Nicholas S. Johnson
Juan P. Steibel
Michael B. Twohey
Thomas R. Binder
Charles C. Krueger
Michael L. Jones
Christopher M. Holbrook
2014
<p>Improved methods are needed to evaluate barriers and traps for control and assessment of invasive sea lamprey (<em>Petromyzon marinus</em>) in the Great Lakes. A Bayesian state-space model provided reach-specific probabilities of movement, including trap capture and dam passage, for 148 acoustic tagged invasive sea lamprey in the lower Cheboygan River, Michigan, a tributary to Lake Huron. Reach-specific movement probabilities were combined to obtain estimates of spatial distribution and abundance needed to evaluate a barrier and trap complex for sea lamprey control and assessment. Of an estimated 21 828 – 29 300 adult sea lampreys in the river, 0%–2%, or 0–514 untagged lampreys, could have passed upstream of the dam, and 46%–61% were caught in the trap. Although no tagged lampreys passed above the dam (0/148), our sample size was not sufficient to consider the lock and dam a complete barrier to sea lamprey. Results also showed that existing traps are in good locations because 83%–96% of the population was vulnerable to existing traps. However, only 52%–69% of lampreys vulnerable to traps were caught, suggesting that traps can be improved. The approach used in this study was a novel use of Bayesian state-space models that may have broader applications, including evaluation of barriers for other invasive species (e.g., Asian carp (<em>Hypophthalmichthys</em> spp.)) and fish passage structures for other diadromous fishes.</p>
application/pdf
10.1139/cjfas-2013-0581
en
NRC Research Press
Estimating reach-specific fish movement probabilities in rivers with a Bayesian state-space model: application to sea lamprey passage and capture at dams
article