A pilot study of hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus Walbaum 1792) movement in the Conch Reef Research Only Area (northern Florida Keys)

The largely sedentary behavior of many fishes on coral reefs is well established. Information on the movement behavior of individual fish, over fine temporal and spatial scales, however, continues to be limited. It is precisely this type of information that is critical for evaluating the success of marine reserves designed for the conservation and/or management of vagile fishes. In this pilot study we surgically-tagged eight hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus Walbaum 1792) with coded-acoustic transmitters inside the Conch Reef Research Only Area (a no-take marine reserve) in the northern Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Our primary objective was to characterize the movement of L. maximus across Conch Reef in the vicinity of the reserve. All fish were captured, surgically-tagged and released in situ during a saturation mission to the Aquarius Undersea Laboratory, which is located in the center of the reserve. Movement of tagged L. maximus was recorded for up to 95 days by three acoustic receivers deployed on the seafloor. Results showed clear diel patterns in L. maximus activity and regular movement among the receivers was recorded for seven of the eight tagged fish. Fidelity of tagged fish to the area of release was high when calculated at the scale of days, while within-day fidelity was comparatively low when calculated at the scale of hours. While the number of fish departures from the array also varied, the majority of departures for seven of the eight fish did not exceed 1-hr (with the exception of one 47-day departure), suggesting that when departures occurred, the fish did not travel far. Future efforts will significantly expand the number of receivers at Conch Reef such that fish movement behavior relative to the reserve boundaries can be quantified with increased temporal and spatial resolution. (PDF contains 22 pages.)

The Science Café Movement on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Science Cafes present a casual meeting place where people who may have little or no science background can learn about a current scientific topic in an informal and friendly environment. The coffee shop setting is designed to be inviting and informal so that students, faculty, and community members can feel comfortable and engage in lively and meaningful conversations. The café is organized around an interesting scientific topic with a brief presentation by a scientist and may include a short video clip. A Science Café can (1) provide an opportunity and venue for increasing science literacy, (2) publicize local scientific endeavors, and (3) identify the library as an epicenter of informal education on the campus and in the community. This presentation will describe the development of the Science Café at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast campus Library in Long Beach and plans for future cafes on the Mississippi coast.

The effect of water quality on coarse fish productivity and movement in the Lower River Irwell and Upper Manchester Ship Canal a watercourse recovering from historical pollution

This is the Effect of water quality on coarse fish productivity and movement in the Lower River Irwell and Upper Manchester Ship Canal: a watercourse recovering from historical pollution report produced by the Environment Agency in 2003. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of water quality upon coarse fish population dynamics in a lowland, urban watercourse. All of the research carried was undertaken in the lower River Irwell and upper Manchester Ship Canal, between February 1998 and December 2001. Of particular interest was the natural sustainability of the urban fishery given recent concern raised in the angling community over an apparent decline in coarse fish populations in lowland rivers. The research described in this report has concentrated upon the role of water quality in determining coarse fish population dynamics, and in particular: The impact of water quality upon fish growth and productivity; The impact of poor water quality and low dissolved oxygen concentrations upon fish distribution and movement; The impact of water quality upon the sexual development of fish.

Water hyacinth in Uganda: distribution cover and movement

The strategy to control the noxious water hyacinth requires reliable data base on the magnitude of the weed problem. This report which presents up to date (1997) information on distribution, coverage and movement of the weed in Uganda is intended to provide this basis as suppliment to other inputs for control planning. The report is the first in a series being prepared by FIRI from results the "Water hyacinth. research project" whose major goal is to supply information needed to define and focus the scope of the control process for water hyacinth in view of the fact that the weed is to remain a permanent feature of the aquatic landscape of Uganda. Water hyacinth is firmly established in lakes Victoria, Kyoga Albert and along the River Nile, distributed in two distinct forms namely as stationary fringes the shoreline and as mobile mats and large "fields" usually found in sheltered bays.