Mitigating Impacts of Natural Hazards on Fishery Ecosystems

<em>Abstract</em>.—Extensive fish kills, primarily from dissolved oxygen depletion, were reported in rivers and associated backwaters throughout southern Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. Of particular concern were fisheries associated with the Pascagoula River, the last physically unmodified large river system in the contiguous United States. Posthurricane stock assessments were conducted in 2006 to ascertain appropriate fisheries restoration actions for this internationally recognized natural resource. Emphasis focused on fishes that traditionally supported recreational, artisanal, and subsistence fisheries, primarily sunfish (Centrarchidae) and catfish (Ictaluridae). These fisheries were considered some of the more productive inland fisheries in the state prior to the storm.