Theses and Dissertations

Bryant Haley

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Neal, J. Wesley

Committee Member

Miranda, Leandro E.

Committee Member

Allen, Peter J.

Date of Degree

12-13-2019

Original embargo terms

Worldwide

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

Mississippi is home to many small impoundments, providing anglers with local fishing opportunities. Crappie (Pomoxis spp.) fisheries are highly prized in the state, and managers struggle to meet angler expectations in these smaller systems. From 2015 to 2017, white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) and magnolia crappie (male black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus x female white crappie Pomoxis annularis), marked with oxytetracycline and alizarin red s, were stocked into five small Mississippi impoundments to evaluate stocking efficacy and long-term mark retention. Overall stocking contribution to established populations was 0.59% with only one marked fish recovered. An additional 12 lakes ranging in size from 28 and 357 hectares were studied to assess factors contributing to successful crappie populations. Highest crappie growth rates were observed in systems where crappie abundance is limited. Findings of this study suggest predator population management can be a valuable tool for managing crappie in small impoundments.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16437

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