Finfish utilization of man-initiated and adjacent natural creeks of South Creek estuary,North Carolina using multiple gear types |
| |
| Authors: | Roger A Rulifson |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Institute for Coastal and Marine Resources, East Carolina University, 27858-4353, Greenville, North Carolina
2. Department of Biology, East Carolina University, 27858-4353, Greenville, North Carolina
|
| |
| Abstract: | Three gear types were used to collect finfish species from several tributaries of the South Creek estuary near Aurora, North Carolina, to ascertain whether a man-initiated marsh and creek system resembled adjacent natural areas in finfish species composition and abundance. Project Area II was the man-initiated area constructed in 1983 as up-front mitigation by North Carolina Phosphate Corporation prior to its anticipated mining in the headwaters of nearby natural wetlands. Two creeks served as controls throughout the study: Drinkwater Creek and Jacks Creek. Otter trawls were used monthly from July 1984 through December 1988. Wegener rings were used in April, July, and October from 1984 through 1987. An experimental gill net was used monthly from June 1984 through 1985. A total of 48 finfish species was captured during the study; only 14 species (29.2%) were common among gear types. The species collected were mud sunfish, blueback herring, alewife American shad, striped anchovy, bay anchovy, inland silverside, American eel, silver perch, Atlantic menhaden, crevalle jack, common carp, spotted seatrout, weakfish, sheepshead minnow, gizzard shad, ladyfish, chain pickerel, banded killifish, mummichog, striped killifish, rainwater killifish, mosquitofish, naked goby, green goby, white catfish, brown bull-head, pinfish, longnose gar, green sunfish, pumpkinseed, bluegill, redear sunfish, spot, Atlantic croaker, largemouth bass, white perch, striped bass, striped mullet, white mullet, golden shiner, summer flounder, southern flounder, yellow perch, bluefish, Atlantic needlefish, hogchoker, andTilapia species. Abundance of finfish species was a function of gear type. Bay anchovy and spot represented about 85% of all fish in trawl samples. The remainder was comprised of 27 other species. In Wegener rings, five species—bay anchovy, menhaden, rainwater killifish, spot, and inland silverside—each represented over 10% of all fish collected. Croaker and striped mullet each comprised more than 5% of all fish collected in Wegener rings, but were present in substantial numbers only in 1985. Based on trawl samples, the total number of finfish collected from Project Area II during the period 1984–1988 was statistically similar to those collected from the control creeks; Wegener ring data analysis indicated significantly greater catches in Project Area II compared to the control creeks. Bay anchovy catches were not significantly different among the three creeks by either trawl or Wegener ring. The same result was true for Atlantic menhaden and southern flounder. The abundance of spot in trawl samples from Project Area II was significantly greater than for the control creeks; abundance in ring samples from Project Area II was statistically similar to Jacks Creek, but significantly higher than Drinkwater Creek. The number of Atlantic croaker in Project Area II trawl samples was significantly lower than for the cotnrol creeks. Wegener rings did not sample croaker effectively. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
