Paddlefish: Ecological, Aquacultural, and Regulatory Challenges of Managing a Global Resource

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Asian Carp ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
Commercial Species ◽  
Sea Mammals ◽  
Fisheries Bycatch ◽  
Sport Fisheries

<i>Abstract</i>.—Cryptic or unobserved fishing mortality in marine and freshwater fisheries has received much attention in recent decades and in this chapter we discuss various forms of cryptic mortality in Paddlefish <i>Polyodon spathula</i>. Specifically, we review the literature on catch-and-release (CAR) mortality in recreational sport fisheries, bycatch mortality in commercial fisheries, and wounding of Paddlefish entrained through dams or struck by recreational or commercial vessels. We also discuss opportunities to mitigate some forms of cryptic mortality. Indirect evidence suggests that CAR mortality of Paddlefish snagged in sport fisheries is minimal, probably because many of those fisheries occur when water temperatures are cool. Similarly, ample evidence points to minimal postrelease mortality of Paddlefish captured in commercial or research gill nets fished for short periods of time or overnight at cool (<11°C) water temperatures. Conversely, Paddlefish netted in warm (>16°C) waters experience high (35–71%) mortality rates. Chondrosteans exhibit depressed stress responses and faster recovery than teleosts and that trait may explain why Paddlefish often exhibit high postrelease survival after encountering fishing gear. Cryptic fishing mortality of Paddlefish arising from fishers targeting other commercial species has received scant attention. The spread of Asian carp <i>Hypophthalmichthys</i> spp. in the Mississippi River basin has prompted aggressive harvest strategies during which Paddlefish are often captured, which argues for increased scrutiny of Paddlefish bycatch in those fisheries. A final source of cryptic mortality of Paddlefish are mortal wounds resulting from boat and propeller strikes, and dam passage. Propeller strikes are a high-profile concern for endangered marine fish and sea mammals, but it is not clear whether this line of inquiry for Paddlefish warrants further study. Paddlefish in some locales experience high rates of amputated or damaged rostrums resulting from impacts with boats, or entrainment through turbines or passage through flood gates, and body condition is usually poorer in injured fish.

scholarly journals Hydrology controls recruitment of two invasive cyprinids: bigheaded carp reproduction in a navigable large river

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel K. Gibson-Reinemer ◽  
Levi E. Solomon ◽  
Richard M. Pendleton ◽  
John H. Chick ◽  
Andrew F. Casper
Keyword(s):  
Mississippi River ◽  
Silver Carp ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Large River ◽  
Asian Carp ◽  
Bighead Carp ◽  
Illinois River ◽  
Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix ◽  
The Past ◽  
Causative Factors

In the Mississippi River Basin of North America, invasive bigheaded carp (silver carpHypophthalmichthys molitrixand bighead carpH. nobilis, also referred to as Asian carp) have spread rapidly over the past several decades. In the Illinois River, an important tributary of the Upper Mississippi River, reproduction appears to be sporadic and frequently unsuccessful, yet bigheaded carp densities in this river are among the highest recorded on the continent. Understanding the causative factors behind erratic recruitment in this commercially-harvested invasive species is important for both limiting their spread and managing their harvest. We analyzed weekly catch records from 15 years of a standardized monitoring program to document the emergence of age-0 bigheaded carp in relation to environmental conditions. The appearance of age-0 fish was generally linked to hydrographic attributes, which probably serve as a cue for spawning. However, we found profound differences in the number of age-0 fish among years, which varied by as much as five orders of magnitude in successive years. The strong link between summer flooding and age-0 fish production we observed emphasizes the importance of understanding the hydrologic context in which sustained invasions occur. Despite evidence of sporadic recruitment, bigheaded carp populations in the Illinois River appear to be consistent or increasing because of particularly strong, episodic year classes.

Paddlefish Management, Propagation, and Conservation in the 21st Century

2009 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mississippi River ◽  
First Year ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
Ohio River ◽  
Independent Data ◽  
Arkansas River ◽  
Commercial Harvest ◽  
Harvest Data ◽  
Sport Fisheries ◽  
Anthropogenic Alterations

<em>Abstract</em>.—Paddlefish <em>Polyodon spathula </em>have been intensively harvested in both sport and commercial fisheries. Recent harvests (2000–2006) were surveyed from state agencies and compared to historical harvests (1965– 1975). Seven major sport fisheries had recent annual harvests greater than 1,000 fish, and most large sport fisheries appeared to have sustainable harvests due to intensive management. Recent commercial harvest was greater than sport harvest across the species’ range. Most of the commercial harvest was from Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Annual commercial harvest from the Ohio River increased from 6,000 to 196,000 kg from 1965–1975 to 2000–2006. Annual harvest remained substantial from the Arkansas River (37,000 kg), the lower Tennessee River (121,000 kg), and the Mississippi River (103,000 kg). Harvests of paddlefish (sport and commercial) compiled from the literature were highly variable and ranged between 0.01 and 5.06 fish/ ha and 0.04–43.43 kg/ha (median = 0.12 fish/ha, 1.73 kg/ha). Stock depression has been associated with a first-year harvest as low as 1.46 kg/ha, and harvests greater than 5 kg/ha were usually associated with overfishing or opening a previously closed fishery. Case histories from the Tennessee and Ohio River systems documented that paddlefish were susceptible to overharvest in lentic waters and river reservoirs, but the threat posed by commercial harvest from large rivers will remain unresolved until more fisheries-independent data becomes available. Anthropogenic alterations to habitat, overreliance on harvest data, and lack of fisheries-independent data limit our historical understanding of the degree of threat that harvest is to paddlefish populations.

scholarly journals A food web modeling assessment of Asian Carp impacts in the Middle and Upper Mississippi River, USA

Food Webs ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. e00120
Author(s):  
Nicholas W. Kramer ◽  
Quinton E. Phelps ◽  
Clay L. Pierce ◽  
Michael E. Colvin
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Asian Carp ◽  
Upper Mississippi River

21. Invasion of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassandra Smrekar ◽  
Shingo Tanaka ◽  
Lavie Williams
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
North American ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Fundamental Problem ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Asian Carp ◽  
Freshwater Species

A recent threat posed to the Great Lakes and adjoining waterways is the Asian Carp.  This large bodied fish originated from Asia and was first imported to the North American between 1960 to 1970. Their migration northward through the Mississippi River eliminated native freshwater species through competition of habitat and food resources. It is imperative to focus on the potential invasion of the Asian Carp because the risk assessment is high that the carp would eliminate all native species.  Currently the carp are at the border of entering Lake Michigan, which would then provide access to the rest of the freshwater regions in the surrounding area. Ultimately, the loss of lake biodiversity is the fundamental problem and is coupled with economic issues.  Bowfin Environmental Consulting INC and various invasive species awareness programs have been utilized to provide guidance on undertaking a project that involves an aggressive invasive species.  The challenge faced will be to determine a method in which to prevent the invasion of Asian Carp.  Examining their migration patterns, importation laws of live fish, and the policies of invasive species, will provide insight on the approach that should be taken to eliminate the threat of Asian Carp.  It is also important to analyze which native species are most susceptible to becoming extinct.  Overall, the intention is not only to increase government, scientific, and public awareness of this issue, but also to provide methods that can be implemented to prevent and eradicate the spread of Asian Carp in North American waterways.

Stakeholders and Invasive Asian Carp in the Great Lakes

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Orr
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
River System ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Asian Carp ◽  
Fishing Industry ◽  
Policy Problem ◽  
Stakeholder Interests

Asian carp were introduced in the 1970s as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemicals for cleaning aquaculture ponds. The carp escaped from their ponds and entered the Mississippi River system, leaving behind a path of destruction. Now, they are just a few miles away from the Great Lakes where they pose a threat to the billion-dollar fishing industry. One of the challenges in dealing with the problem is the diverse array of stakeholders involved who all have very different perspectives, concerns, and ideas about this policy problem. This case study demonstrates the challenges of stakeholder management in public policy and gives readers an analytical framework for thinking about stakeholder interests.

Evidence of Asian Carp Spawning Upstream of a Key Choke Point in the Mississippi River

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 903-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Larson ◽  
Brent C. Knights ◽  
S. Grace McCalla ◽  
Emy Monroe ◽  
Maren Tuttle-Lau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mississippi River ◽  
Asian Carp

Hinterland Dreams and Midwestern Rails: Public Power and Railroading in Nineteenth-Century La Crosse, Wisconsin

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 376-410
Author(s):  
Eric John Morser
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Mississippi River ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
Railroad Network ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
History Of ◽  
Local Residents ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Middle West

Historians of the nineteenth-century American Middle West typically pay scant attention to the financial and regulatory role that smaller cities played in forging a regional railroad network. This article, however, explores railroading in La Crosse, Wisconsin, to demonstrate that politicians and boosters in such cities often took advantage of municipal power to shape the course of railroads in unexpected ways. In 1853, 1864, and 1876, for example, local boosters convinced city aldermen to fund railways and help forge commercial links to Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Chicago, and other markets in the East and West. The city's influence over railroading did not start and stop with public investment. Beginning in 1883, after state lawmakers had amended the city's charter and given municipal officials new police powers, aldermen forced railroad executives to clear city streets, prevent damage to private property, and guarantee the personal safety of local residents. Moreover, even when La Crossers lost a fight with railroads, as they did when they waged a holy war over the location of a Mississippi River bridge in the 1860s and 1870s, they forced railroadmen to pay attention to their concerns. In the end, the case of La Crosse suggests that historians need to pay much greater mind to people and governments in small, hinterland cities before they can fully grasp the rich history of railroading, and of capitalism more generally, in the nineteenth-century Middle West.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document