Niagara River evaluated using a non-VPS acoustic telemetry ......headwaters of the UNR. Fig. 3. Box...
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• Implanted 19 LS in 2015 with 69kHz acoustic transponders (Fig. 1) • Transmitted location data to an array of Vemco© VR2W acoustic receivers deployed in the spring, summer and fall of 2015 and 2016 (Fig. 3) • After retrieval, associated .vrl files were submitted to GLATOS • Detections for all LS were collated by month in 2015 and 2016 • Position estimated by box kernal procedure per Hedger et al. 2008 • We present a modified array to allow for VPS (Vemco Positioning System) in future years Position and residency patterns of eastern Lake Erie Lake Sturgeon in the headwaters of the upper Niagara River evaluated using a non-VPS acoustic telemetry array: Informing transition to VPS Rachel D. Neuenhoff*, John Sweka, Lori Davis, Jonah Withers Northeast Fishery Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Lamar, PA 16848 May 2016 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 July 2016 June 2016 Aug 2015 Aug 2016 Sept 2016 Sept 2015 • Life history information for eastern Lake Erie (LE) Lake Sturgeon (LS) is lacking relative to other LE populations • We examined residency in the headwaters of the upper Niagara River (UNR) (Fig. 1) • Data inform questions about range, site fidelity and life history of this population Introduction: Methods: • All LS were detected in the array in the 2015 release year, and again in 2016 (Fig. 3) • LS had similar positional patterns across 2015 and 2016. • Late spring: LS spent time near the eastern system of breakwalls and made several forays possibly into the river at the northern end of the array • Summer/Fall: most LS were localized in the northwest end of the array • Many LS left the array several times, and were detected on other GLATOS project receivers near the central basin in both years • 2015/16 data informed 2017 VPS array design (Fig. 4) Results: • Eastern LE LS demonstrate annual use patterns near the headwaters of the UNR • LS use headwaters of UNR during and outside of the spawning season • Study offers insight into possible spawning locations near the UNR • VPS will provide precise positional information to better inform movement behavior, habitat preferences and life history requirements Discussion: Fig. 2. Surgically implanting LS with acoustic transmitters. Fig. 1. Map of study site within Lake Erie with GLATOS receivers indicated. Positions were estimated from fish detected in non-VPS array of VR2W receivers at 500m spacing in the headwaters of the UNR. Fig. 3. Box kernal estimated position of implanted LS in late spring, summer and early fall of 2015 (Left) and 2016 (Right). Fig. 4 Vemco Positional System re-design for the UNR in the 2017 field season. The northern extent of the array was targeted for transition to VPS due to observed seasonal positional associations within the array. Acknowlegements Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS) Buffalo State University of New York New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Hedger, R. D., Martin, F., Dodson, J, J., Hatin, D., Caron, F., and Whoriskey, F. G. 2008. The optimized interpolation of fish positions and speeds in an array of fixed acoustic receivers. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1248–1259. References
Transcript of Niagara River evaluated using a non-VPS acoustic telemetry ......headwaters of the UNR. Fig. 3. Box...
• Implanted 19 LS in 2015 with 69kHz acoustic transponders (Fig. 1)
• Transmitted location data to an array of Vemco© VR2W acoustic receivers deployed in the spring, summer and fall of 2015 and 2016 (Fig. 3)
• After retrieval, associated .vrl files were submitted to GLATOS
• Detections for all LS were collated by month in 2015 and 2016
• Position estimated by box kernal procedure per Hedger et al. 2008
• We present a modified array to allow for VPS (Vemco Positioning System) in future years
Position and residency patterns of eastern Lake Erie Lake Sturgeon in the headwaters of the upper Niagara River evaluated using a non-VPS acoustic telemetry array: Informing transition to VPS
Rachel D. Neuenhoff*, John Sweka, Lori Davis, Jonah Withers Northeast Fishery Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Lamar, PA 16848
May 2016 May 2015
June 2015
July 2015 July 2016
June 2016
Aug 2015 Aug 2016
Sept 2016 Sept 2015
• Life history information for eastern Lake Erie (LE) Lake Sturgeon (LS) is lacking relative to other LE populations
• We examined residency in the headwaters of the upper Niagara River (UNR) (Fig. 1)
• Data inform questions about range, site fidelity and life history of this population
Introduction:
Methods:
• All LS were detected in the array in the 2015 release year, and again in 2016 (Fig. 3)
• LS had similar positional patterns across 2015 and 2016. • Late spring: LS spent time near the eastern system of
breakwalls and made several forays possibly into the river at the northern end of the array
• Summer/Fall: most LS were localized in the northwest end of the array
• Many LS left the array several times, and were detected on other GLATOS project receivers near the central basin in both years
• 2015/16 data informed 2017 VPS array design (Fig. 4)
Results:
• Eastern LE LS demonstrate annual use patterns near the headwaters of the UNR
• LS use headwaters of UNR during and outside of the spawning season
• Study offers insight into possible spawning locations near the UNR
• VPS will provide precise positional information to better inform movement behavior, habitat preferences and life history requirements
Discussion:
Fig. 2. Surgically implanting LS with acoustic transmitters.
Fig. 1. Map of study site within Lake Erie with GLATOS receivers indicated. Positions were estimated from fish detected in non-VPS array of VR2W receivers at 500m spacing in the headwaters of the UNR.
Fig. 3. Box kernal estimated position of implanted LS in late spring, summer and early fall of 2015 (Left) and 2016 (Right).
Fig. 4 Vemco Positional System re-design for the UNR in the 2017 field season. The northern extent of the array was targeted for transition to VPS due to observed seasonal positional associations within the array.
Acknowlegements Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS) Buffalo State University of New York New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office
Hedger, R. D., Martin, F., Dodson, J, J., Hatin, D., Caron, F., and Whoriskey, F. G. 2008. The optimized interpolation of fish positions and speeds in an array of fixed acoustic receivers. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1248–1259.
References
