American Shad - Heritage,Commercial,Valuable Fish

Recent captures of hatchery-reared, American shad juveniles indicate the species is being restored into the lower reaches of North Carolina’s Roanoke River. The American shad, a species related to the herring and native to the Atlantic coast from the St. Lawrence River to the tip of Florida, has been commercially valuable for its meat and roe since colonial times.

In connection with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partnership program to help restore depleted populations of American shad along the Atlantic coast, the Service’s Edenton National Fish Hatchery, in Edenton, North Carolina, and North Carolina’s Watha State Fish Hatchery, reared and released approximately two million American shad fry into the Roanoke River last spring.

“American shad is part of our Nation’s heritage and is still important commercially and recreationally although its population has been in decline for several decades,”said Ronnie Smith, fisheries biologist with the Service’s Edenton National Fish Hatchery.
“The shad’s restoration will benefit Atlantic coastal communities and the life cycles of other fish species.”

“We are very satisfied to discover that our cooperative production and stocking efforts are contributing to the restoration effort this early in the Roanoke River American shad project,” said Jeff Evans, hatchery supervisor with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s Watha Fish Hatchery. “We plan on continuing to improve our production and stocking proficiency of American shad fry to provide an optimal contribution to the restoration project.”

Species of shad and river herring once supported important commercial and recreational fisheries along the Atlantic coast, which included North Carolina’s Albemarle Sound fishery that in the mid-1840s had 15 large haul seine operations, employing approximately 1,000 workers. The major tributaries to the Albemarle Sound are the Roanoke River and Chowan River.

The Albemarle Sound’s most valuable fishery, American shad, was shipped to markets in Baltimore, Maryland, and marketed in Richmond, Petersburg, and Norfolk, Virginia. The shad’s oily flesh permitted it to be preserved with salt and hence, shipped without ice or refrigeration. The average landings of American shad and river herring from 1890 to 1970 were almost 11.9 million pounds per year.

During the past 75 years, however, Atlantic coastal American shad populations have steadily declined, and the catch totaled only 1.5 million pounds in 1992 and 1993. This long decline has been due to over fishing and habitat degradation in spawning areas. Historically, American shad spawned in virtually every accessible river and tributary along the coast, but dams and other impediments together with degradation of water quality have severely depleted suitable American shad spawning habitat.

The hatchery-produced shad were caught during a sampling of outward migrating juveniles in the lower Roanoke River by the Inland Fisheries Division of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. The sampling began in August and was conducted weekly through November 2004 using electrofishing. Of the 228 juvenile American shad collected, state biologists reported that 10 had been marked with the antibiotic, oxytetracycline indicating that they were hatchery reared. Prior to their initial release from the hatchery, the fry were immersed in water containing a small amount of oxytetracycline, which leaves a telltale stain on the fish’s ear bone. In 2003, the first year in which American shad were stocked above John H. Kerr
Reservoir, outward migrating juveniles marked with oxytetracycline were also captured.

As both Edenton and Watha hatchery staffs continue to become more proficient in hormone-induced tank spawning of American shad, the emerging picture is that fry stocking will continue to increase shad populations in the future.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million- acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices, and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American Tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.

Physical Characteristics

The American shad, like the alewife (gaspereau), is a member of the herring family with the following characteristics:

• slender and silvery-coloured with a blue-green metallic hue on the back;
• has a black spot, similar to the alewife, located on the side, just behind the head - on the shad, this spot is followed by several smaller dark spots;
• the eye has an obvious eyelid;
• a row of scales known as scutes form a sharp "sawbelly" edge along the midline of the belly;
• there is no lateral line.
• American shad can grow to 76 cm (30 in) and weigh 6.8 kg (15 lb). However, adults found in Canadian rivers are usually 45-50 cm (18-20 in) long and weigh from 1.4-2.7 kg (3-6 lb).

Facts About Shad

• American shad can migrate up to 3,000 km in one season!
• The flesh of the American shad is very tasty. Did you know the scientific name for shad comes from the Saxon word "allis", an old name for the European shad, and the Latin sapidissima meaning "most delicious"?
• The French common name for this fish is alose savoureuse or "savoury shad".
• The world angling record for American shad weighed 5.1 kg (11.2 lb) and was caught in the Connecticut River, Massachusetts, in 1986.
• Scientific studies show that shad from all eastern U.S. rivers spend some time in the Bay of Fundy.

New Species Of Fish Discovered - Anglefish

A fish that would rather crawl into crevices than swim, and that may be able to see in the same way that humans do, could represent an entirely unknown family of fishes, says a University of Washington fish expert.The fish, sighted in Indonesian waters off Ambon Island, has tan- and peach-colored zebra-striping, and rippling folds of skin that obscure its fins, making it look like a glass sculpture that Dale Chihuly might have dreamed up. But far from being hard and brittle like glass, the bodies of these fist-sized fish are soft and pliable enough to slip and slide into narrow crevices of coral reefs. It's probably part of the reason that they've typically gone unnoticed - until now.



The individuals are undoubtedly anglerfishes, says Ted Pietsch, a UW professor of aquatic and fishery sciences who has published 150 scholarly articles and several books on anglerfishes and is the world's leading authority on them. In the last 50 years scientists have described only five new families of fishes and none of them were even remotely related to anglerfishes, Pietsch says.

Husband and wife Buck and Fitrie Randolph, with dive guide Toby Fadirsyair, found and photographed an individual Jan. 28 in Ambon harbor. A second adult has since been seen and two more -- small, and obviously juveniles -- were spotted March 26, off Ambon. One of the adults laid a mass of eggs, just spotted Tuesday.

The Randolphs are part-owners of Maluku Divers, a land-based dive facility in Ambon City. Toby Fadirsyair, who works for Maluku Divers, said he may have seen something similar 10 or 15 years ago but the coloring was different.

Reference books were consulted but nothing similar to the fish photographed in January was found. Seeking international fish experts eventually led them to Pietsch.

A Rare Fish Find

"As soon as I saw the photo I knew it had to be an anglerfish because of the leglike pectoral fins on its sides," Pietsch says. "Only anglerfishes have crooked, leglike structures that they use to walk or crawl along the seafloor or other surfaces."

Anglerfishes -- also called by names like frogfishes and toadfishes -- are found the world over and typically have lures growing from their foreheads that they wave or cause to wiggle in order to attract prey. Get too close to the lure and you're lunch.

The newly found individuals have no lures so they seek their prey differently, burrowing themselves into crevices and cracks of coral reefs in search of food.

"Several times I saw these fish work themselves through an opening that seemed much smaller than the fish, sometimes taking a minute or more to get all the way through," says David Hall, an underwater natural history photographer who was able to dive with Maluku Divers and take additional photos of the new find. "They must have pretty tough skin to keep from being scraped and cut, but there is no evidence of superficial injury or scars in my photographs."

With its unusual flattened face, the fish's eyes appear to be directed forward, something Pietsch says he's never seen in 40 years as an icthyologist, a scientist who studies the structure, classification and habits of fishes. Most fishes have eyes on either side of their head so that each eye sees something different. Only very few fishes have eyes whose radius of vision overlaps in front, providing binocular vision, a special attribute well developed in humans that provides the ability to accurately judge distance.

Randolph, a longtime diver, says the similar color pattern of the two adults surprises him because he typically sees variations in skin color between members of the same anglerfish species and has even seen individual anglerfish that change colors depending on the surroundings.

Whether the new fish represent a new family will entail DNA testing and a close examination of a specimen, says Pietsch, whose anglerfish work is currently funded by the National Science Foundation. Scientists have already described 18 different families of anglerfishes and this is probably a 19th, Pietsch says. Families are large groupings, for example, all dog species belong to the larger family that includes wolves, coyotes and, even, hyenas.

When only a single fish had been sighted, Randolph and Andy Shorten, co-owner of Maluku Divers, kept the find quiet to protect the animal. With more individuals being found, and having a better idea of where to look to find others, the two became comfortable enough to post images on the firm's Web site.

"Seeking out these fish is probably going to be like the Holy Grail of divers for a while," Shorten says. Indeed just do a Google search for "new frogfish Ambon" on the Internet and up pops a lot of dive sites carrying news of the find.

"I don't think it will turn out that there are a lot of these animals but all that scrutiny will help us find out for sure," Shorten says.

For example, 35 years ago nobody realized pygmy seahorses existed but once they were discovered and people understood where to look for them, they turned out to be widespread throughout the ocean.

The fish were seen in 15 feet of water. It's possible the fish could be found at other locations, Pietsch says. All other anglerfish families have ranges broader than a single island group and ocean conditions like those at Ambon are found at various places across Indo-Australian waters.

Habitats in Indo-Australian Waters

The fish were seen in 15 feet of water off Ambon Island. It's possible the fish could be found at other locations, Pietsch says. All other anglerfish families have ranges broader than a single island group and ocean conditions like those at Ambon are found at various places across Indo-Australian waters.

Andy Shorten said that although many divers will treat looking for the new anglerfish as a search for the Holy Grail, they don’t think that there are large numbers of the species. However, the more people looking, the more likely it is that more specimens will be found.

“For example, 35 years ago nobody realized pygmy seahorses existed but once they were discovered and people understood where to look for them, they turned out to be widespread throughout the ocean."

Fish Conservation

The Freshwater Fish Keystone focuses on species and habitats species that occur in the U.S. or its territories and that have been identified as high priorities for the nation. Freshwater fish (anadromous and catadromous) and associated aquatic life such as mussels, crayfish, and other invertebrates are included in this Keystone. Our goal in the Freshwater Fish Keystone is to find the best conservation investments, fund the best solutions, and deliver measurable results for fish conservation. Under this mission statement we have selected Initiatives that focus on making a measurable impact on the status of specific species and their habitats. Individual Initiatives are listed to the right and are focused under the three themes below that we believe are critical for conserving freshwater fish, aquatic organisms, and their habitats.

Water Flows
Climate Change and Adaptation
Imperiled Fish: Apache Trout and Upper Klamath Basin

Goldfish and Snails Is it Worth the Risk?

Hello readers, happy weekend..

Over the past few days, there has been much discussion over the sustainability of keeping goldfish and various species of snails together in an aquarium setting. Though it is certainly a combination that can work, there are many reasons why caution is necessary. The purpose of this article is not to dissuade one from trying to attempt such a combination, but to explore the risks present to the health and well being of both animals when such a mix is being considered.

Very often, when this topic is discussed, it is framed only in terms of the danger snails face in the presence of goldfish. Generally ignored however, is the fact that goldfish also face debilitating, even mortal injury at the hands of their snail tankmates. A quick google search with the words goldfish, stuck, and mouth, will return all sorts of hits, involving everything from pebbles to cory cats, even otocinclus. The simple fact is, if it fits in your goldfish’s mouth, there is a very real possibility that it will at some point, end up in there. The problems occur when something is small enough to get in, but just big enough not to be easily extricated. Often in these cases, if the fish is unable to free the object itself, keeper intervention becomes necessary. Pulling the object out via tweezers is usually the only solution, and items can sometimes cause even greater damage on the way out. It is not uncommon for fish who have been through such traumas to die, even after the blockages have been removed. Thus, for the safety of your goldfish, they should only be kept with snails small and smooth enough not to pose a threat (read: no MTS), or entirely too large to feasibly fit into their mouths. Additionally, one must be just as cognizant of spreading disease when adding new snails to a system as with new fish. The same quarantine rules must apply. Though snails bred and raised by responsible hobbyists are safer than pond raised snails, one must always be cautious when adding new stock.

So one can see that keeping goldfish safe in the company of snails is a relatively easy task. Unfortunately, keeping snails safe in the company of goldfish can be significantly more complicated. The danger that goldfish present to snails is not one borne of a desire to eat them, but rather a desire to find out if they are indeed edible. Goldfish explore their worlds through their mouths, and new or unfamiliar things are often nipped at. This does not equate to aggression on the goldfish’s part, but it is difficult to picture a snail rationalizing why it is being bitten. Beyond that, and perhaps more importantly, is the issue of ensuring that both parties get enough to eat. Goldfish are notoriously greedy, powerful, and efficient feeders. This might equate to an abundance of food for obligate algae eaters, but for the pomacea type snails, who have pretty serious metabolic needs, this can be a double edged sword. Beyond being unable to compete effectively against the goldfish for the same food resources, their stress reactions to rough treatment can also come into play. “Stress in general, especially for bridgesii snails really limits their quality of life. I would be concerned the boisterous and energetic qualities of goldfish as well as their tendency to explore with their mouths would make cohabitating a more beneficial experience for the goldfish than the snail. I don't even really recommend keeping snails with boisterous tankmates like barbs, danios, etc, because the snails tend to be less outgoing (MsJinkzd).” Most importantly, stressed snails are also much less likely to be able/willing to feed properly, even further exacerbating concerns over getting them the proper nutrition they require.

As you can see, the issues involved in keeping goldfish and snails together are a bit more complicated than they might seem to the novice. One cannot simply throw a few snails in with a few goldfish, wait a couple weeks, and proclaim that all is well and will always be as such. “But I watch my tank all the time, and have never seen my goldies harass their snaily friends!” It’s important to remember that most of the time we are near our goldfish tanks, their attention is quite fixated on us, and the possibility of an impending meal. Just because one does not witness goldfish on snail harassment, does not mean it does not happen. A fish that has just been fed may have little to no interest in his snail tankmates, but the same fish after a day or two of fasting might have a very different reaction to a brig’s waving antennae. Though it is quite unlikely that a goldfish would simply predate on a snail beyond a given size, the possibility for harassment is very much there, and considering the quality of life issues that snails face when housed with goldfish, as well as the danger issues goldfish face when housed with snails, one really has to ask themselves: Is it worth the risk?

What Is The Name of.....?

What is the name of this fish..? hmmmm :p