Growth response of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to catch-and-release angling: a 27-year mark–recapture study

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Cline ◽  
Brian C. Weidel ◽  
James F. Kitchell ◽  
James R. Hodgson
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Fish Growth ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Mark Recapture ◽  
Catch And Release

Catch-and-release angling is gaining popularity worldwide and plays an increasingly important role in both fisheries management and conservation. Mortality from catch-and-release angling is well documented across species, but the sublethal effects have not been evaluated in a natural setting. Laboratory studies have yielded mixed results regarding catch-and-release impacts on fish growth. These studies do not adequately capture the scales of stress and variability of a natural system. We used a 27-year mark–recapture study of 1050 individually tagged largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) to determine the effects of catch-and-release angling on the growth in a natural setting. Individual bass were angled one to six times per season. Recapture intervals ranged from 1 to 98 days. Largemouth bass exhibited a post-release period (~6 days) of weight loss. Following this weight loss, we observed a subsequent period of compensatory growth facilitating recovery to normal weight. We found that catch-and-release angling had little impact on the overall seasonal growth patterns of largemouth bass and therefore should have limited adverse effects on growth-dependent ecological functions.

Growth of largemouth bass in a dynamic estuarine environment: an evaluation of the relative effects of salinity, diet, and temperature

2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 485-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Glover ◽  
Dennis R. DeVries ◽  
Russell A. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Metabolic Cost ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Freshwater Inflow ◽  
Estuarine Environment ◽  
Spatial And Seasonal Variation ◽  
Maximum Water Temperature ◽  
Incremental Growth

Some freshwater fishes occur regularly in estuarine areas that experience spatial and seasonal variation in marine influence. These dynamic abiotic and biotic conditions potentially influence food consumption and growth. We found that effects of an estuarine environment on the growth of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Alabama's Mobile–Tensaw River Delta depended on body size, distance from the marine source, and amount of freshwater inflow. Incremental growth analyses demonstrated that young largemouth bass (<age-3) grew more rapidly downstream in the estuarine environment declining with distance upstream; this relationship was reversed for older fish with faster growth in fresher, upstream areas. The magnitude of freshwater inflow influenced the relationship between age-specific growth and proximity to Mobile Bay. Bioenergetics simulations suggest that interactions among size-specific metabolic cost of salinity, maximum water temperature, and spatial differences in both salinity and prey energetic content can explain these growth patterns. The cost–benefit of the estuarine environment to largemouth bass is not only dynamic seasonally, but also changes ontogenetically because of shifts in salinity tolerance and prey use.

Fishing Mortality and Habitat Loss Affect Largemouth Bass Fishery in the Potomac River (Maryland)

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph W. Love ◽  
Mary Groves ◽  
Branson D. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
The United States ◽  
Potomac River ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Catch And Release ◽  
Negative Impacts

Abstract Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides is arguably the most popular sport fish of inland waters in the United States. The majority of anglers in the fishery practice catch and release. Catch-and-release guidelines aim to reduce negative impacts of angling on individual fish, though such impacts on populations are not widely reported. We hypothesized that a decline in the population size for Largemouth Bass from a catch-and-release fishery from the Potomac River resulted from a period of greater fishing mortality followed by habitat loss that reduced the recovery of the population. After we analyzed several years of fishery-dependent and independent data (1999–2015), it was determined that fishing mortality and relative exploitation were greater than average in the latter half of the 2000s than in previous years. Fishery-independent survey results suggested a loss of large fish and decline in population size. The relative abundance of juveniles subsequently declined possibly because the area of submerged aquatic vegetation used as nursery habitat had declined after tropical storms. For management purposes, we suggest that fishing mortality not exceed 28% for a sustainable fishery (assuming similar levels of natural mortality) in the Potomac River. Negative impacts to Largemouth Bass populations could be lessened by reduced harvest and widespread enforcement of catch-and-release guidelines, especially during times when angler effort is high, fish are highly accessible to anglers in the fishery, and habitat loss limits recruitment.

Black Bass Diversity: Multidisciplinary Science for Conservation

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
The United States ◽  
Environmental Drivers ◽  
Minimum Length ◽  
Catch And Release ◽  
Black Bass ◽  
Intensively Managed ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Sport Fish

<em>Abstract</em>.—Largemouth Bass (LMB) <em>Micropterus salmoides</em> is one of the most popular sport fish in the United States and is intensively managed across much of its range. Beginning in 1989, Wisconsin implemented more restrictive harvest regulations for LMB, including greater minimum length limits, reduced bag limits, and a catch-and-release-only season during the spawning period across much of northern Wisconsin. We tested for trends in LMB relative abundance, growth, and angler catch and harvest in relation to LMB management policies from 1990 to 2011. We also tested for potential sport fish community responses to changes in LMB abundances using Walleye (WAE) <em>Sander vitreus</em> as an example. Angler catch rates and electrofishing catch per unit effort of LMB greater than 8 and 14 in increased significantly statewide. Mean length of age-6 LMB decreased significantly statewide. Release rates of LMB increased from about 80% in 1991 and then plateaued at more than 96% from 2005 to 2011. Concurrent with increases in LMB, adult WAE densities declined in lakes containing LMB. Ongoing research is being conducted to test for interactions between LMB and WAE and to test for additional environmental drivers, such as climate warming, that may be associated with increased LMB abundances. Largemouth Bass abundances have increased in Wisconsin, possibly in response to changes in harvest regulations, angler behavior, and potentially other environmental drivers. These increases in LMB abundances have had negative intraspecific effects on growth and may be negatively affecting WAE stocks. We recommend that management goals for LMB consider intra- and interspecific consequences, particularly in water bodies where multispecies fisheries are desired.

scholarly journals Tournament and non-tournament anglers have little effect on a largemouth bass population compared to natural mortality

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea L Sylvia ◽  
Stephen J. Dinsmore ◽  
Michael J Weber
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Natural Mortality ◽  
Catch And Release ◽  
The Past ◽  
Population Mortality ◽  
Annual Mortality ◽  
Temperature Water

Popularity of bass Micropterus spp. catch and release and tournament angling during the past decade has resulted in increased potential for these activities to induce population level effects. Understanding capture rates and mortality sources relative to total population mortality is essential to focus of management. We conducted monthly electrofishing, solicited non-tournament angler tag returns, and censused largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides tournaments at Brushy Creek Lake, IA, USA from April 2015 to June 2018. We used a multistate mark-recapture model to evaluate the effects of air temperature, water temperature, tournament bass per angler, and tournament initial mortality on non-tournament and tournament angler capture probability and natural, non-tournament angling, and initial and delayed tournament mortality. Average total annual mortality was 0.66 with natural mortality representing the largest mortality source (0.57) followed by delayed tournament mortality (0.06), non-tournament angling mortality (0.02), and initial tournament mortality (0.006). Our results reveal both non-tournament and tournament angling mortality are low compared to natural mortality in some lakes. Therefore, cumulative angling mortality likely has minimal population level effects on some bass populations.

Effects of catch-and-release angling on a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) population in a north temperate lake, 2001–2005

2018 ◽  
Vol 204 ◽  
pp. 95-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg G. Sass ◽  
Jereme W. Gaeta ◽  
Micheal S. Allen ◽  
Cory D. Suski ◽  
Stephanie L. Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Temperate Lake ◽  
Catch And Release

scholarly journals Dietary Lysine Regulates Body Growth Performance via the Nutrient-Sensing Signaling Pathways in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenqiang Wang ◽  
Yujue Xu ◽  
Shuyan Chi ◽  
Peng Yang ◽  
Kangsen Mai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Performance ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Nutrient Utilization ◽  
Diet Group ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Body Growth ◽  
Fish Growth ◽  
Human Beings

Lysine is known to be a functional nutrient from yeast to human beings. However, the mechanisms for lysine to regulate body growth and metabolism in fish species are far from fully illuminated. In order to elucidate the molecular effects of lysine on growth performance and metabolism, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), which is extremely sensitive to protein composition, was chosen as the experimental model. Juvenile largemouth bass (4.16 ± 0.02 g) were fed with the lysine control diet (LC diet), the lysine supplementation diet (LS diet), and the low lysine diet (LL diet) for 8 weeks. The results showed that the LS diet group significantly increased fish growth, feed efficiency, and nutrient retention compared with those of the LL diet group in largemouth bass. Moreover, compared to the LL diet, lysine supplementation also elevated the plasma total protein, total EAA, total AA, and some individual AA concentrations. Mechanistically, lysine supplementation had a significant effect to decrease the mRNA expression levels of peptide and AA transporters induced by lysine restriction. Lysine supplementation also had an important impact on regulating the target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway. More importantly, the key regulators in the amino acid response (AAR) signaling pathway were also down-regulated by lysine supplementation. Our results provide a clear elucidation of how dietary lysine affected growth performance, physiological and biochemical responses, and signaling responses and represent a sound foundation for using lysine to improve the nutrient utilization of poultry by-product meal in largemouth bass.

Assessing the potential to mitigate climate-related expansion of largemouth bass populations using angler harvest

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 520-533
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Sullivan ◽  
Daniel A. Isermann ◽  
Kaitlin E. Whitlock ◽  
Jonathan F. Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Warm Water ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Fishing Mortality ◽  
Ecological Benefits ◽  
Catch And Release ◽  
New Challenges

Climate-related changes in fish communities can present new challenges for fishery managers who must address declines in cool- and cold-water sportfish while dealing with increased abundance of warm-water sportfish. We used largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Wisconsin lakes as model populations to determine whether angler harvest provides a realistic method for reducing abundance of a popular warm-water sportfish that has become more prevalent and has prompted management concerns around the globe. Model results indicate largemouth bass will be resilient to increased fishing mortality. Furthermore, high rates of voluntary catch-and-release occurring in most largemouth bass fisheries likely preclude fishing mortality rates required to reduce bass abundance at meaningful levels (≥25% reductions). Increasing fishing mortality in these scenarios may require more “stimulus” than merely providing anglers with greater harvest opportunities via less stringent harvest regulations. Angler harvest could result in populations dominated by small fish, a scenario that may be undesirable to anglers, but could provide ecological benefits in certain situations.

Effect of water temperature on laboratory swimming performance and natural activity levels of adult largemouth bass

2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (7) ◽  
pp. 589-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caleb T. Hasler ◽  
Cory D. Suski ◽  
Kyle C. Hanson ◽  
Steven J. Cooke ◽  
David P. Philipp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Temperature ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Swimming Performance ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Thermal Adaptation ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Voluntary Activity ◽  
Natural Activity

Although locomotory performance in vertebrates is related to fitness, most performance tests are conducted in a laboratory setting, or in a manner that forces the organism to move not of their own volition. Biotelemetry offers the possibility to measure voluntary activity in a natural setting and provides the opportunity to combine laboratory-derived data with field studies on wild fish. In this study, it was found that laboratory- and field-based measurements of swimming performance and voluntary activity resulted in similar general seasonal trends, though each measurement assessed a different swimming type. In the field, all swimming metrics were lower at cooler water temperatures and were lowest during early winter (mean daily activity = 0.016 BL/s; mean voluntary swimming activity = 0.04319 BL/s; maximum swimming speed = 0.17 BL/s). In the laboratory, fish acclimatized to 25.0, 14.0, and 7.5 °C decreased swimming performance (Ucrit) with water temperature (25.0 °C (2.17 BL/s); 14.0 °C (1.69 BL/s); 7.5 °C (1.17 BL/s). Although some species and tissues have been shown to exhibit different degrees of thermal adaptation, these results show that swimming, one of the most important functions in fish, is largely dependent on environmental temperature, at least in largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède, 1802)).

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