Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation
Abstract Top predators, such as the Striped Bass Morone saxatilis and Muskellunge Esox masquinongy , can impact food webs and alter ecosystem structure through the regulation of prey populations. Within the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada, both predators have long been hypothesized to impart...
Published in: | North American Journal of Fisheries Management |
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crwiley:10.1002/nafm.10074 2024-09-15T17:56:03+00:00 Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation Andrews, S. N. Zelman, K. Ellis, T. Linnansaari, T. Curry, R. A. New Brunswick Youth Employment Fund Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Collaborative Research and Development New Brunswick Power 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10074 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fnafm.10074 https://afspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/nafm.10074 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor North American Journal of Fisheries Management volume 38, issue 3, page 734-746 ISSN 0275-5947 1548-8675 journal-article 2018 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10074 2024-07-09T04:12:21Z Abstract Top predators, such as the Striped Bass Morone saxatilis and Muskellunge Esox masquinongy , can impact food webs and alter ecosystem structure through the regulation of prey populations. Within the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada, both predators have long been hypothesized to impart significant mortality on smolts of the endangered Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar . As a consequence, current management practices entail euthanizing Muskellunge (an introduced species) that enter fish passage facilities along the Saint John River. Furthermore, the recovery and protection of a native Striped Bass population have largely been ignored. To assess seasonal diet, gastric lavage was performed on Striped Bass ( n = 244) and Muskellunge ( n = 96) captured in the downstream proximity of the Mactaquac Dam from April to November 2016. Clupeids dominated the stomach contents by number (92% for Striped Bass; 49% for Muskellunge) and mass (71% for Striped Bass; 96% for Muskellunge). Other prey species included White Perch Morone americana , Yellow Perch Perca flavescens , American Shad Alosa sapidissima , and American Eels Anguilla rostrata . No Atlantic Salmon smolts or other regionally recognized recreational fish species were identified in any of the stomach samples ( n = 340) examined. Concurrently, this study observed little temporal overlap between the smolt migratory period and the arrival of Striped Bass to the Mactaquac Dam. Some Striped Bass ( n = 33) were observed to be in spawning condition, releasing eggs and milt when handled, although reproduction by this species in the Saint John River was thought to have ceased long ago. Article in Journal/Newspaper Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Wiley Online Library North American Journal of Fisheries Management 38 3 734 746 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Top predators, such as the Striped Bass Morone saxatilis and Muskellunge Esox masquinongy , can impact food webs and alter ecosystem structure through the regulation of prey populations. Within the Saint John River, New Brunswick, Canada, both predators have long been hypothesized to impart significant mortality on smolts of the endangered Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar . As a consequence, current management practices entail euthanizing Muskellunge (an introduced species) that enter fish passage facilities along the Saint John River. Furthermore, the recovery and protection of a native Striped Bass population have largely been ignored. To assess seasonal diet, gastric lavage was performed on Striped Bass ( n = 244) and Muskellunge ( n = 96) captured in the downstream proximity of the Mactaquac Dam from April to November 2016. Clupeids dominated the stomach contents by number (92% for Striped Bass; 49% for Muskellunge) and mass (71% for Striped Bass; 96% for Muskellunge). Other prey species included White Perch Morone americana , Yellow Perch Perca flavescens , American Shad Alosa sapidissima , and American Eels Anguilla rostrata . No Atlantic Salmon smolts or other regionally recognized recreational fish species were identified in any of the stomach samples ( n = 340) examined. Concurrently, this study observed little temporal overlap between the smolt migratory period and the arrival of Striped Bass to the Mactaquac Dam. Some Striped Bass ( n = 33) were observed to be in spawning condition, releasing eggs and milt when handled, although reproduction by this species in the Saint John River was thought to have ceased long ago. |
author2 |
New Brunswick Youth Employment Fund Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Collaborative Research and Development New Brunswick Power |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Andrews, S. N. Zelman, K. Ellis, T. Linnansaari, T. Curry, R. A. |
spellingShingle |
Andrews, S. N. Zelman, K. Ellis, T. Linnansaari, T. Curry, R. A. Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation |
author_facet |
Andrews, S. N. Zelman, K. Ellis, T. Linnansaari, T. Curry, R. A. |
author_sort |
Andrews, S. N. |
title |
Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation |
title_short |
Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation |
title_full |
Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation |
title_fullStr |
Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Diet of Striped Bass and Muskellunge Downstream of a Large Hydroelectric Dam: A Preliminary Investigation into Suspected Atlantic Salmon Smolt Predation |
title_sort |
diet of striped bass and muskellunge downstream of a large hydroelectric dam: a preliminary investigation into suspected atlantic salmon smolt predation |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10074 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fnafm.10074 https://afspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/nafm.10074 |
genre |
Atlantic salmon Salmo salar |
genre_facet |
Atlantic salmon Salmo salar |
op_source |
North American Journal of Fisheries Management volume 38, issue 3, page 734-746 ISSN 0275-5947 1548-8675 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10074 |
container_title |
North American Journal of Fisheries Management |
container_volume |
38 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
734 |
op_container_end_page |
746 |
_version_ |
1810432269912899584 |