Pendleton Artificial Reef: annual progress report presented to Southern California Edison Company

(PDF contains 82 pages.)

The Science Caf�� 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 caf�� is organized around an interesting scientific topic with a brief presentation by a scientist and may include a short video clip. A Science Caf�� 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 Caf�� at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast campus Library in Long Beach and plans for future cafes on the Mississippi coast.

Mississippi River sustenance of brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) in Louisiana coastal waters

Brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) are abundant along the Louisiana coast, a coastline that is heavily influenced by one of the world’s largest rivers, the Mississippi River. Stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur (CNS) isotopes of shrimp and their proventriculus (stomach) contents were assayed to trace riverine support of estuarine-dependent brown shrimp. Extensive inshore and of fshore collections were made in the Louisiana coastal zone during 1999–2006 to document shrimp movement patterns across the bay and shelf region. Results showed an unexpectedly strong role for nursery areas in the river delta in supporting the offshore fishery, with about 46% of immigrants to offshore regions arriving from riverine marshes. Strong river influences also were evident offshore, where cluster analysis of combined CNS isotope data showed three regional station groups related to river inputs. Two nearer-river mid-shelf station groups showed isotope values indicating river fertilization and productivity responses in the benthic shrimp food web, and a deeper offshore station group to the south and west showed much less river inf luence. At several mid-shelf stations where hypoxia is common, shrimp were anomalously 15N depleted versus their diets, and this d15N difference or mismatch may be useful in monitoring shrimp movement responses to hypoxia.

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.

Bay Scallops, Argopecten irradians, in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas)

There is no evidence that a commercial bay scallop fishery exists anywhere in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. No data concerning scallop abundance or distribution was found for Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Texas is the only state west of Florida where bay scallop populations have been documented. These records come from a variety of literature sources and the fisheries-independent data collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (1982–2005). Although common in the diet of prehistoric peoples living on the Texas coast, recent (last ~50 years) bay scallop population densities tend to be low and exhibit “boom–bust” cycles of about 10–15 years. The Laguna Madre, is the only place on the Texas coast where scallops are relatively abundant; this is likely due to extensive seagrasses cover (>70%) and salinities that typically exceed 35 psu. The lack of bay scallop fishery development in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico is probably due to variable but generally low densities of the species combined with a limited amount of suitable (i.e. seagrass

Mersey & Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th September, 1974

This is the report from the Mersey and Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th September 1974. The report looks at comments of the Regional Fisheries Officer on the report 'Taking Stock', and information including the aims of a report entitled 'Coarse Fisheries'. The report also includes a copy of the chairman's address to members of the Mersey and Weaver Anglers' Consultative Association, and the report by the Unit Water Quality Officer on fisheries activities. This covers general fisheries management work, stocking and biological work carried out including the Rivers Tame and Bollin, and fish mortalities listed by cause. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Mersey & Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th December, 1974

This is the report from the Mersey and Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th December 1974. The report looks at information on the Water Bailiffs establishment, including the organisation and the duties of both the Fisheries Inspector and the Senior Bailiff. It also covers the comments from the Regional Fisheries Officer on the report on 'Coarse Fisheries', and information on the structure of licence duties in the Mersey and Weaver River unit area. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Lune Wyre & Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th January, 1978

This is the report from the Lune, Wyre and Furness Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th January, 1978. It covers information on fisheries income and expenditure, licence duties, regional water resources study, fish stocks in the River Leven, Skerton fishery and radioactive discharge in relation to fishery interests. It also includes investigations for future water supplies to South West Cumbria and the report by the area fisheries officer on river conditions and fishing for salmon, sea trout, and coarse fish, numbers of fish movements at Haverthwaite, Broadraine and Forge Weir fish monitoring station. Included in this report is also work at Middleton Hatchery, a brief note on fish disease in migratory fish in the Lune and Kent, and net catch figures for the year for the Rivers Lune, Kent, Leven and Duddon. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

South & West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th October, 1978

This is the report from the South and West Cumberland Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th October, 1978. It covers information on fisheries income and expenditure, the study of salmon propagation in England and Wales, work on the future programme of fisheries work, keep nets, and the drought order for the reduction of compensation water from Lake Ennerdale. It also covers the report by the area fisheries officer on fishing activities including river conditions and fishing, migratory fish movements, and an update on Holmwrangle hatchery. The report also looks at stocking numbers of salmon and sea trout in various rivers, predator counts for various rivers, fish mortalities and fish disease. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

North Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th October, 1979.

This is the report from the North Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th October 1979. The report contains the minutes of the last meeting along with the minutes of the Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting held on 12th July 1979, information on the cormorant population, and draft netting rights for the River Eden. Also included is the report by the area fisheries officer which looks at river conditions and fishing of salmon, sea/brown trout and coarse fish, migratory fish movements, an update on Holmwrangle Hatchery, pollution incidents and fish mortalities, and biological work carried out investigating salmonid fish populations. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Northern Area Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th June, 1981

This is the report from the Northern Area Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th June, 1981. It includes information on fisheries in the Solway Firth, fishing licence duties and the minutes of the last meeting held on the 30th March, 1981. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Mersey & Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee 16th January, 1980.

This is the report from the Mersey and Weaver Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 16th January 1980. The report contains sections on the minutes of the meeting held on the 24th October 1979, the EEC Directive on the quality of freshwaters and terminated angling leases. It also covers the report by the area fisheries officer which looks at river conditions and fishing, Hollingworth and Pilot hatcheries, stocking carried out by Angling Associations and the Authority and mortalities. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

West Cumbria Special Fisheries Advisory Group 16th May, 1986

This is the report from the West Cumbria Special Fisheries Advisory Group meeting, which was held on the 16th May, 1986. The report contains sections on a Fish Pass at Ennerdale, Authority proposals for discharge of compensation water from Ennerdale and a diagram of fish pass at Ennerdale. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.