Field Guide to Nonindigenous Marine Fishes of Florida

The purpose of this field guide is to provide information on nonindigenous (i.e., non-native) fishes that have been observed in Florida’s marine waters. Introductions of non-native marine fishes into Florida’s waters could be intentional or unintentional, and are likely from a variety of sources, including aquarium releases, escape from aquaculture, loss due to extreme weather events (e.g., flooding from hurricanes), and possibly transfer with ballast water or hull-fouling. Presently the lionfishes (Pterois volitans and P. miles) are the only non-native marine fish species known to be established along the coast of Florida. All other marine fishes in this guide (except the euryhaline species, see below) have infrequent occurrences, occur singly or in small groups, and have not yet become self-sustaining populations. Aquarium releases are one of the major pathways whereby nonindigenous fishes gain access to new environments (Ruiz et al. 1997; Fuller et al. 1999). Most of the nonindigenous marine fishes found in Florida’s waters are thought to be aquarium fishes that either were illegally released into the ocean or escaped captivity (e.g., during severe storm/flooding events). Indeed, south Florida is a hotspot for nonindigenous marine aquarium fishes (Semmens et al. 2004). Increased public awareness of the problems caused by released or escaped aquarium fishes may aid in stemming the frequency of releases. For example, HabitattitudeTM (www.habitattitude.net) is a national public awareness and partnership campaign that encourages aquarists and water gardeners to prevent the release of unwanted aquarium plants, fish and other animals. It prompts hobbyists to adopt alternative actions when dealing with these aquatic plants and animals. (PDF file contains 133 pages.)

Larvae of Nearshore Fishes in Oceanic Waters near Oahu, Hawaii

Larvae of over 50 families of nearshore fishes were taken in oceanic waters about 13 km offshore of the leeward (southwest) coast of Oahu, Hawaii during 1977-78, The five most frequently taken families (Labridae, Parapercidae, Serranidae, Gobiidae, and Carangidae) made up over 50% of the total nearshore larvae. Most other families were taken very infrequently. Comparison of catch data from three types of nets indicated that 1.25-m diameter bongo nets often sampled larvae as well or better than a 3-m Isaacs-Kidd trawl and that smaller, 70-cm diameter bongo nets were often as effective as the larger nets for certain abundant taxa. Only a few taxa showed evidence of seasonal patterns in abundance. Irregular temporal variability in abundance of some taxa may have been related to occasional recent influxes of surface water from closer to shore. Most larvae taken were late preflexion stage or older. Densities of even the most abundant taxa were rarely greater than 0.001 m-3. The nearshore fish larvae were not dominated by taxa with large larvae or with larvae possessing apparent specializations to pelagic existence, Most taxa taken were pelagic spawners as adults, but larvae of demersal spawners were roughly as well represented as demersal spawners are among the nearshore fish fauna. Previous studies of waters closer to shore probably sampled insufficient volumes for any but a few exceptionally abundant taxa. Sampling with volumes filtered of the order of 104-105 m3 will be necessary to determine if the dominant taxa taken by the present study are ever more abundant closer to shore, (PDF file contains 23 pages.)

Laboratory guide to early life history stages of northeast Pacific fishes

This laboratory guide presents taxonomic information on eggs and larvae of fishes of the Northeast Pacific Ocean (north of California) and the eastern Bering Sea. Included are early-life-history series, illustrations, and comparative descriptions of 232 species expected to spawn here, out of a total 627 species known to occur in marine waters of this area. Meristic and general life-history data are included, as well as diagnostic characters to help identify eggs and larvae. Most of this information has been gleaned from literature, with the addition of 200 previously unpublished illustrations. (PDF file contains 654 pages.)

Species composition, distribution, and relative abundance of fishes in the coastal habitat off the southeastern United States

Ichthyofauna of the coastal «10 m depth) habitat of the South Atlantic Bight were investigated between Cape Fear, North Carolina, and the St. John's River, Florida. Trawl collections from four nonconsecutive seasons in the period July 1980 to December 1982 indicated that the fish community is dominated by the family Sciaenidae, particularly juvenile forms. Spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) and Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) were the two most abundant species and dominated catches during all seasons. Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortin tyrannus) was also very abundant, but only seasonally (winter and spring) dominant in the catches. Elasmobranch fIShes, especially rajiforms and carcharinids, contributed to much of the biomass of fishes collected. Total fish abundance was greatest in winter and lowest in summer and was influenced by the seasonality of Atlantic menhaden and Atlantic croaker in the catches. Biomass was highest in spring and lowest in summer, and was influenced by biomass of spot. Fish density ranged from 321 individuals and 12.2 kg per hectare to 746 individuals and 25.2 kg per hectare. Most species ranged widely throughout the bight, and showed some evidence of seasonal migration. Species assemblages were dominated by ubiquitous year-round residents of the coastal waters of the bight. Diversity (H') was highest in summer, and appeared influenced by the evenness of distribution of individuals among species. (PDF file contains 56 pages.)

Survey of fishes and water properties of south San Francisco Bay, California, 1973-82

The objective of this study was to describe the physical and ichthyological changes occurring seasonally and annually in the south San Francisco Bay, based on the results of 2,561 otter trawl and water samples obtained between February 1973 and June 1982. Temperature varied predictably among seasons in a pattern that varied little between years. Salinity also underwent predictable seasonal changes but the pattern varied substantially between years. The most abundant species of fish were northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), English sole (Parophrys vetulus), and shiner surfperch (Cymatogaster aggregata). The majority of the common fish species were most abundant during wet years and least abundant in dry years. Numeric diversity was highest during the spring and early summer, with no detectable interannual trends. Species composition changed extensively between seasons and between years, particularly years with extremely high or extremely low freshwater inflows. All the common species exhibited clustered spatial distributions. Such spatial clustering could affect the interpretation of data from estuarine sampling programs. Gobies (Family Gobiidae) were more abundant during flood tides than during ebb tides. English sole were significantly more abundant in shallower areas. Shiner surfperch showed significant differences in abundance between sample areas.(PDF file contains 28 pages.)

Atlas and zoogeography of common fishes in the Bering Sea and northeastern Pacific

The geographic and depth frequency distribution of 124 common demersal fish species in the northeastern Pacific were plotted from data on me at the Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center (NWAFC), National Marine Fisheries Service. The data included catch records of fishes and invertebrates from 24,881 samples taken from the Chukchi Sea, throughout the Bering Sea, Aleutian Basin, Aleutian Archipelago, and the Gulf of Alaska, and from southeastern Alaska south to southern California. Samples were collected by a number of agencies and institutions over a 30-year period (1953-83), but were primarily from NWAFC demersal trawls. The distributions of all species with 100 or more occurrences in the data set were plotted by computer. Distributions plotted from these data were then compared with geographic and depth-range limits given in the literature. These data provide new range extensions (geographic, depth, or both) for 114 species. Questionable extensions are noted, the depth ranges determined for 95% of occurrences, and depths of most frequent occurrence are recorded. Ranges of the species were classified zoogeographically, according to life zone, and with regard to the depth zone of greatest occurrence. Because most species examined have broad geographic ranges, they do not provide the best information for testing the validity of proposed zoogeographic province boundaries. Because of the location of greatest sampling effort and methods used in sampling, most fIShes examined were eastern boreal Pacific, sublittoral-bathyal (outer shelf) species. (PDF file contains 158 pages.)

A stationary visual census technique for quantitatively assessing community structure of coral reef fishes

A new method is described and evaluated for visually sampling reef fish community structure in environments with highly diverse and abundant reef fish populations. The method is based on censuses of reef fishes taken within a cylinder of 7.5 m radius by a diver at randomly selected, stationary points. The method provides quantitative data on frequency of occnrrence, fish length, abundance, and community composition, and is simple, fast, objective, and repeatable. Species are accumulated rapidly for listing purposes, and large numbers of samples are easily obtained for statistical treatment. The method provides an alternative to traditional visual sampling methods. Observations showed that there were no significant differences in total numbers of species or individuals censused when visibility ranged between 8 and 30 m. The reefs and habitats sampled were significant sources of variation in number of species and individuals censused, but the diver was not a significant influence. Community similarity indices were influenced significantly by the specific sampling site and the reef sampled, but were not significantly affected by the habitat or diver (PDF file contains 21 pages.)

A histopathologic evaluation of gross lesions excised from commercially important North Altantic marine fishes

Histopathologic studies of lesions found in commercially important North Atlantic marine fishes are uncommon. As part of a comprehensive Northeast Fisheries Center program ("Ocean Pulse") to evaluate environmental and resource health on the U.S. Continental Shelf from Cape Hatteras to Nova Scotia, grossly visible lesions of the gills, integument, muscle, and viscera of primarily bottom-dwelling fishes were excised and examined using light microscopy. Several gadid and pleuronectid fishes accounted for most of the lesions observed. Most pathological examinations were incidental to samples taken for age and growth determination and evaluation of predator/prey relationships. Several gadids, with either gill, heart, or spleen lesions, were sampled more intensively. Gill lesions principally affected gadids and were caused by either microsporidans or an unidentified oocyte-like cell. The majority of gastrointestinal lesions consisted of encapsulated or encysted larval worms or microsporidan-induced cysts. Few heart lesions were found. Integumental lesioos included ulcers, lymphocystis, and trematode metacercariae. Liver lesions almost always consisted of encapsulated or encysted larval helminths. Necrotic granulomata were seen in muscle and microsporidan-induced granulomata in spleen. Although not numerous, histologically interesting lesions were noted in integument, heart, liver, spleen, and muscle of several fish species. Histologic study of tissues excised from a variety of demersal and pelagic fishes from the eastern North Atlantic (France, Germany, Spain) revealed assorted integumental, renal, hepatic, and splenic lesions. Small sample size and non-random sampling precluded obtaining a meaningful quantitative estimate of the prevalence of the observed lesions in the population at risk; however, a useful census has been made of the types of lesions present in commercially important marine fishes. (PDF file contains 20 pages.)

Proceedings of the International Workshop on age determination of oceanic pelagic fishes: Tunas, billfishes, and sharks, Miami, Florida, February 15-18,1982

Accurate and precise estimates of age and growth rates are essential parameters in understanding the population dynamics of fishes. Some of the more sophisticated stock assessment models, such as virtual population analysis, require age and growth information to partition catch data by age. Stock assessment efforts by regulatory agencies are usually directed at specific fisheries which are being heavily exploited and are suspected of being overfished. Interest in stock assessment of some of the oceanic pelagic fishes (tunas, billfishes, and sharks) has developed only over the last decade, during which exploitation has increased steadily in response to increases in worldwide demand for these resources. Traditionally, estimating the age of fishes has been done by enumerating growth bands on skeletal hardparts, through length frequency analysis, tag and recapture studies, and raising fish in enclosures. However, problems related to determining the age of some of the oceanic pelagic fishes are unique compared with other species. For example, sampling is difficult for these large, highly mobile fishes because of their size, extensive distributions throughout the world's oceans, and for some, such as the marlins, infrequent catches. In addition, movements of oceanic pelagic fishes often transect temperate as well as tropical oceans, making interpretation of growth bands on skeletal hardparts more difficult than with more sedentary temperate species. Many oceanic pelagics are also long-lived, attaining ages in excess of 30 yr, and more often than not, their life cycles do not lend themselves easily to artificial propagation and culture. These factors contribute to the difficulty of determining ages and are generally characteristic of this group-the tunas, billfishes, and sharks. Accordingly, the rapidly growing international concern in managing oceanic pelagic fishes, as well as unique difficulties in ageing these species, prompted us to hold this workshop. Our two major objectives for this workshop are to: I) Encourage the interchange of ideas on this subject, and 2) establish the "state of the art." A total of 65 scientists from 10 states in the continental United States and Hawaii, three provinces in Canada, France, Republic of Senegal, Spain, Mexico, Ivory Coast, and New South Wales (Australia) attended the workshop held at the Southeast Fisheries Center, Miami, Fla., 15-18 February 1982. Our first objective, encouraging the interchange of ideas, is well illustrated in the summaries of the Round Table Discussions and in the Glossary, which defines terms used in this volume. The majority of the workshop participants agreed that the lack of validation of age estimates and the means to accomplish the same are serious problems preventing advancements in assessing the age and growth of fishes, particularly oceanic pelagics. The alternatives relating to the validation problem were exhaustively reviewed during the Round Table Discussions and are a major highlight of this workshop. How well we accomplished our second objective, to establish the "state of the art" on age determination of oceanic pelagic fishes, will probably best be judged on the basis of these proceedings and whether future research efforts are directed at the problem areas we have identified. In order to produce high-quality papers, workshop participants served as referees for the manuscripts published in this volume. Several papers given orally at the workshop, and included in these proceedings, were summarized from full-length manuscripts, which have been submitted to or published in other scientific outlets-these papers are designated as SUMMARY PAPERS. In addition, the SUMMARY PAPER designation was also assigned to workshop papers that represented very preliminary or initial stages of research, cursory progress reports, papers that were data shy, or provide only brief reviews on general topics. Bilingual abstracts were included for all papers that required translation. We gratefully acknowledge the support of everyone involved in this workshop. Funding was provided by the Southeast Fisheries Center, and Jack C. Javech did the scientific illustrations appearing on the cover, between major sections, and in the Glossary. (PDF file contains 228 pages.)

Observations on the taxonomy, biology, and ecology of the Engraulid and Clupeid fishes in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica.

ENGLISH: In 1952 and 1953, during the course of a study of the abrupt decline and apparent disappearance from the Gulf of Nicoya of the population of anchovetas (Cetengraulis mysticetus), an important tuna bait fish, considerable material was collected on the taxonomy, biology, and ecology of the several anchovies and the herrings inhabith1g the Gulf. The Gulf of Nicoya, approximately 50 miles long and varying in width from about 5 to 35 miles, is located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The family Engraulididae is represented by four genera comprising fourteen species, and nine species were identified as members of eight genera of the family Clupeidae. All of the species inhabit other coastal areas of the tropical Eastern Pacific. SPANISH: En 1952 Y 1953, durante el curso de un estudio sobre la declinación abrupta y la aparente desaparición en el Golfo de Nicoya de la población de anchovetas (Cetengraulis mysticetus) un pez de importancia para la pesca del atún, se recolectó material considerable relacionado con la taxonomía, biología y ecología de las diversas especies de anchoas y arenques que habitan dicho Golfo. El Golfo de Nicoya, que mide aproximadamente 50 millas de largo y varía en su anchura entre 5 y 35 millas, se encuentra en la costa del Pacífico de Costa Rica. La familia de los Engráulidos está representada por cuatro géneros que comprenden catorce especies, y otras nueve fueron identificadas como miembros de ocho géneros de la familia Clupeidae. Todas estas especies habitan otras áreas costeras del Pacífico Oriental tropical. (PDF contains 144 pages.)

Effects of beach remourishment on the benthic macrofauna and the fishes of the nearshore zone at Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area

Approximately 100,000 cubic yards of sand was transported to the ocean beach to renourish the eroded beach front during the period December 1985 through May 1986. The ocean beach at Sebastian Inlet SRA was previously studied in a project examining the benthic macrofauna and the fishes of the nearshore zone during 1981-1982 (Allenbaugh, 1984; Peters, 1984; Nelson, unpublished). In view of the existing data, the US Army Corps of Engineers provided funding to study the effects of the beach renourishment activities at Sebastian Inlet SRA on the benthic macrofauna and the fishes of the nearshore zone. This is the report on the results of this study.

The Distribution of Juvenile Fishes in Maryland Coastal Bays in Relation to Environmental Factors: a Multivariate Analysis

Fish assemblage structure of Maryland's coastal lagoon complex was analyzed for spatial and seasonal patterns for the period 1991-2000. Data was made available by Maryland Department of Natural Resources from their MD Coastal Bays Finfish Survey. Dominant species from separate trawl and wiw surveys included blue crab Callinectes sapidus (erroneously included here as a "fish" due to its dominance and commercial importance), bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli, spot Leiostomous xanthurus, silver perch Bairdiella ehrysoura, and Atlantic menhaden Brevwrtia tyrannus. Ninety-four fish species were identified in the two surveys, a diversity substantially higher than other survey records for Middle Atlantic Bight estuarine and lagoon systems (richness=26 to 78 species). Total species richness for the trawl survey was highest in Chincoteague and lowest in Assawoman and Sinepuxent. On the other hand, mean richness per tow (-area) and related Shannon Weiner Diversity Index were significantly higher in the northern two bays (Assawoman and Isle of Wight Bays) than in the two southern bays (Chincoteague or Sinepuxent Bays). For the seine survey, effort-adjusted diversity indices were significantly lower for Chincoteague Bay than for the other three bays. Higher relative abundances were observed in the northern bays than in the southern bays. The trawl survey exhibited the lowest catch-per-site in Sinepuxent Bay and the highest in Assawoman Bay. The seine survey had the lowest catch-per-site in Chincoteague Bay while the other three embayments were of similar magnitude. There was clear seasonality in assemblage structure with peak abundance and diversity in the summer compared to other seasons. Blue crabs in particular showed a c. 2-fold decline in relative abundance from early summer to fall, which is likely attributable to harvest removals (i.e., an exploitation rate of c. 50%). Seagrass coverage, although increasing over the course of the 10 year survey, did not have obvious effects on species diversity and abundance across or within the embayments, although it did have positive associations with two important species: bay anchovy and summer flounder Pavalich thys dentatus. Atlantic menhaden were most dominant in Assawoman Bay, which could be related to higher primary production typically observed in this Bay in comparison to the other three. (PDF contains 99 pages)

Possible inclusion of fish waste (scales and fins) in the diet of fishes in aquaculture

The scales and fins of some freshwater fish species (Sarotherodon galilaeus, Oreochromis niloticus, Tilapia zillii, Barbus callipterus, Hemichromis fasciatus) from Kainji Lake, Nigeria were analyzed for their organic and inorganic matter. The aim of such study is to determine the usefulness of these waste parts of the fish in fish feed preparation. In all instances, the inorganic matter was found to be quite high in the fish exoskeleton, and calcium formed the highest element in the scales and the fins. These waste materials are therefore, considered as possible replacement for mineral sources in fish feed and probably the feed for other livestock

Investment opportunity in aquarium technology. Export marketing of tropical aquarium fishes

A brief account is given of the demand for ornamental fish, providing also estimates of world trade volume. The major importing countries are the USA, Japan, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. Present supply patterns are outlined; although Nigeria has vast natural resources of tropical aquatic life and the right climate for breeding, current exports are estimated at only 5% of the total potential. Recommendations for the promotion of exports of tropical aquarium fish in Nigeria are included