Game Department Research Articles

Growth and Mortality of Zoo-Reared Ozark Hellbenders, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi (Grobman 1943).

Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi, Grobman 1943) populations in Missouri and Arkansas have been federally listed as endangered since 2011. As part of the comprehensive recovery plan for the subspecies, the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute's Ron and Karen Goellner Center for Hellbender Conservation, in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, established a conservation breeding and head-starting program to augment and create self-sustaining wild populations. We examined how the river of origin and egg origin (i.e., Zoo-bred or wild-bred) influenced various growth and mortality responses of Zoo-reared Ozark hellbenders. River of origin significantly predicted most larval and long-term Zoo-reared Ozark hellbender growth responses, with our results concurring with observed differences in wild populations and known genetic relationships between Ozark hellbender populations. Mortality of Zoo-reared Ozark hellbenders was often predicted by river of origin and egg origin with Zoo-bred hellbenders having significantly higher proportional mortality responses relative to wild-bred hellbenders. Further exploration of this egg origin relationship revealed differences between the Zoo breeding group generations with higher proportional mortality rates for hellbenders from the less mature second-generation breeding group relative to hellbenders from the first-generation breeding group and wild-bred hellbenders. Ultimately, our results provide baseline data on Zoo-bred and wild-bred Ozark hellbenders in the program, help identify differences in growth and mortality responses between Ozark hellbender populations, and contribute to existing evidence supporting distinct populations of Ozark hellbenders in Missouri to aid in targeted conservation strategies.

Promotion by KOL and Acquaintances in Differentiated Products: By the Case of Nintendo Switch

Nintendo, founded in 1889, is a Japanese company mainly engaged in the development of electronic game hardware and software and is the pioneer of the modern electronic game industry. Nintendo Corporation is headquartered in Kyoto City, Japan. Nintendo has sold more than 2 billion copies of its software worldwide, created some of the most famous characters in the history of gaming, such as Mario, and created some of the most classic games in the history of gaming, such as The Legend of Zelda.According to Pu Yamauchi, the head of the game department, it is known that Nintendo strives to be a paradise for game artists. Nintendo believes that people who develop great games should be artists, not technicians, and therefore should be given enough freedom. That's why the Switch is so innovative today. This paper mainly focuses on the analysis of Nintendo's customer characteristics and product characteristics and puts forward corresponding marketing strategies and cures.

Using Decision Analysis to Determine the Feasibility of a Conservation Translocation

Conservation translocations, intentional movements of species to protect against extinction, have become widespread in recent decades and are projected to increase further as biodiversity loss continues worldwide. The literature abounds with analyses to inform translocations and assess whether they are successful, but the fundamental question of whether they should be initiated at all is rarely addressed formally. We used decision analysis to assess northern leopard frog reintroduction in northern Idaho, with success defined as a population that persists for at least 50 years. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game was the decision maker (i.e., the agency that will use this assessment to inform their decisions). Stakeholders from government, indigenous groups, academia, land management agencies, and conservation organizations also participated. We built an age-structured population model to predict how management alternatives would affect probability of success. In the model, we explicitly represented epistemic uncertainty around a success criterion (probability of persistence) characterized by aleatory uncertainty. For the leading alternative, the mean probability of persistence was 40%. The distribution of the modelling results was bimodal, with most parameter combinations resulting in either very low (<5%) or relatively high (>95%) probabilities of success. Along with other considerations, including cost, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game will use this assessment to inform a decision regarding reintroduction of northern leopard frogs. Conservation translocations may benefit greatly from more widespread use of decision analysis to counter the complexity and uncertainty inherent in these decisions. History: This paper has been accepted for the Decision Analysis Special Issue on Decision Analysis to Advance Environmental Sustainability. Funding: This work was supported by the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [Grant F18AS00095], the NSF Idaho EPSCoR Program and the National Science Foundation [Grant OIA-1757324], and the Hunt Family Foundation. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/deca.2023.0472 .

Trends in Subsistence Harvests of Ice Seals in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region, Alaska, 1962 – 2018

Ringed (Pusa hispida), bearded (Erignathus barbatus), spotted (Phoca largha), and ribbon seals (Histriophoca fasciata), or ice seals, are harvested for subsistence purposes by many Alaska Native communities. We address trends in the subsistence harvest of ice seals for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region of Alaska for more than 50 years using two types of data collected by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game: (1) bounty data collected from 1962 to 1972 for 16 communities, and (2) household survey data collected for seven of these communities from 1997 to 2018. Both include information on the number of ice seals harvested by each community annually. In addition, more detailed household surveys were conducted from 2008 to 2018 for Hooper Bay, Tununak, and Quinhagak, which collected data on the number of seals harvested by species, the percentage of households engaged in hunting or using seal products, and hunter perceptions. For the bounty period, we identified several years where most communities had above or below average harvests, suggesting regional drivers contributed to patterns in the ice seal harvest. For the seven communities with household survey data, the mean total harvest estimate during the household survey years was only slightly lower than during the bounty period, however, the human population doubled during this time, resulting in a substantial decline in the mean number of seals harvested per person. The more detailed surveys for Hooper Bay, Tununak, and Quinhagak also showed declines in seal harvests during the most recent decade. The declining harvest in some communities may be driven by reduced participation in hunting and less use of seal products. Ongoing sea ice loss is also likely contributing to the decline in harvest across the region. Current seal population estimates indicate all four species are abundant in Alaskan waters, and most hunters have not observed changes in seal abundance.

How landscape variables influence the relative abundance, composition, and reproductive viability of macroalgal wrack in a high latitude glacial estuary

Beach-cast wrack is an important resource that is commonly harvested by humans, and its removal can have consequences for coastal ecosystems. To further our understanding of wrack dynamics within high latitude ecosystems, our study objectives were to: 1) quantify spatio-temporal differences in beach-cast wrack biomass and composition, 2) quantify and compare the composition of drifting and beach-cast wrack, 3) determine the reproductive status of beach-cast kelp and rockweed wrack, and 4) compare the efficacy of using drone and on-the-ground surveys to assess beach-cast wrack surface area at different spatial scales. This study was based in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, a high latitude estuarine system where wrack harvest is carefully regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Wrack from eleven beaches was surveyed between March and September in 2018 and 2021. Coastline (substrate type, slope, and exposure) and adjacent watershed characteristics (percent glacial cover and range in seawater salinity) were determined for each site and found to correlate with diversity and compositional differences in drifting and beach-cast wrack throughout Kachemak Bay. Reproductive kelp and rockweed wrack were confirmed to be viable at all surveyed sites, which suggests that harvesting wrack has the potential to remove viable propagules from the reproductive pool. On-the-ground and drone-based surveys of beach-cast wrack both revealed similar seasonal patterns of patchy (spring) and continuous (summer) deposition onshore, confirming that aerial drone surveys are a useful and efficient tool for monitoring beach-cast wrack surface area. This study identified several factors that contribute to wrack relative abundance, distribution, composition, and reproductive viability, which can be used by resource managers to develop wrack stock assessment and sustainable harvest strategies.

Reviewing Observations for the Idaho Amphibian and Reptile iNaturalist Project For Improved Data Quality

Data on the occurrence and distribution of amphibians and reptiles are needed to identify and address conservation problems for these species. Observations from crowd-sourced/citizen science projects are an important source of data for conservation and management. Crowdsourced data such as iNaturalist observations have several strengths, including large amounts of recent data over a broad area, low cost, accurate spatial coordinates, photo vouchers or sound recordings that allow identification confirmation, and public education and engagement. The goal of this project is to increase and improve available data for amphibians and reptiles in Idaho, USA. The Idaho Amphibian and Reptile iNaturalist Project was initiated in June of 2016 by the Idaho State University (ISU) Herpetology Laboratory using iNaturalist, an application from the California Academy of Sciences, which allows people to contribute observations of organisms using their mobile devices. The current number of observations in the project (as of 8 July 2022) is 5,546 from 40 species by 1,296 observers. Observations are added to the project either directly by observers or by project curators using the Find Suitable Observations function on the iNaturalist project website. Project curators (from the ISU Herpetology Laboratory, Idaho Museum of Natural History, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game) review suitable observations, (i.e., observations with digital photographs or audio recordings, geographic coordinates, dates and times) and confirm or correct species identifications. Because of the relatively low number of amphibian and reptile species occurring in Idaho and the relative ease of taking adequate photographs, we have been able to confirm or correct the identifications of over 93% of the contributed observations. The rate of misidentifications for “Research Grade” observations (i.e., observations with a date, coordinates, and a picture or sound recording, and with at least 2 out of 3 additional users agreeing on the identity of a specimen) is less than 2%. We mark confirmed or corrected observations as curator reviewed and then the Idaho Department of Fish and Game adds them to the State Species Diversity Database, which is part of NatureServe. These data are primarily used to help determine species status and trends for the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) which is used to establish priorities for management actions. Analyzing unstructured, crowdsourced data presents several challenges, including the lack of a sampling design, uneven coverage across space and time, and absence of negative data, which makes it hard to quantify observation effort. Our analytical approach includes temporal and spatial aggregation of the observations to reduce sampling bias, using records of similar species to indicate observation effort, and mapping occupancy to reveal spatial patterns.

Modeling Chinook Salmon Run Timing in the Gulkana River, Alaska Using Environmental Indices

AbstractEnvironmental data from the Gulkana River, in conjunction with in‐season Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha passage numbers, are among the many tools used by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to assess in‐season run strength and timing in the upper Copper River drainage. In this study, we refine the modeling of Chinook Salmon run timing by comparing methods based on linear, exponential, and polynomial regressions of marine and freshwater environmental indices for the Gulkana River stock. A range of temporal subsets and measurement techniques for coastal upwelling, air temperature, river discharge, and water temperature was analyzed in a stepwise process to update the in‐season forecast model. Ultimately, Gulkana River water temperature proved to be the most important variable in predicting run timing. A model considering daily maximum water temperature and river discharge can accurately estimate the proportion of the total run that swam upriver before July (pseudo‐R2 = 0.97), allowing for efficient Chinook Salmon fishery management through the latter portion of the run.

Engaging formal and informal institutions for stewardship of rockfish fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska

Examining relationships between formal and informal institutions for governing small-scale fisheries may reveal pathways for effectively engaging resource users in management. This study explored formal and informal institutions for management of rockfish (Sebastes spp.) fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska. Forty-three experts (fishers and agency staff) were interviewed about their engagement with rockfish management. We analyzed interactions and gaps between formal and informal management institutions using the Inter-Institutional Gap (IIG) framework. Participation in the State of Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) process, a formal management institution, was viewed by some experts as more effective for enacting regulatory change, compared to informal institutions. However, fishers who were deterred from engaging with the BOF by complex bureaucratic processes tended to favor informal interactions with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) through visits to local offices and communication with port samplers. Formal institutional gaps identified by experts included transparency issues regarding regulatory decisions and/or interpretation, underrepresentation of recreational and subsistence harvesters in the BOF process, complexity of regulations, and bureaucratic barriers to coordination between the Sport and Commercial divisions of ADF&G. Informal institutions of self-governance, such as stewardship actions taken by fishers to reduce bycatch and minimize harm to incidentally caught fish, were identified by fishers and agency staff as important to rockfish fishery sustainability. Communication gaps in rockfish management may also be addressed by strengthening informal institutions that build trust and relationships between fishers and agency staff, such as collaborative research to coproduce knowledge about rockfish ecology.

Detection range of two acoustic transmitters in four reservoir habitat types using passive receivers

BackgroundRecently, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (SDGFP), has undertaken a suite of rigorous acoustic telemetry studies. The goals and scope of the individual research projects vary but all use the same receiver array throughout Lake Sharpe in central South Dakota. Prior to initiating the telemetry studies, we sought to describe the detection probability of receivers from a representation of habitats within Lake Sharpe, South Dakota. We used both a V9-2H transmitter and a V13-1L transmitter in combination with VR2W 69 kHz passive receivers [all from Innovasea (Vemco)] to determine detection probability in four novel habitats of Lake Sharpe. Both transmitter and receiver were moored at fixed distances (200 m 400, and 600 m) for multiple consecutive days and detection probability compared between transmitter type, distance, site, and diel period using ANOVA following arcsine square-root transformation.ResultsWe found significant differences in detection probability between the four habitat types for both the V9 and V13 transmitters. Sites protected from wind and wave action, and with little boat traffic, had larger detection ranges compared to areas that were wind exposed and host more boat traffic. The site immediately downstream from a hydroelectric dam that is exposed to both high wind fetch and is popular for boating, exhibited the poorest detection probability at all distances for both transmitter types. V13 transmitters consistently exhibited greater detection probability relative to V9 transmitters and this difference was greater at further distances. In general, detection probability was higher at nighttime compared to daytime and these differences were significant dependent on transmitter, site, and distance.ConclusionsUsing the information presented, SDGFP has modified their receiver array to maximize the ability to detect acoustic transmitters in the novel habitats of Lake Sharpe. Specifically, receiver spacing was reduced and/or expanded dependent on the distance, where 50% detection probability was attained. More work is needed to identify those factors that influence detection probability of acoustic telemetry systems.

Historical and potential growth of Gould's wild turkey populations in New Mexico

AbstractGould's wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo mexicana) are native to the southwest corner of New Mexico, southeastern Arizona, and northern and central Mexico. Early ornithological explorations of southwestern New Mexico documented the presence of turkeys, but the subspecies was not identified as Gould's wild turkeys until 1957. Although extirpated from Arizona by 1920, a remnant population of Gould's wild turkeys persisted in the Peloncillo and Animas mountains in New Mexico, possibly due to recolonization from or genetic exchange with proximal populations in Mexico. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish placed Gould's wild turkey on the State Endangered and Threatened list in 1974. Research and monitoring during the mid‐1980s through early 2000s largely focused on observational studies of Gould's wild turkey distribution, abundance, and habitat use. Since 2005, population status and distribution of Gould's wild turkeys in the Peloncillo Mountains was monitored using structured, annual surveys that provided greater insight into minimum population size. From January 2014 to January 2016, the population in the southern Peloncillo Mountains was augmented with the translocation of 60 Gould's wild turkeys from southeastern Arizona. Annual observations of Gould's wild turkeys increased following the 2014–2016 translocations in part due to the ability to detect radio‐marked individuals and identify previously unknown habitats birds were using, allowing for modified survey efforts. Although information on Gould's wild turkey distribution and abundance has increased since 1980, much of the available habitat is currently considered occupied, and future population distribution may be limited.

The Influence of Long-Term Wildlife Monitoring on Policy Development to Conserve Biodiversity in Uganda

The influence of Long-term Wildlife Monitoring on policy to conserve biodiversity in Uganda was explored. The study particularly sought to evaluate the indicators monitored, policies formulated, new conservation initiatives developed, and also suggest innovative conservation policy areas with guidance of the long-term wildlife monitoring program. The study was conducted through a survey from May to October 2019 using document review, Key Informant Interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, and Geographical Information System/remote sensing. The study established that Long-term Wildlife Monitoring contributes to development of conservation policies. The policies developed include the merger of Uganda National Parks and the Game Department, integration of interests of local communities in the wildlife legislation, shift from protectionism to conservation, and elevation of conservation status of protected areas. The program guides adoption of conservation initiatives mainly adaptive management, park boundary demarcation and management, restocking of wildlife protected areas, and landscape approach to management of wildlife resources. The study identified innovative conservation policy areas namely ecosystem health, community involvement in wildlife monitoring, management of wildlife outside protected areas, management of wildlife corridors, and Payment for Ecosystem Services that should be integrated into the wildlife policy and legal framework. The study concludes that wildlife monitoring program guides development of conservation policies, conservation initiatives, and innovative conservation policy areas to conserve biodiversity. Further research should investigate ecosystem health to assess the condition of the wildlife protected areas. Keywords: Conservation, indicators, policies, protected areas, wildlife monitoring DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/13-10-04 Publication date: May 31 st 2022

Bridging expert knowledge and fishery data to examine changes in nearshore rockfish fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska over fifty years

Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) and the fisheries they support along the northeastern Pacific Ocean have undergone dynamic changes over the last century. The unique life history traits of rockfishes pose a host of challenges that make them difficult to monitor and susceptible to overfishing. Previous research has demonstrated that fishers’ knowledge and scientific data can help to create a more complete picture of long-term changes in rockfish populations and nearshore ecosystems. In this study, we used a multiple evidence-based approach that draws together expert knowledge of fishers and fisheries agency staff with long-term harvest data to document recent changes in nearshore rockfish populations and fisheries in two regions along the Gulf of Alaska. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, we compiled and analyzed datasets from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to summarize spatiotemporal trends in commercial and recreational rockfish harvest and interviewed fishers and agency staff about their observations of long-term changes in nearshore rockfish populations and fisheries. We focused on two communities in the eastern and central Gulf of Alaska for which rockfish issues have been at the fore of management in recent years: Sitka and Kodiak, Alaska. We synthesized harvest data and abundance indices from expert knowledge in the context of fishery regulation changes to gain a more holistic perspective on the recent history of Alaska rockfish fisheries. While increases in localized fishing pressure and declines in relative abundance underlie concerns about pelagic and yelloweye rockfish populations and fisheries, stable or high abundance and proactive management for some species and locations also yield an optimistic outlook about their status. Variables such as gear type, sector, time periods fished, regulatory changes, and species targeted influenced experts’ perceptions of rockfish fisheries and populations. Our findings highlight the challenges of bringing together disparate data and the benefits of including multiple knowledge sources to produce a more complete understanding of complex fishery systems.

Recent ecological insights into the endangered Cook Inlet beluga via acoustic monitoring

The endangered Cook Inlet beluga population is non-migratory and located in south-central Alaska. Estimated at <300 individuals, it is declining more rapidly than previously thought. The Recovery Plan highlights a paucity of information on basic ecology impeding proper management decisions. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the National Marine Fisheries Service are collaborating on a passive acoustics monitoring program to address crucial information gaps. Year-round seasonal distribution and feeding occurrence is described for key areas within the critical habitat. Acoustic detections are greater in the upper inlet during summer, peaking in known concentration areas. Foraging peaks coincide with the presence of various anadromous fish runs from spring to fall. Low levels of feeding activity in winter suggest a lack of feeding aggregations in these areas. Thirteen sources of anthropogenic noise occur within the critical habitat, many exceeding behavioral harassment levels. Using a case-controlled approach in which periods with and without anthropogenic noise were compared, a significant negative correlation between noise levels and vocalization detections was found, However, masking by flow noise due to the strong currents in Cook Inlet might be affecting these results more than a true behavioral response. Further research remains ongoing to confirm/reject this hypothesis.

A case report and statewide surveillance of “weak meat” condition of Alaska weathervane scallops, Patinopecten caurinus, linked to a recently identified pathogenic parasite, Merocystis kathae (Apicomplexa: Aggregatidae)

Weathervane scallop, Patinopecten caurinus, the largest scallop species in the world, is distributed from northern California, U.S.A., to the Bering Sea, and is only commercially harvested in Alaska. The fishery is considered well managed by the State of Alaska (U.S.A) Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and federal government, with many precautionary measures in place to avoid overharvest. There have been episodic declines in some management areas due to unknown causes. Fishermen also encounter scallops with abnormal adductor muscles, a condition colloquially termed “weak meat”, characterized by the retention of muscle when shucked, an obvious darkened discoloration, and/or an abnormal texture making the product unacceptable for marketing. A similar syndrome in Atlantic sea scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, described as “gray meat”, occurs in the eastern U.S. and Canada, and proposed causes include senescence, loss of bioenergetics due to chronic infestations, or a synergism of these factors. Recently a severe apicomplexan infection was found to cause a gray meat condition in Iceland scallops, Chlamys islandica, and the collapse of that stock. This parasite was subsequently detected in Atlantic sea scallops with the gray meat condition off the U.S. East Coast. Studies that followed identified the parasite as Merocystis kathae, previously described from the common whelk, Buccinum undatum, more than 100 years ago. In 2015 Bering Sea fishermen reported weak meat in their catch, so samples were submitted to ADF&G for diagnosis. Adductor muscles from all affected scallops had many large foci of an apicomplexan associated with necrosis, fibrosis, and muscular atrophy. Given the reduced quality, marketability, and possibly fitness of affected scallops, we performed a survey to estimate prevalence, intensity, and geographic distribution of this apicomplexan in Alaskan weathervane scallops. We sampled 180 scallops, from individual beds within each of the three major geographically broad scallop areas in Alaska. Overall prevalence was about 82%, ranging from 69 to 100% by district. Overall mean infection intensity, based on the number of parasite foci/section, was about 9 (range of 5–29, by location), with scallops from the Bering Sea and Southwest Kodiak being most severely infected. Molecular analyses confirmed that the Alaskan parasite is M. kathae, i.e., the same apicomplexan that caused the collapse of Icelandic scallops and a suspected cause for gray meat and mass mortality of Atlantic sea scallops in northeast North America.

Evaluating Target Levels of American White Pelican Abundance to Achieve Management Objectives for Adfluvial Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout

AbstractRecent declines in abundance of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri in the upper Blackfoot River drainage in Idaho coincided with establishment of a nearby nesting colony and increased abundance of American white pelicans Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (hereafter, “pelicans”). Published pelican predation rates have been estimated to be as high as 70% on Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in the Blackfoot River. Consequently, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game established management objectives for pelicans of less than 350 breeding pairs or 700 adults. However, a thorough assessment has not been conducted to evaluate if the pelican abundance objective would reduce predation to an extent that would allow Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout to recover to levels that meet minimum objectives for abundance. A Bayesian state‐space model that integrated survival and abundance data was used in this study to evaluate the effects of local pelican abundance on survival, abundance, and population growth rate of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout. Survival of both juvenile and adfluvial adult Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout decreased as pelican abundance increased, and there was a positive relationship between survival of both life stages and population growth rate. If the current management objective for abundance of 700 breeding pelicans was met, the probability of meeting or exceeding the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout objective was 0.44 and declined substantially as simulated pelican abundance increased beyond 700. Results of this study suggest that if pelican abundance can be maintained at or below the current management objective, there is a reasonable chance of meeting the management objective for Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.

Environmental and anthropogenic influences on spatiotemporal dynamics ofAlosain Chesapeake Bay tributaries

AbstractAmerican Shad (Alosa sapidissima), Hickory Shad (A. mediocris), and river herrings (AlewifeA. pseudoharengusand Blueback HerringA. aestivalis) are anadromous pelagic fishes, which as adults spend most of the annual cycle at sea, but enter the coastal rivers in spring to spawn. Once as one of the most valuable fisheries along the Atlantic coast,Alosapopulations have declined in recent decades and current populations are at historic lows. Various management actions have been conducted to restore the populations, and stocks in different river systems display different demographic trends. Demonstration of synthetic diagnostics on the factors impacting these populations is important to better conserve this species group. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical spatiotemporal model to identify the population trends of these species among rivers in the Chesapeake Bay based on results of surveys conducted by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Maryland Department of Natural Resources and to identify environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing their distribution and abundance. The hierarchical model structure helped to diagnose river‐specific population trends and impacts of surrounding factors, and decrease uncertainties in rivers with less samples available. The results demonstrate river‐specific heterogeneity of spatiotemporal dynamics of these species and indicate river‐specific impacts of multiple factors, including water temperature, river flow, chlorophyllaconcentration, and total phosphorus concentration, on their population dynamics. Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Gulf Stream meanders displayed significant influence on the inter‐annual trends ofAlosaspecies in rivers with more data available. The results would help to develop river‐ and species‐specific management strategies to recover these species.

An Optical Assessment of Weathervane Scallop Density and Abundance Off Kodiak Island, Alaska

Since 2000, information to support the sustainable management of the weathervane scallop Patinopecten caurinus in the Gulf of Alaska is largely derived from fishery-dependent observations from a small fleet (≤8 vessels total). As a supplement to this information, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game collected more than one million high-resolution underwater photographs of the sea floor in five previously unsurveyed scallop beds off Kodiak Island during the spring of 2014. Weathervane scallop distribution, abundance, and size composition in these beds were assessed by analyzing more than 150,000 images subsampled in 50-image strips (stations) using a 100-m grid. In addition, the influence of local abiotic habitat features, including depth, substrate, and shell remains, on weathervane scallop distributions was explored. An estimated 26.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 23.5–30.7] million scallops in the five beds, with densities ranging from 0.08 (95% CI = 0.067–0.084) to 0.26 (95% CI = 0.221–0.297) ind.•m–2 among the beds. Shell size compositions differed significantly despite the relative proximity of the beds. Weathervane density was positively related (in order of influence) to gravel, shell debris, shell hash, mud, and cobble. Optical assessment of these five previously unsurveyed scallop beds in the Gulf of Alaska demonstrates the efficacy of this approach for weathervanes and suggests that the expansion of optical survey coverage to include other known beds as a viable path to overcoming the limitations of fishery-dependent information for scallop assessment and management in Alaskan waters.

The spatial distribution of American black bear–human interactions in Virginia, USA

American black bear (Ursus americanus; hereafter, black bear) populations in Virginia, USA, have been recovering from near extirpation for the past century. The expansion of both human and bear populations has coincided with an increase in human–black bear interactions. Mitigating human–black bear problems is a management priority of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Although the number of reported interactions has increased, no formal analysis of the spatial distribution of these interactions has been completed for Virginia. To address this gap, we assessed the role of ecological and anthropogenic variables in explaining the spatial distribution of human–black bear interactions in Virginia, at both county- and individual interaction point-scales, from 2008 to 2015. The results of these analyses indicate that landscape features representing the interface of potentially suitable black bear habitat and human development combine to increase risk of human–black bear interactions. Point locations with the highest probability of a black bear interaction had intermediate housing densities (300–600 houses/km2) and forest covered a large percentage of the surrounding landscape. At the county scale, interactions were predicted to be above average when the county exceeded roughly 67.7% forest, 27.2% agricultural cover, and 10.3% developed land. These results, combined with our generated high-resolution map of predicted relative risk, can be used to help target the strategic implementation of management actions aimed at reducing negative human–black bear interactions in Virginia, as well as throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

In Memoriam

3 April 1934–29 August 2020 Ronald W. Goede passed away, age 86, of complications related to cancer. His last days were at home under hospice care with his wife Lisa and family at his side. He was born in Columbus, Nebraska, and graduated from high school in Lincoln. Ron served 8 years in the Air Force and earned a BS from the University of Nebraska, majoring in zoology and botany. He completed a MS in fisheries biology at Utah State University in 1961. His career began with the Missouri Conservation Commission as a research biologist and expanded to training in fish disease at the Fish Farming Experiment Station at Stuttgart, Arkansas. In 1963, Ron was hired as Missouri’s first hatchery biologist, where he was sent to the Eastern Fish Disease Laboratory in Leetown, West Virginia to study fish diseases under his mentor, Stan Sniesko. In 1966, Ron was recruited by the Utah Department of Fish and Game. He served for 34 years as director of the Fisheries Experiment Station in Logan, retiring in 2000. As the sole state fish pathologist, Ron directed efforts on standard aquaculture methods, fish quality, health management, and disease control, while building a full-service diagnostic lab. He wrote policies, rules, and regulations for Utah’s public and private hatcheries and fought for their implementation during a time when IPN (viral disease) and whirling disease plagued the resource. Ron developed and presented a drainage concept of disease control, which was approved and adopted by all seven states of the Colorado River Wildlife Council in 1972. This initiative became a template for the states of the Great Lakes Commission and Canada, the Atlantic Seaboard, and the Columbia River drainages, effectively changing disease management nationwide. Ron was instrumental in changing the constitution of the American Fisheries Society to establish discipline sections. He helped develop the Fish Health Section as the first section, which established peer-reviewed standard methods and professional certification. Ron was president of the Bonneville Chapter, the Western Division, and the Fish Health Section of the American Fisheries Society. In 1988, Ron chaired an international 3-day meeting in Denver on Whirling Disease, and hosted the first Rocky Plains Fish Health Workshop, which continues annually. In subsequent years, Ron developed the Health/Condition Profile (HCP), a necropsy-based fish-health assessment protocol, illustrated by his own photographs. Ron taught the protocol to over a thousand biologists representing state and federal agencies, universities, and countries. The HCP became a standard tool used by fisheries professionals. Ron also taught a 2-week aquaculture course periodically to all Utah fish culturists, changing Fish and Game fish culture from an art to a shared science. From 1976 to 1986, Ron was part of the lecture staff at the National Fisheries Academy at Leetown, West Virginia, teaching diagnostic approach, health assessment, and bio-legal perspective. As an adjunct professor at Utah State University, he taught a course on fish diseases for 12 years and served on graduate committees. He was certified as a Fish Health Inspector and Fish Pathologist and was an expert witness in legal disputes. Ron worked to get legislation that created a Fish Health Policy Board with the mission to balance natural resource stewardship and commodity. In 1998, the Board was created within the Utah Department of Agriculture and continues to set policy for fish health management. Throughout his career, Ron received numerous awards and was well known for his quick wit and humor. Ron co-founded the Bridger Folk Music Society, which produced concerts featuring internationally-acclaimed artists, dances, and workshops. We’ll miss him.

Beluga whale acoustic signal classification using deep learning neural network models.

Over a decade after the Cook Inlet beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) was listed as endangered in 2008, the population has shown no sign of recovery. Lack of ecological knowledge limits the understanding of, and ability to manage, potential threats impeding recovery of this declining population. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, in partnership with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, initiated a passive acoustics monitoring program in 2017 to investigate beluga seasonal occurrence by deploying a series of passive acoustic moorings. Data have been processed with semi-automated tonal detectors followed by time intensive manual validation. To reduce this labor intensive and time-consuming process, in addition to increasing the accuracy of classification results, the authors constructed an ensembled deep learning convolutional neural network model to classify beluga detections as true or false. Using a 0.5 threshold, the final model achieves 96.57% precision and 92.26% recall on testing dataset. This methodology proves to be successful at classifying beluga signals, and the framework can be easily generalized to other acoustic classification problems.