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Note: Session titles beginning with an asterisk (*) have student presenters.
AUTHORS: Cody J. Salzmann, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; Justin M. Homan, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Micah D. Tindall, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Michael A. Eggleton, Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
ABSTRACT: In river systems of the southeastern U.S., crappies (Pomoxis spp.) represent popular sport fisheries. Using oxbow lakes in the lower White River, Arkansas as study areas, key fishery characteristics and minimum-length limit (MLL) modeling simulations were compared between 2002 and 2015. Von Bertalanffy growth models suggested crappie growth was greater during 2015 compared to 2002, though estimates of L∞ declined from 378 mm total length (TL) in 2002 to 334 mm TL in 2015. Total mortality of crappies decreased from 56% in 2002 to 37% in 2015, while proportional size distribution increased from 43 to 57. Simulation modeling from 2015 predicted that implementation of a 254-mm MLL for crappies would increase mean size of harvested crappies regardless of exploitation compared to a 200-mm MLL, which simulated no MLL. However, the 254-mm MLL also was predicted to reduce the number of crappies harvested by one-third to one-half; yield was predicated to increase minimally when exploitation was high and natural mortality was low. Although crappie modeling simulations were not greatly different between 2002 and 2015, these oxbow lakes have undergone significant fish assemblage changes in recent years. Within the last decade, bigheaded carps (bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis and silver carp H. molitrix) have become highly abundant in many of these lakes. Although these findings suggested that bigheaded carps have had little effect thus far on White River oxbow lake crappie fisheries, future studies are warranted as carps become more established.
Tuesday October 31, 2017 9:40am - 10:00am EDT
French