Fish Monitoring Data Research Articles

Flow alterations by dams shaped fish assemblage dynamics in the complex Mekong-3S river system

The Mekong, Sekong, Sesan, and Srepok (Mekong-3S) river system, a Ramsar wetlands of international importance and critical fish migration routes, is altered by dams that distort the seasonal flow dynamics, structuring dispersal and reproduction success of fishes. Here, we investigate the temporal responses of local fish beta diversity to hydrologic modification by the upstream functioning dams in five sites of the Mekong-3S system. The sampling design adopted (two sites on the Mekong River displaying relatively undisturbed flow and three sites in the 3S displaying a gradient in flow perturbation) allows us to focus on the effect of flow alteration on local fish assemblage compositions. By analysing 7-year daily fish monitoring data (06/2007–05/2014), we found that there have been overall declining trends in local species richness and abundance, with strong temporal variability in local beta diversity. Undisturbed sites are characterized by seasonal assemblage variability, while disturbed sites are characterized by aseasonal assemblage changes. Temporal shifts in assemblage composition suggest that dams alter seasonal flow patterns and favour generalist species. This study contributes to a better understanding of the temporal changes of tropical freshwater fish beta diversity in regulated and unregulated rivers. It is thus relevant for fisheries planning and conservation.

Comparison of sonar-, camera- and net-based methods in detecting riverine fish-movement patterns

Monitoring of fish movement is important in understanding and optimising the functionality of fishways and in restoring riverine connectivity. This study compared fish monitoring data (ARIS sonar-based and GoPro camera-based), with catches in a multi-mesh stow net following downstream passage in a small river in Bavaria, Germany. In terms of the number of individuals, the sonar-based system (detection rate=62.6% of net-based catches) outnumbered the counts of the camera-based system (45.4%). Smaller specimens of <100 and <150mm were under-represented with the sonar and the camera-based systems respectively. Species identification based on the camera system was similar to that for net-based catch, whereas no proper species identification could be performed with sonar data. In conclusion, the sonar-based system can be recommended for the counting of fish >100mm during night and turbid conditions, unless species identification is necessary. During daylight and with clear water, cameras can be a cheaper and promising option to monitor species compositions of fish >150mm.

Use of multivariate control charts to assess the status of reef fish assemblages in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

A distance-based multivariate control chart is a useful tool for ecological monitoring to detect changes in biological community resulting from natural or anthropogenic disturbances at permanent monitoring sites. It is based on a matrix of any distances or dissimilarities among observations obtained from species composition and abundance data, and bootstrapping techniques are used to set upper confidence bounds that trigger an alarm for further investigations. We extended the use of multivariate control charts to stratified random sampling and analyzed reef fish monitoring data collected annually on shallow (≤30 m) reefs across the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Fish assemblages in the NWHI were mostly stable, with exceptions in the south region (Nihoa, Mokumanamana and French Frigate Shoals) in 2012 and 2015 where changes in the assemblage structure exceeded the upper confidence bounds of multivariate control charts. However, these were due to changes in relative abundances of native species, and potentially related to the small numbers of survey sites and relatively low coral covers at the sites, particularly in 2015. The present study showed that multivariate control charts can be used to evaluate the status of biological communities in a very large protected area. Future monitoring of fish assemblages in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument should be accompanied by specific habitat or environmental variables that are related to potential threats to its shallow-water ecosystems. This should allow for more detailed investigations into potential causes and mechanisms of changes in fish assemblages when a multivariate control chart triggers an alarm.

Assessing the potential of remote sensing-derived water quality data to explain variations in fish assemblages and to support fish status assessments in large lakes

Remote sensing techniques may provide a higher temporal and spatial resolution than traditional water monitoring methods. We tested if this auxiliary information can be used to (i) explain patterns in fish assemblage composition and (ii) test candidate metrics to assess ecological status in large lake water bodies. We used MERIS-derived layers describing chlorophyll a, total suspended matter, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) overlaid on all available fish monitoring data from the four largest Swedish lakes (Vanern, Vattern, Malaren, and Hjalmaren). We assessed the influence of remote sensing-derived parameters in the pelagic, offshore benthic, and the inshore benthic habitats. Our results demonstrated that chlorophyll a and CDOM together with depth at the sampling site explained a significant part of the variation in the distribution of fish assemblages. These predictors were particularly important not only in pelagic, but also in inshore benthic areas. Furthermore, we identified three potential candidate metrics to assess pressure from eutrophication in large lakes: density of pelagic fishes, biomass of planktivorous species, and the proportion of cyprinids when roach was excluded. Remote sensing was considered a useful tool to support analyses of fish community composition and dynamics.

A spatial assessment model for European eel (Anguilla anguilla) in a delta, The Netherlands

Given the poor status of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) population, good assessments are essential to optimise recovery measures. Quantifying eel stock size is challenging given the fractal nature of the distribution of eels, particularly in The Netherlands with its dense interconnected network of drainage ditches, rivers and lakes. Dynamic demographic models as used by others are inappropriate in this delta with a demand for regional information on stock size. We therefore estimated the standing eel stock biomass for all freshwater water bodies, using fish monitoring data collected under the Water Framework Directive and a static GIS approach. Density data were extrapolated to total biomass estimates using GIS data concerning water type, surface area and bank length, and biological parameters obtained from biological data. The analysis yielded density and biomass estimates of the total eel and silver eel stock, with most silver eel biomass being confined to a few coastal regions. The main conclusion is that over half of the Dutch eel biomass is found in the small, regionally managed waters, revealing a crude underestimation of the eel biomass in the 2009 Dutch Eel Management Plan. The silver eel biomass estimate presented here is two to three times higher than previous estimates. Providing spatial information on eel biomass will aid in prioritising management measures to reduce anthropogenic mortality.

Development of an estuarine multi-metric fish index and its application to Irish transitional waters

An estuarine multi-metric fish index (EMFI) was developed and applied to Irish transitional waters. The index comprised a balanced and complimentary set of 14 metrics that represent four fish community attributes: species diversity and composition, species abundance, estuarine utilisation, and trophic composition. Reference conditions and metric scoring thresholds were developed using a combination of historical records, best available data, and expert judgement. The index was applied using representative and robust fish monitoring data collected using a suite of methods designed to cover a range of habitats and conditions. To ensure consistency and comparability, all systems were considered at the whole estuary level. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to assess the response of the EMFI under various scenarios of metric change; five metrics were consistently among the most influential on the EMFI in all scenarios of metric manipulation. The overall EMFI was significantly correlated with environmental condition as measured by two separate indicators of ecological state. Ecological status classes were also established based on the relationship between the EMFI and an index of human pressure. The EMFI provides a robust, sensitive, and integrated measure of the ecological status of fishes in transitional waters and meets the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive.

Building on participatory marine protected area monitoring in Lanuza Bay, Southeastern, Philippines

Participatory marine protected area monitoring has evolved over the years. The increase in the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Philippines in the last decade alone has prompted the utilization of methodologies that improve accuracy and decrease bottom-time for SCUBA divers. Standardization of results aside from improving participatory approaches for non-technical personnel has been given emphasis in the Philippines. There are over 1,169 MPAs with varying degrees of benthos and reef fish monitoring data. This sheer number of MPAs highlights the importance of sustained and participatory monitoring. Haribon Foundation has been conducting participatory monitoring of MPAs in Lanuza Bay in Southeastern Philippines in partnership with local government units and community-based organizations. Through the funding support of several projects so far nine MPAs have been monitored since 2002. Results showed that there was no significant increase or decrease in the live coral cover of the MPAs in Lanuza and Cortes from 2002 to 2009 (p<0.05). Average hard coral cover of the nine (9) MPAs varied from 41.25% to 57.58%, and reef fish abundance ranged from 3,835 to 10,938 individuals per hectare. Current participatory monitoring methods may need improvements to provide a more accurate picture of the MPAs in Lanuza Bay. Some of the recommendations include increasing the number of transects per MPA, choosing a more accurate representative of the MPA and using phototransect method, making a composite team composed of representatives from community-based organizations, keeping technical persons at least one from the local government, and the institutionalization of the monitoring activity at the local government unit level.

Temporal trends of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in Great Lakes fish, 1999–2009

Temporal trend analysis of the latest Great Lake Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP) data showed statistically significant decreases in persistent bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) contaminant (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane and its metabolites (DDTs), dieldrin, cis-chlordane, oxychlordane, cis-nonachlor) concentrations in Lakes Huron, Ontario, and Michigan lake trout over the period of 1999 to 2009. In contrast, for most contaminants, no statistically significant concentration trends were found in top predator fish in Lakes Superior and Erie during the same period. For Lakes Huron, Ontario, and Michigan 5.0±2.6% average annual concentration decreases were found for PCBs, DDTs, dieldrin, and other organochlorine pesticides (OCs) decreased at a faster rate, ranging from 10±4.3% to 20±7.1% per year. For these three lakes, with the exception of PCBs, these current decreases are greater than were shown by an earlier trend analysis that estimated an annual contaminant decrease of about 2–5% for the period of 1980 to 2003. For Lakes Superior and Erie, the finding of no statistically significant trend is in agreement with previously reported results for these lakes.

Probabilistic estimation of dietary exposure of the general Japanese population to dioxins in fish, using region-specific fish monitoring data

Many studies show that dietary consumption of fish is the greatest contributor to dioxin exposure of humans in Japan. To establish a link between ocean contamination and human exposure to dioxins in fish, we proposed a method of estimating exposure by integrating region-specific measured concentrations of dioxins in fish samples and information on the production and import-export volumes of fish. The advantage over "total diet studies" (TDS) was that the proposed method could analyze the impact of the geographical variability of ocean contamination on human exposure to dioxins in fish; this may help us to apply more effective measures against dioxin exposure. Probabilistic distributions (probability density functions (PDFs)) were assigned to express the variability in the results of monitoring dioxin concentrations in fish from coastal areas divided according to prefecture, and from offshore and distant waters and imported sources. The Monte Carlo technique was applied for probabilistic estimation of dietary exposure of the general Japanese population to dioxins in fish. The mean and 5th to 95th percentile range of dietary exposure were estimated, respectively, as 67.12 and 22.65-184.35 pg toxic equivalent per day. Sensitivity analysis showed that some specific coastal areas with higher dioxin levels in fish and some with larger production volumes of fish impacted more than others to total exposure and may thus attract priority in the implementation of dioxin abatement measures.

Fish Assemblage Composition in Constructed and Natural Tidal Marshes of San Diego Bay: Relative Influence of Channel Morphology and Restoration History

This study evaluated the use by fish of restored tidal wetlands and identified links between fish species composition and habitat characteristics. We compared the attributes of natural and constructed channel habitats in Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, San Diego Bay, California, by using fish monitoring data to explore the relationships between channel environmental characteristics and fish species composition. Fishes were sampled annually for 8 yr (1989–1996) at eight sampling sites, four in constructed marshes and four in natural marshes, using beach seines and blocking nets. We also measured channel habitat characteristics, including channel hydrology (stream order), width and maximum depth, bank slope, water quality (DO, temperature, salinity), and sediment composition. Fish colonization was rapid in constructed channels, and there was no obvious relationship between channel age and species richness or density. Total richness and total density did not differ significantly between constructed and natural channels, although California killifish (Fundulus parvipinnis) were found in significantly higher densities in constructed channels. Multivariate analyses showed fish assemblage composition was related to channel habitat characteristics, suggesting a channel’s physical properties were more important in determining fish use than its restoration status. This relationship highlights the importance of designing restoration projects with natural hydrologic features and choosing proper assessment criteria in order to avoid misleading interpretations of constructed channel success. We recommend that future projects be designed to mimic natural marsh hydrogeomorphology and diversity more closely, the assessment process utilize better estimates of fish habitat function (e.g., individual and community-based species trends, residence time, feeding, growth) and reference site choice, and experimental research be further incorporated into the restoration process.