Welcome to the technical sessions schedule for the 2015 SEAFWA Annual Meeting.
NEW THIS YEAR! The technical schedule is capable of being sorted by date (i.e, Monday, Nov. 2), track (i.e. Wildlife Technical Sessions), or session (i.e. Wildlife Session #1). You can also search for a presentation title (i.e. Changing Landscapes by Coalition), key term (i.e. striped bass), or presenter last name (i.e. Weaver). The sort and search functions can be found on the navigation panel on the right side of this page. If you hover over the "Schedule" button, you’ll also see different schedule view options (i.e. Grid or Simple). Try selecting each of them to see which view you prefer.
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Kevin Hining, Kin Hodges, David Yow –North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Lake Hickory is a 1,660-ha impoundment on Catawba River in western North Carolina and has historically been a popular fishing destination for Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus. Beginning in 2000, trapnet surveys conducted by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) began to show a decline in catch rates of Black Crappie, and angler complaints became more common as well. While the reason for the decline is not known, the establishment of Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and White Perch Morone americana coincided with reductions in catch rates of Black Crappie. In an effort to improve the Black Crappie population, NCWRC began an experimental stocking program in 2007. From 2007–2012, Black Crappie fingerlings were marked with oxytetracycline (OTC) and stocked annually into Lake Hickory. Annual assessments of initial poststocking survival of OTC marked fish (79–98%) and OTC mark efficacy (96–100%) were high. Black Crappie were collected using trapnets (2008–2012), and electrofishing (2008, 2010, and 2011). All captured Black Crappie were aged, and otoliths from fish born during or after 2007 were examined for an OTC mark. Trapnets were more effective at collecting potentially stocked and stocked Black Crappie than electrofishing, possibly as a result of younger recruitment age to trapnets. Year-class contributions ranged from 0%–95%. As of the 2012 trapnet survey, approximately half (48%) of the Black Crappie collected with trapnets that were born during or after 2007 bore an OTC mark. Continued stocking of Black Crappie fingerlings is recommended, along with routine trapnet surveys to verify contributions of stocked fish and overall improvements to the Lake Hickory Black Crappie population.
