Roger Rulifson | East Carolina University (original) (raw)
Papers by Roger Rulifson
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 1977
Swimming performances of young-of-the-year striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), spot (Leiostomus xant... more Swimming performances of young-of-the-year striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) were tested by examining the combination of physical endurance and swimming behavior to provide information on potential fish entrainment and impingement problems at industrial intakes. Tests were conducted at three temperatures (15–25 °C) and six water velocities (12–48 cm/s). Fish lengths ranged from 1.4 to 7.0 cm TL. Fish tested at higher temperatures exhibited increased time for steady swimming and for impingement avoidance. Temperature was also positively correlated with maximum swimming speeds and with the number of bursts performed during drift–burst activity (drifting with the current and returning upstream with a burst of swimming). Increased water velocities resulted in decreased times of steady swimming and impingement avoidance, and reduced drift–burst activity. Larger fish avoided impingement longer and had faster maximum swimming spe...
Transactions of The American Fisheries Society, 2011
Hickory shad Alosa mediocris were sampled for two consecutive years in coastal North Carolina at ... more Hickory shad Alosa mediocris were sampled for two consecutive years in coastal North Carolina at various points of their ascent in salt water, brackish water, and freshwater to examine reproductive development and related variables during the spawning migration. Fish averaged 3 years of age; however, the proportion of repeat spawners and the proportion of individuals in older age-classes were greater
Estuarine Comparisons, 1982
Population status of 11 species or races of anadromous fish was assessed for 85 riverine areas in... more Population status of 11 species or races of anadromous fish was assessed for 85 riverine areas in seven Southern coastal States by asking State, Federal, and other agencies to respond to a questionnaire developed for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Anadromous Species Management Plan for the Southeast.” Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons, striped bass (Atlantic race), American and hickory shads, alewife, and blueback herring utilize Southeast Atlantic coast estuaries as spawning grounds or nursery areas. Atlantic sturgeon (Gulf race), striped bass (Gulf race), Alabama shad, and skipjack herring utilize estuaries along the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these populations appear to be stable, but many are declining or threatened and several have been extirpated. Atlantic races of striped bass have been introduced into Gulf coastal waters, and some populations along both coasts are increasing due to years of restocking and restoration efforts. Questionnaire responses suggest that overfishing, poor water quality, low oxygen levels, location of industrial discharges, chemical pollution, dams and impoundments, and inadequate fishway facilities have reduced spawning habitat and nursery areas in many river systems, contributing to the decline of anadromous stocks in Southeastern U.S. waters.
Proceedings of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science (NSIS)
A total of 85 species of fish are known or suspected from Minas Basin and Minas Passage, Nova Sco... more A total of 85 species of fish are known or suspected from Minas Basin and Minas Passage, Nova Scotia, Canada. This systematic review details their seasonal occurrence, habitat, abundance, migratory behavior, fisheries and potential impact from tidal power development. The fish assemblage is a mixture of species common to the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia as well as numerous warm- and cold-water visitors seldom found elsewhere in Canada. Minas Basin fisheries exploit some species especially those that migrate through the Basin during summer. Fishes were captured or observed using angling, seines, benthic long lines, drift and fixed gill nets, intertidal fish weirs, bottom trawls and sightings while on vessels. Fishes are categorized with respect to their taxonomic diversity, seasonal occurrence, status, fisheries and the potential impact from tidal lagoons and propeller turbines resulting from development of tidal power in Minas Basin and Minas Passage. Keywords:...
Marine and Coastal Fisheries
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1577 1548 8675017 2 3 Co 2, Jan 8, 2011
ABSTRACT
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1577 1548 8675017 2 3 Co 2, Jan 8, 2011
ABSTRACT
Marine and Coastal Fisheries
![Research paper thumbnail of The Anadromous Hickory Shad (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae, Alosa mediocris [Mitchill 1814]): Morphometric and Meristic Variation](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/66554390/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](The anadromous Hickory Shad Alosa mediocris (Mitchill, 1814) (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) is reviewe... more The anadromous Hickory Shad Alosa mediocris (Mitchill, 1814) (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) is reviewed, specifically regarding morphometric and meristic variation. Despite its long history as recognized species, few descriptions of Hickory Shad morphometric and meristic characters exist in the literature. Most authors of the historic literature have failed to provide capture location for specimens, analyze large numbers of Hickory Shad, or document how morphometric and meristic characters of the species vary spatially. To address this information gap, a total of 717 mature Hickory Shad were collected from 23 different locations in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida using electroshocking, gill net, or rod and reel. All specimens were frozen, thawed, and 17 morphometric characters and four meristic characters were examined; a random subset (n = 463) were analyzed for an additional four meristic counts of gill rakers. Overall specimens ranged...
Scientific Reports
Atlantic Ocean, which may have significant ecological consequences. Large coastal sharks can have... more Atlantic Ocean, which may have significant ecological consequences. Large coastal sharks can have wide migratory distributions but show fidelity to specific nursery habitats. Here we show evidence for nursery range expansion into Pamlico Sound, North Carolina by a marine apex predator, the Bull
Marine and Freshwater Research
The Atlantic needlefish (Strongylura marina) is a coastal epipelagic species inhabiting shallow c... more The Atlantic needlefish (Strongylura marina) is a coastal epipelagic species inhabiting shallow coastal waters along the western Atlantic coast from Maine to Brazil. Little has been published about the species due to lack of commercial or sport value. A population exists in Lake Mattamuskeet, a coastal lake connected to Pamlico Sound (NC, USA) via four man-made canals, and fish access is controlled by water-control structures. Herein we describe the life history and age and growth dynamics of the species in the lake. Based on anecdotal and state reports, we believe this species may exhibit anadromy. Sampling was from March to May 1997 and 1998, and from March to October 2001. We also collected from another coastal watershed to complete the length distribution. Spring adults had a high gonadosomatic index compared with autumn (fall) adults, which had atresia. No eggs or age-0 fish were captured in the lake during summer. The four length cohorts matched growth and back-calculated leng...
ABSTRACT Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have two life history strategies: anadromy and residency... more ABSTRACT Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have two life history strategies: anadromy and residency. Anadromy is when a species lives in saltwater as an adult and spawns in freshwater, while residents stay in freshwater throughout life. It is possible to determine whether or not an individual is anadromous or resident by examining trace elements in the otoliths (ear bones), specifically Strontium, which is directly related to water salinity. We take this knowledge a step farther to determine that, by looking at larval otolith strontium levels, the life history of the mother can be determined. This research discovers how related the progeny and maternal otoliths are and whether there is a concentration of elements in the mother’s tissue that would help explain how possible elemental signatures are passed on. The life history strategy (resident or anadromous) of the mother can be seen in the core of these progeny’s otoliths and the primordium of adult fish based upon the Strontium levels. Since the progeny’s otolith signatures can be traced back to the mother’s life history strategy, we can then determine the relative production and survival of progeny from anadromy versus residency.
ABSTRACT River herring stocks in North Carolina have been declining for more than 25 years. Impor... more ABSTRACT River herring stocks in North Carolina have been declining for more than 25 years. Important river herring nursery habitat must be identified to ensure that harvest moratoriums and other recovery efforts are successful. Not only is it important to identify habitat use of juvenile fish, but it is essential to identify the nursery habitats used by mature adult fish, which represent successful recruits. We used otolith microchemistry to infer nursery habitat use of adult and juvenile river herring in the Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. Water samples and otolith elemental composition were used to identify unique signatures for individual watersheds. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze adult and juvenile otoliths. We found individual watersheds and areas within individual watersheds to have distinct elemental signatures. Based on otolith elemental composition, adult and juvenile river herring could be accurately assigned to their watershed of capture. Comparing elemental concentrations in juvenile otoliths with the elemental concentrations of water samples allowed for determination of upstream and downstream habitat use. In addition, otolith elemental composition could be used to trace movements of juvenile river herring between watersheds. Based on movement and condition indices it appears some tributaries of the Albemarle Sound may provide better habitat for river herring than others.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1577 M06 071 1, Jan 8, 2011
The spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias was once classified as an underutilized species along the U.S... more The spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias was once classified as an underutilized species along the U.S. East Coast, but it constituted a lucrative fishery in the 1990s until recruitment overfishing caused stock collapse. Coastwide restrictions currently apply; federal stock assessment models use bycatch mortality estimates of 50% for trawling, 75% for gill netting, and 100% for hook-and-line fishing. This study examined mortality at the southern end of commercial fishing operations caused by trawling for 30- and 90-min periods and by gill nets of various mesh sizes set for 19- to 24-h periods. Both experiments used tagged and untagged fish placed in rectangular cages anchored to the seafloor for 48 h. Tags were the Floy SS-94 single-barb nylon dart with a stainless steel wire insert. A total of 635 spiny dogfish were captured by trawl and all were alive, for a 0% initial mortality rate. A total of 2,284 spiny dogfish were collected by gill net for an initial mortality rate of 17.5%. There was no additional mortality in the 480 trawl-caught fish held for 48 h, but there was 33.3% mortality among the 480 gill-net-caught fish held under the same conditions, for an overall gill-net mortality rate of 55.0%. Examination of subsampled catches indicated that 88.6% of gill-net-caught fish had gill-net marks on the head and 41.2% had gill-net marks on the girth but, interestingly, 26.1% of trawl-caught fish had the same markings, indicating prior gill-net capture and release. Female spiny dogfish caught by gill net had a 3.6% abortion rate, compared with zero incidences of those caught by trawl. There was no significant difference in mortality between tagged and untagged fish caught by trawl or by gill net. Tag loss after 48 h was less than 1%.
Trans Amer Fish Soc, 2003
ABSTRACT Recently a new hypothesis suggesting the possibility of multiple behavioral contingents ... more ABSTRACT Recently a new hypothesis suggesting the possibility of multiple behavioral contingents of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), was proposed by scientists from NOAA-NMFS, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and East Carolina University (ECU); this hypothesis identified two behavioral contingents (a mid-Atlantic contingent and a Gulf of Maine contingent) that are susceptible to the spiny dogfish fishery. The overall objective of this research is to increase understanding of migration and movement behaviors unique to the mid-Atlantic behavioral contingent of spiny dogfish. Since 1996, East Carolina University has conducted a mark-recapture tagging program primarily targeting mid-Atlantic contingent spiny dogfish. As of December 31, 2013, ECU has received approximately 619 tag returns out of over 47,000 tags released (1.32% return rate). Given the low return rate of conventional external tags and the need for higher resolution data, ECU researchers deployed over 220 acoustic tags in spiny dogfish since 2009. Single redetection rates for acoustic tagging projects were much higher (ranging between 40 and 83 percent) and many of these tags were redetected multiple times on acoustic arrays between North Carolina and Maine. These data are analyzed with fishery-dependent and fishery-independent research and data to address behavioral questions on multiple spatial and temporal scales.
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 1977
Swimming performances of young-of-the-year striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), spot (Leiostomus xant... more Swimming performances of young-of-the-year striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) were tested by examining the combination of physical endurance and swimming behavior to provide information on potential fish entrainment and impingement problems at industrial intakes. Tests were conducted at three temperatures (15–25 °C) and six water velocities (12–48 cm/s). Fish lengths ranged from 1.4 to 7.0 cm TL. Fish tested at higher temperatures exhibited increased time for steady swimming and for impingement avoidance. Temperature was also positively correlated with maximum swimming speeds and with the number of bursts performed during drift–burst activity (drifting with the current and returning upstream with a burst of swimming). Increased water velocities resulted in decreased times of steady swimming and impingement avoidance, and reduced drift–burst activity. Larger fish avoided impingement longer and had faster maximum swimming spe...
Transactions of The American Fisheries Society, 2011
Hickory shad Alosa mediocris were sampled for two consecutive years in coastal North Carolina at ... more Hickory shad Alosa mediocris were sampled for two consecutive years in coastal North Carolina at various points of their ascent in salt water, brackish water, and freshwater to examine reproductive development and related variables during the spawning migration. Fish averaged 3 years of age; however, the proportion of repeat spawners and the proportion of individuals in older age-classes were greater
Estuarine Comparisons, 1982
Population status of 11 species or races of anadromous fish was assessed for 85 riverine areas in... more Population status of 11 species or races of anadromous fish was assessed for 85 riverine areas in seven Southern coastal States by asking State, Federal, and other agencies to respond to a questionnaire developed for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Anadromous Species Management Plan for the Southeast.” Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons, striped bass (Atlantic race), American and hickory shads, alewife, and blueback herring utilize Southeast Atlantic coast estuaries as spawning grounds or nursery areas. Atlantic sturgeon (Gulf race), striped bass (Gulf race), Alabama shad, and skipjack herring utilize estuaries along the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these populations appear to be stable, but many are declining or threatened and several have been extirpated. Atlantic races of striped bass have been introduced into Gulf coastal waters, and some populations along both coasts are increasing due to years of restocking and restoration efforts. Questionnaire responses suggest that overfishing, poor water quality, low oxygen levels, location of industrial discharges, chemical pollution, dams and impoundments, and inadequate fishway facilities have reduced spawning habitat and nursery areas in many river systems, contributing to the decline of anadromous stocks in Southeastern U.S. waters.
Proceedings of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science (NSIS)
A total of 85 species of fish are known or suspected from Minas Basin and Minas Passage, Nova Sco... more A total of 85 species of fish are known or suspected from Minas Basin and Minas Passage, Nova Scotia, Canada. This systematic review details their seasonal occurrence, habitat, abundance, migratory behavior, fisheries and potential impact from tidal power development. The fish assemblage is a mixture of species common to the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia as well as numerous warm- and cold-water visitors seldom found elsewhere in Canada. Minas Basin fisheries exploit some species especially those that migrate through the Basin during summer. Fishes were captured or observed using angling, seines, benthic long lines, drift and fixed gill nets, intertidal fish weirs, bottom trawls and sightings while on vessels. Fishes are categorized with respect to their taxonomic diversity, seasonal occurrence, status, fisheries and the potential impact from tidal lagoons and propeller turbines resulting from development of tidal power in Minas Basin and Minas Passage. Keywords:...
Marine and Coastal Fisheries
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1577 1548 8675017 2 3 Co 2, Jan 8, 2011
ABSTRACT
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1577 1548 8675017 2 3 Co 2, Jan 8, 2011
ABSTRACT
Marine and Coastal Fisheries
The anadromous Hickory Shad Alosa mediocris (Mitchill, 1814) (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) is reviewe... more The anadromous Hickory Shad Alosa mediocris (Mitchill, 1814) (Clupeiformes: Clupeidae) is reviewed, specifically regarding morphometric and meristic variation. Despite its long history as recognized species, few descriptions of Hickory Shad morphometric and meristic characters exist in the literature. Most authors of the historic literature have failed to provide capture location for specimens, analyze large numbers of Hickory Shad, or document how morphometric and meristic characters of the species vary spatially. To address this information gap, a total of 717 mature Hickory Shad were collected from 23 different locations in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida using electroshocking, gill net, or rod and reel. All specimens were frozen, thawed, and 17 morphometric characters and four meristic characters were examined; a random subset (n = 463) were analyzed for an additional four meristic counts of gill rakers. Overall specimens ranged...
Scientific Reports
Atlantic Ocean, which may have significant ecological consequences. Large coastal sharks can have... more Atlantic Ocean, which may have significant ecological consequences. Large coastal sharks can have wide migratory distributions but show fidelity to specific nursery habitats. Here we show evidence for nursery range expansion into Pamlico Sound, North Carolina by a marine apex predator, the Bull
Marine and Freshwater Research
The Atlantic needlefish (Strongylura marina) is a coastal epipelagic species inhabiting shallow c... more The Atlantic needlefish (Strongylura marina) is a coastal epipelagic species inhabiting shallow coastal waters along the western Atlantic coast from Maine to Brazil. Little has been published about the species due to lack of commercial or sport value. A population exists in Lake Mattamuskeet, a coastal lake connected to Pamlico Sound (NC, USA) via four man-made canals, and fish access is controlled by water-control structures. Herein we describe the life history and age and growth dynamics of the species in the lake. Based on anecdotal and state reports, we believe this species may exhibit anadromy. Sampling was from March to May 1997 and 1998, and from March to October 2001. We also collected from another coastal watershed to complete the length distribution. Spring adults had a high gonadosomatic index compared with autumn (fall) adults, which had atresia. No eggs or age-0 fish were captured in the lake during summer. The four length cohorts matched growth and back-calculated leng...
ABSTRACT Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have two life history strategies: anadromy and residency... more ABSTRACT Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) have two life history strategies: anadromy and residency. Anadromy is when a species lives in saltwater as an adult and spawns in freshwater, while residents stay in freshwater throughout life. It is possible to determine whether or not an individual is anadromous or resident by examining trace elements in the otoliths (ear bones), specifically Strontium, which is directly related to water salinity. We take this knowledge a step farther to determine that, by looking at larval otolith strontium levels, the life history of the mother can be determined. This research discovers how related the progeny and maternal otoliths are and whether there is a concentration of elements in the mother’s tissue that would help explain how possible elemental signatures are passed on. The life history strategy (resident or anadromous) of the mother can be seen in the core of these progeny’s otoliths and the primordium of adult fish based upon the Strontium levels. Since the progeny’s otolith signatures can be traced back to the mother’s life history strategy, we can then determine the relative production and survival of progeny from anadromy versus residency.
ABSTRACT River herring stocks in North Carolina have been declining for more than 25 years. Impor... more ABSTRACT River herring stocks in North Carolina have been declining for more than 25 years. Important river herring nursery habitat must be identified to ensure that harvest moratoriums and other recovery efforts are successful. Not only is it important to identify habitat use of juvenile fish, but it is essential to identify the nursery habitats used by mature adult fish, which represent successful recruits. We used otolith microchemistry to infer nursery habitat use of adult and juvenile river herring in the Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. Water samples and otolith elemental composition were used to identify unique signatures for individual watersheds. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to analyze adult and juvenile otoliths. We found individual watersheds and areas within individual watersheds to have distinct elemental signatures. Based on otolith elemental composition, adult and juvenile river herring could be accurately assigned to their watershed of capture. Comparing elemental concentrations in juvenile otoliths with the elemental concentrations of water samples allowed for determination of upstream and downstream habitat use. In addition, otolith elemental composition could be used to trace movements of juvenile river herring between watersheds. Based on movement and condition indices it appears some tributaries of the Albemarle Sound may provide better habitat for river herring than others.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1577 M06 071 1, Jan 8, 2011
The spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias was once classified as an underutilized species along the U.S... more The spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias was once classified as an underutilized species along the U.S. East Coast, but it constituted a lucrative fishery in the 1990s until recruitment overfishing caused stock collapse. Coastwide restrictions currently apply; federal stock assessment models use bycatch mortality estimates of 50% for trawling, 75% for gill netting, and 100% for hook-and-line fishing. This study examined mortality at the southern end of commercial fishing operations caused by trawling for 30- and 90-min periods and by gill nets of various mesh sizes set for 19- to 24-h periods. Both experiments used tagged and untagged fish placed in rectangular cages anchored to the seafloor for 48 h. Tags were the Floy SS-94 single-barb nylon dart with a stainless steel wire insert. A total of 635 spiny dogfish were captured by trawl and all were alive, for a 0% initial mortality rate. A total of 2,284 spiny dogfish were collected by gill net for an initial mortality rate of 17.5%. There was no additional mortality in the 480 trawl-caught fish held for 48 h, but there was 33.3% mortality among the 480 gill-net-caught fish held under the same conditions, for an overall gill-net mortality rate of 55.0%. Examination of subsampled catches indicated that 88.6% of gill-net-caught fish had gill-net marks on the head and 41.2% had gill-net marks on the girth but, interestingly, 26.1% of trawl-caught fish had the same markings, indicating prior gill-net capture and release. Female spiny dogfish caught by gill net had a 3.6% abortion rate, compared with zero incidences of those caught by trawl. There was no significant difference in mortality between tagged and untagged fish caught by trawl or by gill net. Tag loss after 48 h was less than 1%.
Trans Amer Fish Soc, 2003
ABSTRACT Recently a new hypothesis suggesting the possibility of multiple behavioral contingents ... more ABSTRACT Recently a new hypothesis suggesting the possibility of multiple behavioral contingents of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), was proposed by scientists from NOAA-NMFS, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and East Carolina University (ECU); this hypothesis identified two behavioral contingents (a mid-Atlantic contingent and a Gulf of Maine contingent) that are susceptible to the spiny dogfish fishery. The overall objective of this research is to increase understanding of migration and movement behaviors unique to the mid-Atlantic behavioral contingent of spiny dogfish. Since 1996, East Carolina University has conducted a mark-recapture tagging program primarily targeting mid-Atlantic contingent spiny dogfish. As of December 31, 2013, ECU has received approximately 619 tag returns out of over 47,000 tags released (1.32% return rate). Given the low return rate of conventional external tags and the need for higher resolution data, ECU researchers deployed over 220 acoustic tags in spiny dogfish since 2009. Single redetection rates for acoustic tagging projects were much higher (ranging between 40 and 83 percent) and many of these tags were redetected multiple times on acoustic arrays between North Carolina and Maine. These data are analyzed with fishery-dependent and fishery-independent research and data to address behavioral questions on multiple spatial and temporal scales.