Tracking efforts
As of the end of 2020, we have been able to locate 39 of the 45 tagged James River Muskellunge released. High flow events in the late spring allowed 20 individuals to traverse dams, which has made locating some fish difficult based on restricted boat access and the distance covered by some fish. Muskellunge released in the Big Island and Reed Creek areas of the James River have been relocated as far downstream as downtown Lynchburg, VA (although the number that has traveled this far is small).
Tracking consists of using an antenna to detect individual frequencies that are specific to each tagged fish. Once we detect an individual, we will attempt to get as close to the fish as possible and record the GPS location. With these data, we can monitor movements and determine if an individual has moved around or has been in the same location over multiple days/weeks, warranting further investigation and trying to visually verify whether the fish is alive or dead. |
Preliminary results
As of the end of 2020, we do not have estimates of the rate of warm water catch-and-release mortality of Muskellunge in the James River, nor do we have data to identify the causes of catch-and-release mortality for Muskellunge in the James River. Of the 45 tagged Muskellunge, we located 39 and only 11 individuals were caught and released during the warm water period. The warm water period was defined as the period from June 15th until the end of September based on historic temperature data. Three fish appear to have died of natural causes, of which one died over the warm water period (pictured). Four of the 11 angled fish also died post-release, of which we were able to retrieve the bodies of 2.
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