Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Jackson, Donald

Committee Member

O'Keefe, Daniel

Committee Member

Dibble, Eric

Committee Member

Miranda, Leandro

Date of Degree

12-11-2009

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Abstract

Flathead catfish stocks in the Pascagoula River were decimated by the passage of Hurricane Katrina. Age-0 fish survived the storm, producing a strong 2005 year-class. Reproduction by the remaining adults and/or downstream movement from tributaries produced an additional strong cohort in 2006. The strong 2005 year-class resulted in the capture of a high proportion of two-year-old fish in 2007. In 2008, a high proportion of two- and three-year-old fish were captured, illustrating the high rate of survival of the 2005 year-class, and the presence of a strong 2006 year-class. The flathead catfish population of the Pascagoula River was dominated by immature fish that should begin to reproduce in 2009, and most of these fish should reach sexual maturity by 2011. Density estimates are low when compared to other populations, indicating that a management option of a minimum length limit of 610 mm could prove useful in protecting these future spawners.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16221

Download

Share

COinS