alligator gar (atractosteus spatula) life history and habitat use in the cache, mississippi, and...
TRANSCRIPT
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Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula) Life History and Habitat Use in the
Cache, Mississippi, and White Rivers, Arkansas
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Study Goal• Locate and capture adult and juvenile
alligator gar in Eastern Arkansas
• Monitor movements of juvenile and adult alligator gar
• Hatchery reared alligator gar (?)
ID spawning, nursery, and preferred habitats of alligator gar
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Alligator Gar History in Arkansas
• Actively pursued in early to mid 1900’s (commercial and sport) - Mid to late 1900’s populations declining
• Late 1990’s talks for an Arkansas Alligator Gar Task Force/Alligator Management Plan initiated – “fizzled out” due to other priorities
• Stocking efforts as recent as 2001 – (started with 3000, ended up with 24 fingerlings)
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Historical and Study Sites
• Historically found throughout southern 2/3 of AR (AR River Valley, MS Alluvial Plain, South Central Plain)
• Eco-basins of focus: Cache, White, and Mississippi Rivers
• Others eco-basins added dependent upon future funding or as warranted
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Historical and Study Sites
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Methods
• Tag adult and juvenile alligator gar with transmitters
• Monitor movement with fixed and mobile receivers
• Note habitat indices during sampling captures and transmitter detections
• All VEMCO© products and ATS © products
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Floating gill nets 150’ x 10’ – #21 twine
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Tag each fish with acoustic and radio transmitter
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10 receivers mounted at selected stations
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receiver station
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receiver station door
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30 Miles
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Research Benefits
• Identify additional research needs for alligator gar in Arkansas
• Re-evaluate current fishing (commercial and sport) regulations for alligator gar
• Revitalize management efforts for alligator gar in Arkansas
• Assist and coordinate with other researchers
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Current Research Concerns
• Limited numbers in wild populations
• Specific locales being targeted by fishermen
• Need regulation changes in Arkansas
• Hatchery reared fish (potential environmental adaptation problems)
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Alligator Gar Rodeo (Yee-Haw!)
• March 17-20, 2008
• Use “gator gar nets” and trammel nets
• Assistance from biologists within/outside AR
• Record information for all alligator gar
• Cook’s Lake and Jack’s Bay (White River)
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Caught by commercial fisherman in the White River. Weighed 240+ lbs and measured 8’2”
QUESTIONS?