Welcome to the interactive web schedule for the 2017 SEAFWA Conference! For tips on how to navigate this site, visit the "Helpful Info" section. To return to the SEAFWA website, go to: www.seafwa.org/conference/overview
Note: Session titles beginning with an asterisk (*) have student presenters.
AUTHORS: Tyler S. Coleman, Matthew J. Catalano - Auburn University School of Fisheries Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences
ABSTRACT: Reducing largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) population density is an important challenge in small impoundment ( < 40 ha; ie., recreational fishing ponds and small lakes) management and is necessary to maintain desirable growth rates, body condition, and size structure. Common gears (hook-and-line, electrofishing) used for the mechanical removal of largemouth bass are inefficient at capturing age-0 and age-1 fish, which exert substantial predation pressure on bluegill. An alternative approach is the direct control of largemouth bass recruitment via reduction of age-0 density. Application of the piscicide rotenone along the shoreline is one such approach that has been attempted but has not been thoroughly evaluated. We evaluated the influence of shoreline rotenone treatment on age-0 and age-1 largemouth bass densities in small impoundments and assessed the effect of impoundment size on the efficiency of the approach. Twelve small impoundments were observed for this study and only half were treated with rotenone while leaving the others as untreated controls. The treatment was applied twice during the summer of 2017 and changes in age-0 density were assessed via shoreline seine hauls just before and after each treatment. Preliminary data indicate that rotenone treatment reduced age-0 catch rates by 71-100 % across impoundments, but the effect of the treatment on age-1 density will remain unclear until follow-up electrofishing age composition samples are collected in spring of 2018. If shoreline rotenone proves effective in reducing largemouth bass recruitment and population densities, then this approach will be a valuable tool for small impoundment management.
Tuesday October 31, 2017 2:00pm - 2:20pm EDT
French