An investigation into the effects of electric fishing equipment on salmon and sea trout within the area of the Lancashire River Board.

The report looks at experiments into electric fishing equipment and effects on salmon and trout within the Lancashire River Board. Experiments include obtaining information on voltage gradients, ascertaining what damage to fish of the larger size groups resulted from electric fishing, determining whether or not fractures could occur in coarse fish and brown trout,similar to those occurring in salmon and sea trout, and effects low temperatures have on electrofishing techniques.

Effects of the 1997-1998 El Niño on population size and diet of the Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki)

The multi-annual climatic event, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is an important factor in the population dynamics of coastal marine species in the Galápagos. The Galápagos sea lion, Zalophus wollebaeki, suffered an apparent population decline of about 50%, considering both mortality and movements away from study sites during the 1997-98 El Niño. This change was in part due to changes in the availability of sardines of the Family Clupeidae, its main prey. These declines resulted partly from elevated mortality (35%) in sea lion colonies, particularly among pups, juveniles (< 1 year old), and dominant males and as a result of movements of adults elsewhere (15%), presumably where there were alternative prey and better environmental conditions.

Catch rates and demographics of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) captured from the Charleston, South Carolina, shipping channel during the period of mandatory use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs)

Trawling was conducted in the Charleston, South Carolina, shipping channel between May and August during 2004–07 to evaluate loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) catch rates and demographic distributions. Two hundred and twenty individual loggerheads were captured in 432 trawling events during eight sampling periods lasting 2–10 days each. Catch was analyzed by using a generalized linear model. Data were fitted to a negative binomial distribution with the log of standardized sampling effort (i.e., an hour of sampling with a net head rope length standardized to 30.5 m) for each event treated as an offset term. Among 21 variables, factors, and interactions, five terms were significant in the final model, which accounted for 45% of model deviance. Highly significant differences in catch were noted among sampling periods and sampling locations within the channel, with greatest catch furthest seaward consistent with historical observations. Loggerhead sea turtle catch rates in 2004–07 were greater than in 1991–92 when mandatory use of turtle excluder devices was beginning to be phased in. Concurrent with increased catch rates, loggerheads captured in 2004–07 were larger than in 1991–92. Eighty-five percent of loggerheads captured were ≤75.0 cm straight-line carapace length (nuchal notch to tip of carapace) and there was a 3.9:1 female-to-male bias, consistent with limited data for this location two decades earlier. Only juvenile loggerheads ≤75.0 cm possessed haplotypes other than CC-A01 or CC-A02 that dominate in the region. Six rare and one un-described haplotype were predominantly found in June 2004.

Evidence of the selection of tidal streams by northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) for transport in the eastern Bering Sea

Depth data from archival tags on northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) were examined to assess whether fish used tidal currents to aid horizontal migration. Two northern rock sole, out of 115 released with archival tags in the eastern Bering Sea, were recovered 314 and 667 days after release. Both fish made periodic excursions away from the bottom during mostly night-time hours, but also during particular phases of the tide cycle. One fish that was captured and released in an area of rotary currents made vertical excursions that were correlated with tidal current direction. To test the hypothesis that the fish made vertical excursions to use tidal currents to aid migration, a hypothetical migratory path was calculated using a tide model to predict the current direction and speed during periods when the fish was off the bottom. This migration included limited movements from July through December, followed by a 200-km southern migration from January through February, then a return northward in March and April. The successful application of tidal current information to predict a horizontal migratory path not only provides evidence of selective tidal stream transport but indicates that vertical excursions were conducted primarily to assist horizontal migration.

Onshore-offshore distribution and abundance of tuna larvae (Pisces: Scombridae: Thunnini) in near-reef waters of the Coral Sea

The on-offshore distributions of tuna larvae in near-reef waters of the Coral Sea, near Lizard Island (14°30ʹS, 145°27ʹE), Australia, were investigated during four cruises from November 1984 to February 1985 to test the hypothesis that larvae of these oceanic fishes are found in highest abundance near coral reefs. Oblique bongo net tows were made in five on-offshore blocks in the Coral Sea, ranging from 0–18.5 km offshore of the outer reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as inside the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. The smallest individuals (<3.2 mm SL) of the genus Thunnus could not be identified to species, and are referred to as Thunnus spp. We found species-specific distributional patterns. Thunnus spp. and T. alalunga (albacore) larvae were most abundant (up to 68 larvae/100 m2) in near-reef (0–5.5 km offshore) waters, whereas Katsuwonus pelamis (skipjack tuna) larvae increased in abundance in the offshore direction (up to 228 larvae/100 m2, 11.1–18.5 km offshore). Larvae of T. albacares (yellowfin tuna) and Euthynnus affinis (kawakawa) were relatively rare throughout the study region, and the patterns of their distributions were inconclusive. Few larvae of any tuna species were found in the lagoon. Size-frequency distributions revealed a greater proportion of small larvae inshore compared to offshore for K. pelamis and T. albacares. The absence of significant differences in size-frequency distributions for other species and during the other cruises was most likely due to the low numbers of larvae. Larval distributions probably resulted from a combination of patterns of spawning and vertical distribution, combined with wind-driven onshore advection and downwelling on the seaward side of the outer reefs.

A nursery site of the Alaska skate (Bathyraja parmifera) in the eastern Bering Sea

A nursery site for the Alaska skate (Bathyraja parmifera) was sampled seasonally from June 2004 to July 2005. At the small nursery site (~2 km2), located in a highly productive area near the shelf-slope interface at the head of Bering Canyon in the eastern Bering Sea, reproductive males and females dominated the catch and neonate and juvenile skates were rare. Seasonal samples showed summertime (June and July) as the peak reproductive time in the nursery although some reproduction occurred throughout the year. Timeseries analysis of embryo length frequencies revealed that three cohorts were developing simultaneously and the period of embryonic development was estimated at 3.5 years and average embryo growth rate at 0.2 mm/day. Estimated egg case deposition occurred mainly during summertime and hatching occurred during winter months. Protracted hatching times may be common for oviparous elasmobranch species and may be directly correlated with ambient temperatures as evident from a meta-data analysis. Evidence indicates that the Alaska skate uses the eastern Bering Sea outer continental shelf region for reproduction and the middle and inner shelf regions as habitat for immature and subadults. Skate nurseries may be vulnerable to disturbances because they are located in highly productive areas and because embryos develop slowly.

Abundance and distribution of the eastern North Pacific Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) population

The eastern Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) population comprises animals that breed along the west coast of North America between California and southeastern Alaska. There are currently 13 major rookeries (>50 pups): five in southeastern Alaska, three in British Columbia, two in Oregon, and three in California. Overall abundance has increased at an average annual rate of 3.1% since the 1970s. These increases can largely be attributed to population recovery from predator-control kills and commercial harvests, and abundance is now probably as high as it has been in the last century. The number of rookeries has remained fairly constant (n=11 to 13) over the past 80 years, but there has been a northward shift in distribution of both rookeries and numbers of animals. Based on the number of pups counted in a population-wide survey in 2002, total pup production was estimated to be about 11,000 (82% in southeastern Alaska and British Columbia), representing a total population size as approximately 46,000−58,000 animal

Fisheries of the Farasan Islands (Red Sea)

The fisheries of the Farasan Islands (Saudi Arabia, Red Sea) are described. The fishery resources are exploited by artisanal, investor and industrial sectors. The artisanal fishery consists mostly of line fishing around coral reefs and about half the fishing effort occurs within the proposed marine protected area (MPA). Activities by investor and industrial fisheries sector include line fishing, gill netting, fish trapping and demersal fish trawling. The relevant resource management issues that need to be addressed as part of a planning study for the establishment of a MPA are also presented. The major issues are: (1) the decline in the catch of the artisanal fishery; (2) by catch and habitat degradation; (3) sustainability in the collection of giant clams and pearl shells; and (4) the lack of information such as the importance of MPA to fisheries, stock assessment and catch and effort data. A significant role in the future management of the fisheries has been identified for the traditional representatives of the artisanal sector.

A program for the identification of the pelagic eggs of Black Sea fishes

A computer program was developed for the identification of the teleost fish eggs that may be found in the pelagic zone of the Black Sea. The program identifies eggs of 70 species, using up to 28 descriptive characters, and may be adapted for use outside of the Black Sea.

Impact of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) on salmon fisheries in Monterey Bay, California

To assess the impact of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) on salmon fisheries in the Monterey Bay region of California, the percentages of hooked fish taken by sea lions in commercial and recreational salmon fisheries were estimated from 1997 to 1999. Onboard surveys of sea lion interactions with the commercial and recreational f isheries and dockside interviews with fishermen after their return to port were conducted in the ports of Santa Cruz, Moss Landing, and Monterey. Approximately 1745 hours of onboard and dockside surveys were conducted—924 hours in the commercial fishery and 821 hours in the recreational fishery (commercial passenger fishing vessels [CPFVs] and personal skiffs combined). Adult male California sea lions were responsible for 98.4% of the observed depredations of hooked salmon in the commercial and recreational fisheries in Monterey Bay. Mean annual percentages of hooked salmon taken by sea lions ranged from 8.5% to 28.6% in the commercial fishery, 2.2% to 18.36% in the CPFVs, and 4.0% to 17.5% in the personal skiff fishery. Depredation levels in the commercial and recreational salmon fisheries were greatest in 1998—likely a result of the large El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event that occurred from 1997 to 1998 that reduced natural prey resources. Commercial fishermen lost an estimated $18,031−$60,570 of gear and $225,833−$498,076 worth of salmon as a result of interactions with sea lions. Approximately 1.4−6.2% of the available salmon population was removed from the system as a result of sea lion interactions with the fishery. Assessing the impact of a growing sea lion population on fisheries stocks is difficult, but may be necessary for effective fisheries management.

Distribution, feeding condition, and growth of Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) larvae in the Seto Inland Sea

Distribution of eggs and larvae and feeding and growth of larvae of Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) were investigated in relation to their prey in the Sea of Hiuchi, the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, in 1995 and 1996. The abundance of S. niphonius eggs and larvae peaked in late May, corresponding with that of clupeid larvae, the major prey organisms of S. niphonius larvae. The eggs were abundant in the northwestern waters and the larvae were abundant in the southern waters in late May in both years, indicating a southward drift during egg and yolksac stages by residual f low in the central part of the Sea of Hiuchi. Abundance of clupeid larvae in southern waters, where S. niphonius larvae were abundant, may indicate a spawning strategy on the part of first-feeding S. niphonius larvae to encounter the spatial and temporal peak in ichthyoplankton prey abundance in the Seto Inland Sea. Abundance of the clupeid larvae was higher in 1995 than in 1996. Feeding incidence (percentage of stomachs with food; 85.3% in 1995 and 67.7% in 1996) and mean growth rate estimated from otolith daily increments (1.05 mm/d in 1995 and 0.85 mm/d in 1996) of S. niphonius larvae in late May were significantly higher in 1995. Young-of-the-year S. niphonius abundance and catch per unit of fishing effort of 1-year-old S. niphonius in the Sea of Hiuchi was higher in 1995, indicating a more successful recruitment in this year. Spatial and temporal correspondence with high ichthyoplankton prey concentration was considered one of the important determinants for the feeding success, growth, and survival of S. niphonius larvae.

Drawn to the Sea: Charles Bradford Hudson (1865-1939), Artist, Author, Army Officer, with Special Notice of His Work for the United States Fish Commission and Bureau of Fisheries

The biography of Charles Bradford Hudson that follows this preface had its seeds about 1965 when I (VGS) was casually examining the extensive files of original illustrations of fishes stored in the Division of Fishes, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. I happened upon the unpublished illustration of a rainbow trout by Hudson and was greatly impressed with its quality. The thought occurred to me then that the artist must have gone on to do more than just illustrate fishes. During the next 20 years I occasionally pawed through those files, which contained the work of numerous artists, who had worked from 1838 to the present. In 1985, I happened to discuss the files with my supervisor, who urged me to produce a museum exhibit of original fish illustrations. This I did, selecting 200 of the illustrations representing 21 artists, including, of course, Hudson. As part of the text for the exhibit, Drawn from the Sea, Art in the Service of Ichthyology, I prepared short biographies of each of the artists. The exhibit, with an available poster, was shown in the Museum for six months, and a reduced version was exhibited in U.S. and Canadian museums during the next 3 years.

Historical Exploitation of the California Sea Lion, Zalophus californianus, in México

The exploitation of California sea lions, Zalophus californianus, in Mexican waters can be divided into four periods as defined by political characteristics of the country: Prehispanic, Colonial, Independent, and Postrevolutionary. During the first period (pre 1533), Native Americans took sea lions at low levels. During the second (1534–1821) and the third (1822–1911) periods, most exploitation was by foreigners and was incidental to other marine mammal harvests. During the Postrevolutionary period (after 1911), sea lions were exploited by Mexican and U.S. citizens for several commercial uses. Exploitation officially ended in 1982, although some small-scale poaching still occurs.

An Accounting of the Sources of Steller Sea Lion, Eumetopias jubatus, Mortality

During 1991–2000, the west-are additional mortalities that fueled the ern stock of Steller sea lions, Eumetopias decline. We tabulated the levels of reported jubatus, declined at 5.03% (SE = 0.25%) anthropogenic sources of mortality (sub- per year, statistically significant rates (P < sistence, incidental take in fisheries, and 0.10) in all but the eastern Aleutian Islands research), estimated another (illegal shoot-region. The greatest rates of declines oc-ing), then approximated levels of predation curred in the eastern and central Gulf of Alas-(killer whales and sharks). We attempted to ka and the western Aleutian Islands (> 8.2% partition the various sources of “additional” per year). Using a published correction mortalities as anthropogenic and as addifactor, we estimated the total non-pup pop-tional mortality including some predation. ulation size in Alaska of the western stock We classified 436 anthropogenic mortalities of Steller sea lions to be about 33,000 ani-and 769 anthropogenic plus some predation mals. Based on a published life table and mortalities as “mortality above replace-the current rate of decline, we estimate that ment”; this accounted for 26% and 46% of the total number of mortalities of non-pup the estimated total level of “mortality above Steller sea lions during 1991–2000 was replacement”, respectively. The remaining about 6,383 animals; of those, 4,718 (74%) mortality (74% and 54%, respectively) was are mortalities that would have occurred if not attributed to a specific cause and may be the population were stable, and 1,666 (26%) the result of nutritional stress.

A Preliminary Study of the Marine Biota at Navassa Island, Caribbean Sea

A preliminary study of reef fish and sharks was conducted at Navassa Island in the Caribbean Sea during a 24-h period beginning 9 September 1998. Conducting a study at Navassa Island was of particular interest because exploitation of Navassa Island’s fishery resources has been considered minimal due to its remote location (southwest of the Windward Passage, Caribbean Sea) and lack of human habitation. Reef fish (and associated habitats) were assessed with stationary underwater video cameras at 3 survey sites; sharks were assessed by bottom longlining at 5 survey sites. Fifty-seven reef fish identifications to lowest possible taxon were made from video footage. Longline catches produced 3 shark species and 3 incidental catch species. When results from the 1998 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) project are combined with a previous 1977 NMFS survey of Navassa Island, 27 fish families, 79 fish identifications to lowest possible taxon, 4 invertebrate orders or families, 3 coraline families, and 2 macroalgae phyla are reported.