Document Type
Report
Department/Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Publication Date
4-15-2017
Abstract
This report describes the results of the nineteenth year of a continuing study to estimate the relative abundance and assess the status of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) stocks in Virginia by monitoring the spawning runs in the James, York and Rappahannock rivers in spring 2016, evaluating hatchery programs, and contributing to coast-wide assessments (ASMFC 2007). We also report on a new fishery-independent monitoring program using staked gillnets to determine relative abundance and stock structure for the adult spawning run of river herring (A. pseudoharengus, and A. aestivalis) in the Rappahannock River. Data are also reported from two separate fishery-independent monitoring programs using a drift gillnet (year 3) and anchor gillnets (year 2) to assess the status of the spawning run of river herring in the Chickahominy River, a major tributary of the James River. Further, we report on the second year of a monitoring program for juvenile alosines by using nighttime surface trawls in the Chickahominy River and calculate an index of juvenile abundance. Additional objectives were to monitor bycatch of American shad in a permitted gill-net fishery and American shad and river herring in pound-net fisheries.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21220/V5788B
Keywords
shad, shad fisheries, alewife, blueback herring, Virginia
Funding
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Contract no. F-116-R-17. Project period: 15 February 2016 - 14 February 2017..
Recommended Citation
Hilton, E. J., Latour, R., McGrath, P. E., Watkins, B., & Magee, A. (2017) Monitoring the Abundance of American Shad and River Herring in Virginia's Rivers - 2016 Annual Report. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.21220/V5788B
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Population Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
