Browsing by Author "Armstrong, James Leland"

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    Movement, habitat selection and growth of early-juvenile Atlantic sturgeon in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina
    (2003-11-20) Armstrong, James Leland; Richard L. Noble, Committee Member; Leonard A. Stefanski, Committee Member; Mary L. Moser, Committee Member; Joseph E. Hightower, Committee Chair
    We characterized habitat use, growth, and movement of early juvenile Atlantic sturgeon in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina through field work conducted in 1997 and 1998. Most of the Atlantic sturgeon encountered in the study were estimated to be age-1 fish. The presence of numerous age-1 Atlantic sturgeon near a historic spawning river (Roanoke River) suggests that these fish are likely native to the system. Recaptures of tagged Atlantic sturgeon allowed us to describe the growth of early juveniles using simultaneous analysis of length increment and length composition data. Growth of Atlantic sturgeon in Albemarle Sound was similar to growth rates observed in other systems, and suggests that Albemarle Sound serves as an adequate nursery habitat. Among telemetered individuals, we observed a preferred depth interval of 3.6 to 5.4 m. Additionally, the organic rich mud substrate type was used significantly more than expected under the null hypothesis of random movement. Site-constrained movement was demonstrated by some fish. Occasional large catches of Atlantic sturgeon in our survey gear suggested that these fish may aggregate in the sound. Bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon by a commercial flounder gillnetter in eastern Albemarle Sound was dominated by fish within the expected age-2 size range. The impact of local gillnet fisheries on the Atlantic sturgeon population in the Roanoke River/Albemarle Sound system remains an important and unanswered question.