Document Type
Report
Department/Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
VIMS Department/Program
Marine Advisory Program (MAP)
Publication Date
2006
Series
Fishery Resource Grant FRG 2006-09
Abstract
There were numerous objectives for this two year project, In general. objectives for the 2006 portion followed those proposed in 2005. The first was lo evaluate sturgeon interactions with the anchored gill net striped bass and other fisheries in the spring and the fall. The second was to evaluate sturgeon interactions in the striped bass fishery and to some extent, other anchored gill net fisheries. Third, was to determine the effects of various mesh sizes and gauges on bycatch and mesh/gauge specific size distributions. The fourth was to gather critical abundance, mortality and DNA data on sturgeon in Virginia waters. Fifth, was to collect baseline sturgeon bycatch data in order to develop spatial. temporal and/or gear alteration techniques to reduce or eliminate sturgeon bycatch mo1iality in Virginia. Sixth, wns to supply sturgeon for the Vft\,fS and USFWS tracking elfon into the upper fames River in an cffo1i intended to identify essential habitat and remaining spawning grounds. Seventh, was to continue preliminary observations of whether the striped bass discard mortality assumed by ASMFC to occur in Virginia's fisheries is accurate, since the assumed discard mortality rate is converted to pounds and essentially deducted when calculating Virginia's striped bass quota. Lastly, this projects intent was to engage Virginia's commercial fishermen in the proactive collection of\'ital data and potentially, of genetically diverse brood stock possibly needed to effect a restoration of Atlantic Sturgeon to greater abundance so it may fulfill its function in the marine ecosystem.
Keywords
Fishery bycatch
Recommended Citation
Place, K. (2006) Assessment of Sturgeon Bycatch, Bycatch Mortality and Other Regulatory Discard Mortality in Virginia’s Winter/Spring Striped Bass and Other Gill Net Fisheries. Fishery Resource Grant FRG 2006-09. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports/2242
