River Dart Salmon Project. Summary of Phase I report.

This is the River Dart Salmon Project Summary of Phase I Report (2002) by the Westcountry Rivers Trust. The report contains sections on the introduction to Dart Salmon, factors affecting salmon numbers, salmon rod catch and salmon electro-fishing data, and a summary and discussion of the next phase. It also contains two tables with time series analysis on fry/parr numbers in representative section of the River Dart and figures with trends in fry/parrs numbers at juveniles electro-fishing sites. The section on salmon rod catch data includes trend analysis, cross-correlation of catches in different rivers and a general conclusion.

River Dart Salmon Project. Summary of Phase II report.

This is the River Dart Salmon Project Summary of Phase II Report (2002) by the Westcountry Rivers Trust. The report contains sections on the project introduction, methods, habitat utilisation (predicted densities) and distribution at Walla Brook, Swincombe and Strane, bio-monitoring of water chemistry and suggested action at local, catchment and research scale. The attached maps show spawing, fry and juveniles habitats in the lower or upper Walla Brook.

River Dart Biological Survey 10th June - 15th July 1968

This is the River Dart Biological Survey from 10th June to 15th July 1968 by the Devon River Authority. This survey was undertaken to investigate the invertebrate bottom fauna of the river and to assess the condition of the river with regard to pollution. It describes the environmental conditions of the River Dart and the biological sampling method used, plus a brief conclusion of the survey. It also contains tables with the different species present and abundance on each sampling stations.

River Dart Scale Reading Investigation 1971

This is the River Dart Scale Reading Investigation Report on the 1971 season by the Devon River Board. The object of this investigation is to examine, by means of scale-reading, the general biology of the salmon population of the River Dart. In 1967 the final report on a five-year scale reading programme was summarised, at the time it was considered sufficient information to help with restocking programmes and the management of salmon population. But a further scale reading programme was started in an attempt to monitor changing patterns in salmon runs that may be caused by the new influences. It reviews the methods used for the collection of scales and examination of the materials. It shows the results of the survey and the number of scales studied from each of the various sea-age classes, time of running with distribution of the sea-age groups throughout the season, fish sizes and smolt ages at migration. All are summarized in tables, and figures are also included plotting weight distributions for each age classes and frequency distributions.

River Dart Scale Reading Investigation 1972

This is the River Dart Scale Reading Investigation Report on the 1972 season by the Devon River Board. The object of this investigation is to examine, by means of scale-reading, the general biology of the salmon population of the River Dart. In 1967 the final report on a five-year scale reading programme was summarised, at the time it was considered sufficient information to help with restocking programmes and the management of salmon population. But a further scale reading programme was started in an attempt to monitor changing patterns in salmon runs that may be caused by the new influences. It reviews the methods used for collection of the scales and examination of the materials. It shows the results of the survey and the number of scales studied from each of the various sea-age classes, time of running with distribution of the sea-age groups throughout the season, fish sizes and smolt ages at migration. All is summarized in tables, and figures are included showing weight distributions for each age classes and frequency distributions.

The River Dart SAP Consultation Document

This is the River Dart Salmon Action Plan Consultation document produced by the Environment Agency in 2003. The report pays attention on the external consultation of the River Dart Salmon Action Plan (SAP). This strategy represents an entirely new approach to salmon management within the UK and introduces the concept of river-specific salmon spawning targets as a salmon management tool. The north of the River Dart catchment is included in the Dartmoor candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC), designated under the Council EC Directive 92/43/EEC, the “Habitats Directive”. One of the conservation objectives for the cSAC is to maintain the habitat for Atlantic Salmon, Salmo Salar in favourable condition. The River Dart is an important salmon, sea trout and brown trout fishery with no significant coarse fishery. However, eels are ubiquitous throughout the catchment and are lightly exploited. The River Dart SAP contains a description of the river catchment and highlights particular features that are relevant to the salmon population and the associated fishery.

The River Dart SAP Final Plan

This is the River Dart Salmon Action Plan Final document produced by the Environment Agency in 2003. This final Salmon Action Plan (SAP) for the River Dart catchment has been produced after consideration of feedback from external consultation. It provides a list of the agreed issues and actions for the next five years to maintain and improve the River Dart salmon stock. The low marine survival (likely to be below 10%) is possibly to be the main cause for the River Dart salmon stock non-compliance with its conservation limit. Actions protecting smolts and maximising spawning activity of returning adults are seen as priorities to contribute to mitigate the low marine survival. Also the lack of information on salmon stock and its habitat is recognised as one main factor limiting the better management of salmon fisheries. Efforts will be focused on gaining more knowledge and improving modelling techniques. The actions presented in this document are perceived as those required to address the important issues and factors limiting the salmon stock. This SAP aims also to promote long term collaboration between the Agency and other interested parties in managing the River Dart salmon stock and fisheries.

Ashburn (Dart catchment) fisheries survey 1978

This is the Ashburn (Dart catchment) fisheries survey 1978 report produced by South West Water Authority in 1978. This report focuses on an exploratory survey to determine the population and distribution of all fish species and in particular salmonid species of the Ashburn stream. This survey is primarily intended for future reference on completion of the proposed Flood Alleviation Scheme of the Ashburn where it passes through the centre of Ashburton. Three sections were electro fished using D.C. Current Sections were chosen as easily accessible and through their relation in position to the intended scheme.

Invasionsoft: a web-enabled tool for invasive species colonization predictions

Predicting and averting the spread of invasive species is a core focus of resource managers in all ecosystems. Patterns of invasion are difficult to forecast, compounded by a lack of user-friendly species distribution model (SDM) tools to help managers focus control efforts. This paper presents a web-based cellular automata hybrid modeling tool developed to study the invasion pattern of lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) in the western Atlantic and is a natural extension our previous lionfish study. Our goal is to make publically available this hybrid SDM tool and demonstrate both a test case (P. volitans/miles) and a use case (Caulerpa taxifolia). The software derived from the model, titled Invasionsoft, is unique in its ability to examine multiple default or user-defined parameters, their relation to invasion patterns, and is presented in a rich web browser-based GUI with integrated results viewer. The beta version is not species-specific and includes a default parameter set that is tailored to the marine habitat. Invasionsoft is provided as copyright protected freeware at http://www.invasionsoft.com.

Assessment of existing information on Atlantic coastal fish habitats: development of a web-based spatial bibliography, query tools, and data summaries

The primary objective of this project, “the Assessment of Existing Information on Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat”, is to inform conservation planning for the Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP). ACFHP is recognized as a Partnership by the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP), whose overall mission is to protect, restore, and enhance the nation’s fish and aquatic communities through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation. This project is a cooperative effort of NOAA/NOS Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA) Biogeography Branch and ACFHP. The Assessment includes three components; 1. a representative bibliographic and assessment database, 2. a Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial framework, and 3. a summary document with description of methods, analyses of habitat assessment information, and recommendations for further work. The spatial bibliography was created by linking the bibliographic table developed in Microsoft Excel and exported to SQL Server, with the spatial framework developed in ArcGIS and exported to GoogleMaps. The bibliography is a comprehensive, searchable database of over 500 selected documents and data sources on Atlantic coastal fish species and habitats. Key information captured for each entry includes basic bibliographic data, spatial footprint (e.g. waterbody or watershed), species and habitats covered, and electronic availability. Information on habitat condition indicators, threats, and conservation recommendations are extracted from each entry and recorded in a separate linked table. The spatial framework is a functional digital map based on polygon layers of watersheds, estuarine and marine waterbodies derived from NOAA’s Coastal Assessment Framework, MMS/NOAA’s Multipurpose Marine Cadastre, and other sources, providing spatial reference for all of the documents cited in the bibliography. Together, the bibliography and assessment tables and their spatial framework provide a powerful tool to query and assess available information through a publicly available web interface. They were designed to support the development of priorities for ACFHP’s conservation efforts within a geographic area extending from Maine to Florida, and from coastal watersheds seaward to the edge of the continental shelf. The Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership has made initial use of the Assessment of Existing Information. Though it has not yet applied the AEI in a systematic or structured manner, it expects to find further uses as the draft conservation strategic plan is refined, and as regional action plans are developed. It also provides a means to move beyond an “assessment of existing information” towards an “assessment of fish habitat”, and is being applied towards the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) 2010 Assessment. Beyond the scope of the current project, there may be application to broader initiatives such as Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEAs), Ecosystem Based Management (EBM), and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP).

Brevetoxin in two planktivorous fishes after exposure to Karenia brevis: implications for food-web transfer to bottlenose dolphins

Brevetoxin uptake was analyzed in 2 common planktivorous fish that are likely foodweb vectors for dolphin mortality events associated with brevetoxin-producing red tides. Fish were exposed to brevetoxin-producing Karenia brevis for 10 h under conditions previously reported to produce optimal uptake of toxin in blood after oral exposure. Striped mullet Mugil cephalus were exposed to a low dose of brevetoxin, and uptake and depuration by specific organs were evaluated over a 2 mo period. Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus specimens were used to characterize a higher brevetoxin dose uptake into whole body components and evaluate depuration over 1 mo. We found a high uptake of toxin by menhaden, with a body to water ratio of 57 after a 10 h exposure and a slow elimination with a half life (t1/2) of 24 d. Elimination occurred rapidly from the intestine (t1/2 < 1 wk) and muscle (t1/2 ≈ 1 wk) compartments and redistributed to liver which continued to accumulate body stores of toxin for 4 wk. The accumulation and elimination characteristics of the vectoring capacity of these 2 fish species are interpreted in relation to data from the Florida Panhandle dolphin mortality event of 2004. We show that due to slow elimination rate of brevetoxin in planktivorous fish, brevetoxin-related dolphin mortality events may occur without evidence of a concurrent harmful algal bloom event.

Domoic acid contamination within eight representative species from the benthic food web of Monterey Bay, California, USA

Benthic food webs often derive a significant fraction of their nutrient inputs from phytoplankton in the overlying waters. If the phytoplankton include harmful algal species like Pseudo-nitzschia australis, a diatom capable of producing the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA), the benthic food web can become a depository for phycotoxins. We tested the general hypothesis that DA contaminates benthic organisms during local blooms of P. australis, a widespread toxin producer along the US west coast. To test for trophic transfer and uptake of DA into the benthic food web, we sampled 8 benthic species comprising 4 feeding groups: filter feeders (Emerita analoga and Urechis caupo); a predator (Citharichthys sordidus); scavengers (Nassarius fossatus and Pagurus samuelis) and deposit feeders (Neotrypaea californiensis, Dendraster excentricus and Olivella biplicata). Sampling occurred before, during and after blooms of P. australis in Monterey Bay, CA, USA during 2000 and 2001. DA was detected in all 8 species, with contamination persisting over variable time scales. Maximum DA levels in N. fossatus (674 ppm), E. analoga (278 ppm), C. sordidus (515 ppm), N. californiensis (145 ppm), P. samuelis (56 ppm), D. excentricus (15 ppm) and O. biplicata (3 ppm) coincided with P. australis blooms, while DA levels in U. caupo remained above 200 ppm (max. = 751 ppm) throughout the study period. DA in 6 species exceeded levels thought to be safe for higher level consumers (i.e. ≥20 ppm) and thus is likely to have deleterious effects on marine birds, sea lions and the endangered California sea otter, known to prey upon these benthic species.

Antibacterial activity of a marine bacterium against pathogenic and environmental isolates of vibrio species

The marine environment covers three quarters of the surface of the planet is estimated to be home to more than 80% of life and yet it remains largely unexplored. The rich diversity of marine flora and fauna and its adaptation to the harsh marine environment coupled with new developments in biotechnology, has opened up a new exciting vista for extraction of bioactive products of use in medicine. In this study inhibitory activity of a marine bacterium isolated from gut of ribbonfish was studied against pathogenic and environmental isolates of Vibrio species. This strain was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri and it was found active against V. harveyi (luminescent bacteria), V. cholerae, V. alginolyticus, V. damseal, V. fluvialis. The antibacterial substance produced by Pseudomonas stutzeri was soluble in organic solvent and closely bound to external surface of bacterial cells. Reduction of the absorbance of the V. cholera cell suspension was observed when log phase cells of V. cholerae were treated with MIC and 4xMIC concentration of crude extract of Pseudomonas stutzeri.