Winter winds and river discharge determine juvenile southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) recruitment and distribution in North Carolina estuaries

2010 ◽  
Vol 64 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 15-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Christopher Taylor ◽  
John M. Miller ◽  
Leonard J. Pietrafesa ◽  
David A. Dickey ◽  
Steve W. Ross
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
River Discharge ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Southern Flounder

scholarly journals Commercial fishing gear modifications to reduce interactions between Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and the southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) fishery in North Carolina (USA)

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan C. Levesque ◽  
Christian Hager ◽  
Eric Diaddorio ◽  
R. Jason Dickey
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Atlantic Sturgeon ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Southern Flounder ◽  
Beneficial Impact ◽  
Acipenser Oxyrinchus

Bycatch of protected species in commercial fishing operations is a primary concern to fishery managers because it threatens the conservation, protection, and recovery of fragile species, such as the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus). One potential solution to reduce the risk associated with commercial fishing operations is to design commercial fishing gear that is more selective in terms of interactions between Atlantic sturgeon and commercial fisheries. Given this conservation and management need, the overarching goal was to reduce Atlantic sturgeon fishery interactions and maintain southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) catch in North Carolina. The specific objectives of this study were to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a modified gillnet. Overall, the results proved that lowering the profile and amount of webbing had a beneficial impact at reducing Atlantic sturgeon incidental encounters and bycatch. The modified gillnet reduced bycatch and Atlantic sturgeon encounters by 39.6% and 60.9%, respectively. Our design entangled 51.6% fewer southern flounder, which corresponded to a 48.9% reduction in total weight; the modified gear entangled slightly larger southern flounder than the control gear. Our findings showed the number of Atlantic sturgeon encounters was positively associated with mean water depth, with more Atlantic sturgeon encountered in deeper (5.1–6.3 m) than shallower waters; 75% were encountered at depths between 4.6 and 6.1 m. Most southern flounder (n= 518, 39.7%) were taken at a water depth between 3.76 and 5.0 m. This observation suggests that southern flounder prefer slightly shallower waters than Atlantic sturgeon.

scholarly journals Commercial fishing gear modifications to reduce interactions between Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and the southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) fishery in North Carolina (USA)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan C Levesque ◽  
Christian Hager ◽  
Eric Diaddorio ◽  
R. Jason Dickey
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Atlantic Sturgeon ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Southern Flounder ◽  
Beneficial Impact ◽  
Fishery Interactions ◽  
Acipenser Oxyrinchus

Bycatch of protected species in commercial fishing operations is a primary concern to fishery managers because it threatens the conservation, protection, and recovery of fragile species, such as the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus). One potential solution to reduce the risk associated with commercial fishing operations is to design commercial fishing gear that is more selective in terms of interactions between Atlantic sturgeon and commercial fisheries. Given the need to reduce commercial fishery interactions, the overarching goal was to reduce Atlantic sturgeon fishery interactions and maintain southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) catch in North Carolina. The specific objectives of this study were to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a modified gillnet. Overall, the results proved that lowering the profile and amount of webbing had a beneficial impact at reducing Atlantic sturgeon encounters and bycatch. The modified gillnet reduced bycatch and Atlantic sturgeon encounters by 49.4% and 60.9%, respectively. We also found the modified gear entangled 51.6% less southern flounder, which corresponded to a 32% reduction in total weight; the experimental sections entangled slightly larger individuals than the control sections. Our findings showed the number of Atlantic sturgeon encounters was positively associated with mean water depth, with more Atlantic sturgeon encountered in deeper than shallower waters; 75% were encountered at depths between 4.6 and 6.1 m. In addition, we found that 41% of the Atlantic sturgeon encountered were in warmer (26‒30°C) than colder water.

Influence of food and predation on the depth distribution of juvenile spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) in tidal nurseries

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 971-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Miltner ◽  
Steve W. Ross ◽  
Martin H. Posey
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Benthic Invertebrates ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Depth Distribution ◽  
Leiostomus Xanthurus ◽  
Tidal Creeks ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Southern Flounder ◽  
Influence Of Food ◽  
Young Of The Year

Relative abundances of young-of-the-year (YOY) spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) sampled by trawling in two tidal creeks on Masonboro Island, North Carolina, were highest in the shallow creek margins. Abundances of benthic invertebrates sampled by cores in one of the study creeks, were also maximal at the creek margin. Polychaetes associated with the creek margin composed the largest fraction of spot diets, indicating spot located in the creek margins were in the area of highest food availability. Spot predators sampled by trawling and seining were uncommon and were primarily juvenile (75–200 mm total length) southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma), hake (Urophycis spp.), and bluefish (Pomotomus saltatrix). Large YOY spot experienced a size refuge from predation, as only small YOY spot were found in predator stomachs. In laboratory experiments testing the effects of the presence of a predator, food, or both food and predators on the depth distribution of YOY spot, food had a stronger effect on spot distributions than predators The results of field observations and laboratory experiments suggest food has the strongest effect on spot distribution in the field, and that food is relatively more important than refuge from predation to the nursery function of shallow estuarine habitats.

scholarly journals Commercial fishing gear modifications to reduce interactions between Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and the southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) fishery in North Carolina (USA)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan C Levesque ◽  
Christian Hager ◽  
Eric Diaddorio ◽  
R. Jason Dickey
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Atlantic Sturgeon ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Southern Flounder ◽  
Beneficial Impact ◽  
Fishery Interactions ◽  
Acipenser Oxyrinchus

Bycatch of protected species in commercial fishing operations is a primary concern to fishery managers because it threatens the conservation, protection, and recovery of fragile species, such as the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus). One potential solution to reduce the risk associated with commercial fishing operations is to design commercial fishing gear that is more selective in terms of interactions between Atlantic sturgeon and commercial fisheries. Given the need to reduce commercial fishery interactions, the overarching goal was to reduce Atlantic sturgeon fishery interactions and maintain southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) catch in North Carolina. The specific objectives of this study were to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a modified gillnet. Overall, the results proved that lowering the profile and amount of webbing had a beneficial impact at reducing Atlantic sturgeon encounters and bycatch. The modified gillnet reduced bycatch and Atlantic sturgeon encounters by 49.4% and 60.9%, respectively. We also found the modified gear entangled 51.6% less southern flounder, which corresponded to a 32% reduction in total weight; the experimental sections entangled slightly larger individuals than the control sections. Our findings showed the number of Atlantic sturgeon encounters was positively associated with mean water depth, with more Atlantic sturgeon encountered in deeper than shallower waters; 75% were encountered at depths between 4.6 and 6.1 m. In addition, we found that 41% of the Atlantic sturgeon encountered were in warmer (26‒30°C) than colder water.

Dietary Protein Requirement of Southern Flounder,Paralichthys lethostigma

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. González ◽  
S. R. Craig ◽  
E. McLean ◽  
M. H. Schwarz ◽  
G. J. Flick
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Protein ◽  
Protein Requirement ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Southern Flounder

Coupling acoustic tracking with conventional tag returns to estimate mortality for a coastal flatfish with high rates of emigration

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Trevor K. Scheffel ◽  
Joseph E. Hightower ◽  
Jeffrey A. Buckel ◽  
Jacob R. Krause ◽  
Frederick S. Scharf
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
River Estuary ◽  
Natural Mortality ◽  
Multistate Models ◽  
Fishery Resource ◽  
Paralichthys Lethostigma ◽  
Movement Rates ◽  
Southern Flounder ◽  
Behavioral Attributes

The addition of acoustic telemetry to conventional tagging studies can generate direct estimates of mortality and movement rates to inform fisheries management. We applied a combined telemetry and tag-return design to southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma), a coastal flatfish that demonstrates limited movements within estuarine habitats coupled with extensive ontogenetic migrations that present unique challenges for estimating mortality rates. The fates of acoustically and conventionally tagged fish were followed during 2014–2016 to estimate annual rates of fishing mortality (F), natural mortality (M), and estuarine emigration (E). Multistate models estimated southern flounder annual F for each of the 3 years at two spatial scales (New River estuary F = 0.49–1.61; North Carolina coast F = 0.36–0.72). Annual rates of emigration were high (E = 1.06–1.67), and direct estimation of this source of loss considerably improved mortality estimates. The model estimated natural mortality as a constant annual rate (M = 0.84), which was similar in magnitude to life-history-based estimates for similar age groups. By accounting for unique behavioral attributes in the study design, the application of multistate tagging models provided robust estimates of mortality and emigration rates for a valuable coastal fishery resource that will inform future efforts to achieve yield and conservation goals.

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