies of this) for putting up with me while 1 wrote this thesis. 1 would especially like to thank my better half Barbara Caner for putting up with me while I was not witing my thesis. and in spite of al1 my tlaws. planning to stick around while I try to write another one. 1 am deeply indebted to Drs. Simon Courtenay. Tillmann Benfey. and Allen Curry. Although they most often let me take the lead in this research. they never failed to pull in the reins when 1 forgot to keep my eyes on the prize. I would also iike to thank al1 those who contributed the hard- earned bucks to my cause: Kouchibouguac National Park, the Vaughan Graduate Fellowship Committee, the Sir James Dunn Wildlife Centre Research Fund, Andrew Boghen, and the Courtenay Provincial Credit Union. 1 also give my heartfelt thanks to my father Rick, who has taught me a great many things over the years, and who has never let me forget that in spite of al1 the scientific hooplah. tish are really for fishing. Table of Contents Ti tle Page.. .......................................................................................... i .. Dedication.. ......................................................................................... il ... Abstract.. ........................................................................................... 111 Acknowledgements.. ............................................................................. .iv Table of Contents.. .............................................................................. .vi List of Tables ...................................................................................... ..k List of Figures.. .................................................................................... ,s List of Appendices.. ............................................................................... xi Chapter 1 : General Introduction.. ................................................................ 1 References. ................................................................................ .9 Figures. ....................................................................................-15 Chapter 2: Striped bass spawning status and the use of the Kouchibouguac and Richibucto Estuaries by fish during the ice-free seasons (spring and summer) of 1997 and 1998 ..............................................................................17 Abstract. ....................................................................................18 Introduction.. ............................................................................. .18 Materials and Methods.. ................................................................ ..2 1 Study Area Southem Gulf of St. Lawrence. ........................................ .2 1 Kouchibouguac River System.. .........................................2 1 Richibucto River System.. ...............................................--13 Physico-Chemical Data. .........................................................23 ichthyoplankton.. .................................................................33 Timing of Collections.. ................................................-23 Method of Collections.. ................................................ .24 Calculation of Abundance Indices .....................................75 Location of Ichthyoplankton Collections.. ........................... .36 -l< Ichthyoplankton Identification.. ......... ..-- ... ... ...................AU Beach Seining ..................................................................... 27 Timing of Collections ...................................................27 Method of Collections .................................................. 27 Location of Beach Seining Collections ...............................28 Fyke Net Collections ...................................................79 Identification of lnshore Fishes ....................................... 29 Results ...................................................................................... 30 Ichtli>'oplankton.................................................................. 30 Beach Seining ................................................................... 2-'? Fyke Traps ........................................................................ 35 Young-of-the-year Striped Bass .............................................. 35 Discussion ............. .. .............................................................. 36 Research and Management Recommendations ..................................... 42 Conclusions ............................................................................. -43 References ................................................................................ 43 Tables and Figures .......................................................................49 Appendices ...............................................................................92 Chapter 3: Origin and migratory movements of young-of-the-year striped bass (dlorone samrilis) in the Richibucto Estuw. southern Gulf of St. Lawrence .New Brunswick ................................................................................115 Abstract .................................................................................... 116 Introduction ............................................................................ 117 Materials and Methods