The Pigeon River suffered major water quality degradation from 1908 through the 1980’s from paper mill effluent which resulted in the extirpation of many native fish species. Mill modifications have cleaned the effluent to the degree where some native species are recolonizing many areas of the river. In 2001, the Pigeon River Restoration Project was initiated to re-introduce native non-game species which have been unable to return of their own accord. In addition to relocation of selected suitable species, captive production of the tangerine darter (Percina aurantiaca) has been attempted since current translocation methods have proven impractical due to the small number found in the Pigeon River system. It is anticipated that, through hatchery propagation, sufficient numbers of tangerine darters might be produced for re-introduction. This method has seen limited success with other Percina species. Using brood stock of tangerine darters collected from the Pigeon River above the paper mill, three attempts to spawn and propagate tangerine darters were conducted at the Conservation Fisheries Incorporated (CFI) facility in Knoxville, TN. In the first trial, no eggs were spawned; the second year produced approximately 290 eggs and larvae but relatively few survived. The third attempt produced approximately 331 eggs and larvae, resulting in approximately 85 juveniles, but grow-out was problematic; future propagation efforts will target optimum grow-out densities as well as determine the nutrition requirements for larval and juvenile tangerine darters.

Catch rates of target and non-target species from commercial shrimp and reef fish fisheries operating in the U.S. southeastern region and associated fishing practices are provided in relation to an environmentally sound and economically driven approach to resource conservation. Beginning in 1992, fishery observers were placed aboard commercial vessels in the southeastern shrimp fishery. From 1993 through 1995 the program expanded to include reef fish vessels in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), and during 2004 and 2005 skimmer trawl vessels in coastal Louisiana. Data from 27,868 tows were collected aboard shrimp vessels. Total catch rates in kilograms per hour were 30.8 in the Gulf, and 27.7 in the southeastern Atlantic. In the Gulf, finfish comprised 65% of the total weight, with penaeid shrimp at 16%, nonpenaeid shrimp crustaceans at 13%, non-crustacean invertebrates at 4%, and debris at 1%. In the southeastern Atlantic, finfish accounted for 47%, with penaeid shrimp at 24%, invertebrates at 18%, crustaceans at 8%, and debris at 3%. In the Gulf, finfish catch rates by weight were significantly higher in Alabama/Mississippi and Louisiana as compared with Texas and Florida. Shrimp catchper- unit-effort (CPUE) was significantly higher off Texas. For all states areas, higher shrimp catch rates occurred in nearshore waters. Red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) CPUE was significantly higher off Texas in offshore waters during September through December. Assessment of the directed commercial reef fish fishery revealed relatively low release mortality. Based on surface release observations of under-sized target and unwanted species, the majority of fish were released alive with release mortality ranging from approximately 2% to 5% for all gear types. Five hundred forty-eight sea turtle captures were documented aboard commercial shrimp vessels from 1992 through 2005. Ratio estimation reflected higher catch rates in nets not equipped with turtle excluder devices (TEDs). Two alternative methods, logistic regression and conceptual modeling, revealed reduced take levels in TEDequipped nets. Data from 307 tows were collected aboard skimmer trawl vessels. Penaeid shrimp accounted for 66% of the total catch, followed by finfish at 19%, crustaceans at 7%, discarded penaeid shrimp at 6%, and debris at 3%.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Queensland, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Walleye (Sander vitreus) is an important species to the recreational fishery throughout Ontario. Fish community interactions between walleye and other species are rarely considered when establishing management targets which may lead to the creation of conflicting management objectives. Other studies that have focused on competitive interactions between species have typically focused on interactions between two species in isolation of the remaining species within the fish community and considered only a small subset of lakes. My study examined how the presence/absence of multiple species within the fish community affects the abundance of walleye across a broad spectrum of habitat conditions and fisheries. A Schaefer model was modified by distinguishing carrying capacity into a habitat and fish community component to account for between lake differences in suitable habitat prior to testing for interactions. Walleye catch-per-unit effort (CUEW, kg/net) was assessed in 140 Ontario lakes using the Fall Walleye Index Netting Protocol. An all subsets approach was used to estimate parameters in a multiple regression. Fish community and fishing pressure were significant predictors in explaining walleye abundance (adjusted R2=0.45, p<0.001). The presence of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomeiu) were significant negative predictors in the top model (αbluegill = -1.54, partial r2=0.1; αsmallmouth = -0.28, partial r2=0.03). In many studies, smallmouth bass have also been found to have a significant diet overlap with walleye. These interactions present challenges when establishing management objectives for mixed fisheries. / Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-21 18:23:34.119

The thesis is inspired by the poverty that has persisted among the fishing communities of Lake Victoria at a time of considerable cash inflow into the fisheries from the development of the fish processing industry. There has been need for an understanding of the poverty and what strategies would be most appropriate for its reduction. This thesis has attempted to respond to the need by identifying the nature and distribution of the poverty within the fisheries of Lake Victoria, Uganda, the factors responsible for it and the options for poverty reduction intervention. The thesis examined the global and regional perspectives of poverty and wealth distribution, noting that wide disparities existed between the developed and the developing world and also between the developing countries themselves. A historical review of development policies and strategies revealed that while successive strategies were able to contribute to growth, their achievement towards poverty alleviation were less than satisfactory, hence the need for continually developing new strategies. A background to Uganda's society and economy is provided, examining the demographic, political, environmental and economic conditions of the country. Uganda's development strategies are reviewed, highlighting the role of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan, Uganda's main strategy for implementing the policy of poverty reduction and wealth distribution. At the agricultural sector level, the Plan for the Modernisation of Agriculture has been formulated, followed by the National Fisheries Policy, aimed at providing a policy framework for the management and development of the fisheries. An appropriate definition of poverty was formulated, considered relevant to the situation of Lake Victoria. The dimensions of poverty included inadequate basic necessities, low education and health achievements, a sense of insecurity and exposure to risk. The research methodology was enhanced by the examination of the Lele Model of the Poverty-Environmental Degradation problem, the World Bank Model of Poverty Causation and the subsequent Lake Victoria Model developed in this thesis. It has provided a plan for the research, the consideration of criteria and a data collection plan. The data collection instruments included secondary data search, key informant interviews and a sample survey based on a structured questionnaire. The thesis identified all the four dimensions of poverty in the fisheries, provided poverty profiles with respect to the different activities, groups of people and regions in the fisheries, based on consumption poverty. Among the people identified to be in poverty were the labourers, fishers of 0. niloticus and those operating with non-powered boats. In the post-harvest fisheries, large proportions of processors involved in salting and sun-drying, market stall and bicycle traders were in the poverty category. The ethnic groups most affected included the Samia, Basoga and Bakenye while the Districts of Jinja, Bugiri and Busia had the highest proportions of fishers in the poverty category. With respect to the other dimensions of poverty, the study showed that educational achievement was low within the fishing communities. The health status was poor, due mainly to the prevalence of malaria, diarrhoea, bilharzia and HIV/AIDS. There was a sense of insecurity within certain sections of the fishing community, due to leadership weaknesses within the local as well as the Government institutions. Some community members operated in a state of risk because they were vulnerable to episodes of income, health and education. The causes of poverty in fisheries included weaknesses within the institutional and social environment, limitations in the technology available to the poor, resource degradation and unfavourable economic factors. The recommendations of the thesis for poverty reduction included strengthening of policies, developing links, improving capacities and increasing resources, to be applied at the levels of Central Government, Local government and of the community. In view of the achievements of the methodology used on this thesis, involving reference to the models, it is recommended that future research should build upon this model approach, as it will continue to produce results, especially when attempting to forecast changes relating to interventions.

Thesis (Ph. D. - Renewable Natural Resources)--University of Arizona, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 340-346).

Thesis (M.Env.St.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geographical and Environmental Studies, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 102-106.

Thesis--Freiburg i. Br. / With bibliographical footnotes.

Thesis (doctoral)--Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität zu Greifswald.

Thesis (MAppSc) -- Auckland University of Technology, 2004. / Also held in print (111 leaves, col. ill., 30 cm.) in Wellesley Theses Collection. (T 338.763942 BAR)