[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                                                                                      216












                                     AMERICAN SHAD MIGRATION STUDY






































                                North Carolina Department of Environment,
                                     Health, and Natural Resources

                                     Division of Marine Fisheries
                                       Morehead City, NC 28557




                                             February 1990

        SH
        167
        .S5
        A44
        1990















                                                                           AMERICAN SHAD MIGRATION STUDY


                                                                                         by

                                                                                   Jerry A. Parker









                                                            North Carolina Department of Environment, Health,
                                                                          and Natural Resources

                                                                      Division of Marine Fisheries
                                                                         Morehead City, NC 28557








                                                                               Project AFC-35-1

                                                                               Completion Report


                                                                          October 1988-September 1989


                                                                                  February 1990.











                                   Funding for this project was provided, in part, by the U.S.
                           Department of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service, under PL 89-304,
                                                   (as amended), Project AFC-35.
                 
                 
                                                     US Department of commerce
                                                     NOAA Coastal Services Center Library
                                                     2234 South Hobson Avenue
                                                     Charleston, SC 29405-2413










                                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                                                Page


              ABSTRACT  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

              INTRODUCTION   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .

              METHODS AND MATERIALS     . . . . . . . . . .   . . . . . . . . . . . . .           2

                    Tags and Tagging Method   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .             3

                    Recorded Data  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .              3

                    Scale Samples  . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .             4

              RESULTS . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .              4

                    Tagging Sites  . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .              4

                    Catch Per Unit Effort   .. . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . .. .           7

                    Age and Length Composition     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            7

                    Tag Return Data   . . . . . . . . .   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           7

                    Environmental Parameters     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...           16

              DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .            16

              ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .             22

              LITERATURE CITED   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      . . . .        23










                                               ABSTRACT


                  A tagging study of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) utilizing 5 112
             inch mesh gill nets was conducted in the nearshore waters of southeastern
             North Carolina. The purpose was to determine spawning migrational patterns of
             American shad. A total of 220 shad was captured between 24 January and 14
             April 1989. Of those, 203 were tagged witl@ Floy FT-1 dart tags. Returned tag
             total was 41 with all but one return collected south of the tagging site. The
             majority of the tags (30) was recaptured in the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape
             Fear rivers of North Carolina. South Carolina accounted for 10 returned tags
             and Georgia had one returned tag. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) was calculated
             from total catch divided by square-yard-hours of net fished. Daily CPUE's
             ranged from 0 to 0.0125. Total soak time of the gill nets was over 137 hours
             with tagging effort taking place on 38 different dates for an average of
             approximately 3.6 hours of soak time per tagging effort. Findings from the
             study suggest that there is a viable shad fishery resource in the nearshore
             ocean waters off North Carolina and that those shad exhibit a pronounced
             southerly migrational pattern. Hence, the study reasonably confirms that the
             southeastern North Carolina ocean fishery for shad is to some degree inter-
             cepting South Carolina's and Georgia's stocks.










                                              INTRODUCTION

                  The American shad (Alosa sapidissima (Wilson)) fishery was once the most
             valuable fishery in North Carolina (Alexander 1905). In 1897, American shad
             landings were almost 9 million pounds, the highest ever recorded for the state
             (Townsend 1900). Bowers (1913) reported that North Carolina led all other
             South Atlantic states with almost 1.3 million fish in 1910. North Carolina
             landings of American shad have precipitously declined since the early 1900s
             with overfishing, construction of dams, and pollution generally regarded as
             the major factors. Johnson (1938) reported that the decline in landings may
             have also been a result of a decrease in demand for shad from the late 1800s
             to the 1930s. Despite such obstacles, the American shad fishery is still
             significant to commercial and recreational fishermen in North Carolina with
             commericial landings during 1985-1988 of over 1.25 million pounds of shad with
             a value of over $740,000 (North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)
             data).
                  American shad are the largest clupeid in the United States. They are
             anadromous and reported to range from St. Lawrence River, Canada to St. John's
             River, Florida on the western Atlantic coast (Nichols and Massmann 1962).
             Adult American shad migrate to inland spawning grounds throughout its range
             along the Atlantic coast. Massmann (1952) reported that spawning invariably
             takes Place in fresh water. Juvenile shad  spend their first summer in the
             river in which they were spawned and then migrate downstream to the sea in the
             fall  McDonald 1884, Smith 1896, Smith 1899, Leggett and Whitney 1972), where
             they remain until reaching sexual maturity (LaPointe 1958, Neaves and Depres
             1979). Sexual maturity is reached in males in 3 to 4 years and in females in
             4 to 5 years. Studies by Leggett (1972) showed that shad in the Connecticut
             River spend 40 to 100 days in fresh water during spawning migrations. Cornell
             (1955) reported shad to remain in North Carolina waters for a few weeks during
             that period.
                  Shad exhibit a pronounced latitudinal cline in postspawning survival
             (Glebe and Leggett 1981, Carscadden and Leggett 1975). Some authors (Leggett
             1972, Sykes and Talbot 1959, Chittenden 1975) report North Carolina to be the
             geographical boundary between semelparous (spawning once) and iteroparous
             (repeat spawning) populations of shad with populations south of North Carolina
             being semelparous and populations north of North Carolina being strongly
             iteroparous. The incidence of repeat spawning enumerated from scale readings







                                                                                  2


             was 0% in St. John's River, Florida, compared with 3% for the Neuse River in
             North Carolina, 27% for the James River, Virginia, 38% for the Connecticut
             River, Connecticut, 72% for the St. John River, New Brunswick (Leggett and
             Carscadden 1978) and 85% for the Annapolis River, Nova Scotia (Melvin et al.
             1985). Glebe and Leggett (1981) attributed.the differences in spawning
             characteristics to the higher amount of energy expended by shad to reach
             southerly spawning grounds.
                  The North Carolina commercial fisheries for American shad have tradi-
             tionally been located in estuaries and inland rivers. Likewise, most studies
             on American shad in North Carolina have been conducted in inshore waters.
             Holland and Yelverton (1973) conducted the most recent and thorough study on
             American shad distribution in the offshore waters of North Carolina. Their
             capture data suggested that adult American shad were migrating to their
             spawning grounds as late as March in 1971. Tagging experiments during the
             study provided no information on migrational patterns because of no reported
             tag returns.
                  In 1985-86, a tagging program involving American shad was conducted in
             nearshore South Carolina ocean waters (G. Ulrich, pers. comm.). The purpos e
             was to monitor shad stocks and gathe r information on migrational patterns.
             Results of the study revealed that all but one of the recaptured tagged fish
             were caught in rivers south of the tagging sites, thus suggesting a southern
             migrational pattern for shad in South Carolina's nearshore ocean waters. This
             finding led to speculation that the developing North Carolina ocean fishery
             for@shad may be taking South Carolina stocks. Ocean fishing for shad is
             discouraged by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) fishery
             management plan which encourages each state to fish on its own stocks in or
             near natal rivers.
                  The purpose of this study was to determine the migration patterns of
             American shad in the nearshore ocean waters of sourtheastern North,Carolina
             and to ascertain if North Carolina's developing ocean gill net fishery for
             American'shad may be intercepting South Carolina's spawning stock.


                                          METHODS AND MATERIALS

                  Sampling sites were determined by accessibility, weather conditions, fish
             availability, and recommendations of local shad fishermen. Two one-hundred
             yard drift gill nets were tied lengthwise. Mesh size of the nets was 5 112







                                                                                     3


             inch stretched. The nets were fished approximately every half hour or in
             incidences of high catch, as often as possible. Initially, the two nets
             consisted of one 50 mesh deep net tied to one 35 mesh deep net, so as to
             ascertain which net depth was more efficient for shad capture. Since it      was
             noted that-initially all shad were captured within the lower meshes of the 50
             mesh depth net, use of the 35 mesh depth net was discontinued after 2 February
             1989 in favor of two 50 mesh depth nets. Nets were also left overnight on 2
             February 1989, and five  shad were captured along with an abundance of menhaden
             (Brevoortia tyrannus) and spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). The nets were
             severely entangled and the shad were either dead or not suitable for tagging.
             For that reason, overnight sampling was discontinued.
                  All captured shad were placed in an oval one hundred and fifteen gallon
             holding tank filled with ambient sea water where they remained until comple-
             tion of that particular net fishing cycle. They were then transported to an
             area at least one thousand yards and directly offshore from the drift nets.
             As quickly as possible, each shad deemed suitable was measured (fork length,
             mm), tagged, and released.. Also, scales from the left side of the fish
             posterior to the pectorals were removed. and saved for age determination.


             Tags and Tagging Method
                  Floy FT-1 dart tags were chosen and utilized for the study based on their
             success in previous studies (Eames and Hind 1983, Martin et al 1986, and G.
             Ulrich pers. comm.). Tags were orange-colored, individually numbered and
             printed with the agency name, return address, and reward notification. Tags
             were inserted with a canula on the left side immediately below the dorsal fin.
             Cash rewards of two dollars were offered for returned tags and a drawing with
             two $100 prizes was planned to further enhance tag returns.
                  Desired tag return information included tag number, name and address of
             fisherman, place caught (water body and nearest landmark), date of capture,
             gear used in capture and length of fish. Posters advertising the study were
             placed at local fish markets, boat landings, and other pertinent locations.
             They were also distributed to other Atlantic states marine fisheries agencies
             for distribution in their respective states.


             Recorded Data
                  Data from captured shad included fork length (mm), location, and date.
             Data monitored and recorded from tagging sites included date, location,







                                                                                    4

             surface and,bottom temperatures ( 0 C) and salinities (ppt), water depth, wind
             speed and direction, gear parameters,'and soak time for the net. Pre-tagging
             mortality of shad was noted, as well as allincidental catches.


             Scale Samples
                  Scales from the left side of the shad posterior to the pectoral fin were
             removed and saved in individually numbered envelopes.. Scale removal simply
             involved scraping a knife against the fish from rear to front to obtain
             approximately ten to twenty scales. Scales were used to determine age and
             spawning characteristics of shad as described.by Judy (1961). Scales were
             cleaned with a 5% NaOH solution.and examined on a microfiche reader. At least
             eight scales from each shad were examined. Of those, it was required that
             readings from at least five scales corresponded. Spawning and ageing data
             from shad yielding less than eight quality scales or less than five
             corresponding readings were not included in analyses. Also, the   re were at
             least two separate readings of scales from each shad from which only the
             mutual results were retain ed for analyses.


                                                  RESULTS

                  A total of 220 shad was captured and measured between 24 January and 14
             April 1989. Of those, 203 were considered sufficien   tly healthy and were
             tagged. Scales were taken from al.1 captured shad.


             Tagging Sites
                  Seven different nearshore ocean sites were chosen for shad fishing
             (Figure 1).
                  1)  Wrightsville Beach
                  2)  Masonboro Island
                  3)  Carolina Beach
                  4)  Corncake Inlet
                  5)  Baldhead Island
                  6)  Yaupon Beach
                  7)  Little River
                  The number and percent of shad captured and/or tagged for each site are
             shown in Table 1.







                                                                                      5








                                                              Chowan    r


                                                Roano   River
                          COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                                lbemarle Sound



                                          Tar    r                             0


                                                                                          Paml i Co
                                      Ne    iver                             Co   we       Sound

                                                                                                   Cape
                                                                                                Hatteras
                                                                             114
                                                                                     fV
                              Northeast ape Fear River
                                                              Vq_
                                                      White    River        A

                                                  New    er
                                                                       Cape ookout
                      Ca pe    River

                        Q)



                                          :--2


                                         -3


                                        -4
                         7               5



         Figure 1. Tagging sites of American shad captured in the nearshore ocean waters
                     off southeastern North Carolina, January-April, 1989. (1. Wrightsville
                     Beach, 2. Masonboro Island, 3. Carolina Beach, 4. Corncake Inlet,
                     5. Baldhead Island, 6. Yaupon Beach, 7. Little River).







                                                                                     6


                     Table 1. Number and percent of American shad captured for
                                each fishing area in the nearshore Atlantic ocean
                                off southeastern North Carolina, January    April
                                1989.


                                                          Total
                     Area                                 catch              Percent

                     Wrightsville Beach                     200                 90.9

                     Masonboro Island                        2                  0.9


                     Carolina Beach                          0                     0


                     Corncake Inlet                          8                  3.6

                     Baldhead Island                         2                  0.9

                     Yaupon Beach                            8                  3.6

                     Little River                            .0                    0







                                                                                    7



             Catch-Per-Unit-Effort
                  All shad were captured in the 50 mesh deep net. Based on visual observa-
             tions, most appeared to have been trapped near or at the bottom of the-net.
             There were fifteen incidental species captured during the study. Table 2
             lists incidental species by site. Fishing effort was measur   ed in
              square-yard-hours" of net fished, which was calculated from net depth times
             net length times number of hours fished. Catch-per-unit effort (CPUE) was
             calculated from total catch divided by square-yard-hours of net fished. Daily
             CPUE's ranged from zero on several dates to 0.0125 on 31 March 1989 (Table 3).
             The Wrightsville Beach site exhibited the highest CPUE, as well as total
             effort and total catch (Table 4). Two sites, Carolina Beach and Little River,
             showed zero CPUE, w hich may have been due to the small amount of effort
             (square-yds-hrs fished) each area received.
                  All shad were captured during the morning hours   with., the possible excep-
             tion of the overnight sampling effort. This phenomenon was maintained even
             during days of high catches.


             Age and Length Composition
                  Based on scale readings, the age composition of the shad was 15.6% four-
             year-.olds, 76.6% five-year-olds and 7.8% six-year-olds (Ta6le 5). There was
             only one repeat spawner. It measured 520 mm and was determined to be a 6
             year-old-fish. Size ranged from 422 mm to 529 mm (Figure 2), with an average
             length of 484.9 m m. Mean forklength (mm) and length ranges by age group are
             shown in Table 6. Table 7 shows numbers and percentages of shad per eleven
             different size ranges.


             Tag Return Data
                  Of the total number  (203) of fish tagged, forty-one were recaptured. Of
             those, thirty (71%) were  recaptured in the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear
             rivers of North Carolina. Both rivers are near the tagging area and have
             historical gill net fisheries for American shad. South Carolina rivers
             accounted for ten (27%) returned tags, and Georgia had one (2%) return (Figure
             3). Average distance traveled was 89 miles, with the furthest point being 222
             miles (Savannah River, Georgia, Table 8). All shad were recaptured south of
             the tagging site with the exception of one which was recaptured in Croatan
             Sound, NC, 195 miles north of its tagging site.







                                                                                        8


              Table 2. Incidental species captured      i.n gill nets by site in the nearshore
                        Atlantic ocean areas of southeastern North-Carolina, January-April,
                         1989.



              Site                       Scientific name                      Common name


              Wrightsville Beach         Alopias vulpinus                     Thresher shark
                                         Squalus acanthias                    Spiny dogfish
                                         Rhinoptera bonasus                   Cownose ray
                                         Acipenser oxyrhynchus                Atlantic sturgeon
                                         Brevoortia tyrannus                  Atlantic menhaden
                                         Pomatomus saltatrix                  Bluefish
                                         Archosargus probatocephalus          Sheepshead
                                         Euthynnus alletteratus               Little tunny
                                         Sarda sarda                          Atlantic bonito
                                         Peprilus triacanthus                 Butterfish
                                         Macrocoeloma trispinosum             Decorator crab
              Masonboro@ Island          No incidental catch

              Carolina Beach             Brevoortia tyrannus                 'Atlantic menhaden

              Corncake Inlet             Brevoortia tyrannus                  Atlantic menhaden
                                         Squalus acanthias                    Spiny dogfish

              Baldhead Island            Brevoortia tyrannus                  Atlantic menhaden

              Yaupon Beach.              Squal us acanthias                   Spiny dogfish
                                         Raja eglanteria                      Clearnose skate
                                         Brevoortia tyrannus                  Atlantic menhaden
                                         Cynoscion regalis                    Weakfish
                                         Libinia emarginata                   Spider crab
                                         CalTI-nectes sapidus                 Blue crab

              Little River               Brevoortia tyrannus                  Atlantic menhaden







                                                                                         9


              Table 3. Comparisons of daily catch, area, effort and. catch-per-unit-effort
                         (CPUE) for American shad in the nearshore ocean area off
                         southeastern North Carolina, January-April, 1989.

                                                                                          Square
                                                      Square                            yard hours
                                                      yards      Total                    needed
                                                       of        catch                   to catch
              Area                       Date      net fished (number)       CPUE        one shad-

              Yaupon Beach               1-24         1,940         0
              Yaupon Beach               1-26         2,280         0
              Baldhead Island            1-26         1,600         0             -              -
              Yaupon Beach               2-2         28,500*        6        0.0002       4750.00
              Yaupon Beach               2- 7         2,280         0             -              -
              Yaupon Beach               2- 9         1,140         0             -              -
              Yaupon-Beach               2-15         1,140         0             -              -
              Carolina Beach             2-16         1,140         0             -              -
              Corncake Inlet             2-16         3,705         3        0.0008       1235.00
              Corncake Inlet             2-20         2,280         4        0.0018        570.00
              Wrightsville Beach         2-21         2,280         3@       0.0013        760.00
              Masonboro Island           2-22         2,280         0             -              -
              Wrightsville Beach         2-27         3,990         2        0.0005       1995.00
              Yaupon Beach               3- 3         6,270         2        0.0003       3135.00
              Yaupon Beach               3- 6         1,140         0
              Baldhead Island            3- 6         1,710         2        0.0001        855.00
              Wrightsville Beach         3- 7         1,140         5        0.0044        228.00
              Wrightsville Beach         3-14         3,420         0             -              -
              Masonboro Island           3-14         3,420         2        0.0006       1710.00
              Wrightsville Beach         3-15         6 840         2        0.0003       3420.00
              Corncake Inlet             3-16         3:420         1        0.0003       3420.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-17         4.,560        3        0.0007       1520.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-21         2,280        14        0.0061        162.85
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-22         2,280         0             -
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-27         2,280         0             -              -
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-28         2,280         6        0.0026        380.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-29         5,130        10        0.0019        513.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-30         4,560         3        0.0007       1520.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        3-31         3,990        50        0.0125          79.80
              Wrightsville  Beach        4- 1         3,990        26        0.0065        153.46
              Wrightsville  Beach        4- 3         5-,130       26        0.0051        197.31
              Wrightsville  Beach        4- 4         4,275        20        0.0047        213.75
              Wrightsville  Beach        4- 5         2.,280        1        0.0004       2280.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        4- 6         1,140         0             -              -
              Wrightsville  Beach        4- 7         1,140         0
              Wrightsville  Beach        4-10         3,420                       -              -
              Wrightsville  Beach        4-12         3,420        15        0.0044        228.00
              Wrightsville  Beach        4-13         2,850        14        0.0050        203.57
              Wrightsville  Beach        4-14         2,850         0             -
              Wrightsville  Beach        4-17         1,516         0             -
              Wrightsville  Beach        4-18         1,710         0             -
              Little River  Inlet        4-21         3,420         0             -


                24 hour sampling effort







                                                                                            10


               Table 4. Site comparisons of total catch, effort, and catch-per-unit-effort
                          (CPUE) for American shad captured in the nearshore ocean area off
                          southeastern North Carolina,. January-April, 1989.

                                                                                             Square
                                                Square                                    yard hours
                                             yard hours       Total                          needed
                                                of            catch                         to catch
               Area                          net fished     (number)          CPUE          one shad

               Wrightsville Beach               78,751           200         0.0025@           393.76

               Masonboro Island                 5,700             2          0.0004          2850.00

               Carolina Beach                   1,140             -                 -

               Corncake Inlet                                     8          0.0009          1175.63

               Baldhead Island                  3,310             2          0.0006          1655.00

               Yaupon Beach                     44,690            8          0.0002          5586.25

               Little River                     3,420                               -              -












                       Table 5. Number and percent of shad captured by age-in the
                                   nearshore ocean area off southeastern North
                                   Carolina, January-April, 1989.


                       Age (yr)                      Number                        Percent


                         IV                             32                            15.6

                         V                             157                            76'.6

                        VI                              16                            7.8

















              Table 6.    Mean forklength (mm) and length ranges (mm)      by age group for
                          American shad froifi the nearshore ocean area    off southeastern North
                          Carolina, January-April 1989.
              Age group      Number            Mean      +        S.D.             Min.   Range   Max.

              IV               32              450.7              14.3             442            470


               V              157              487.8              15.6             448            520

              VI               16              516.2              13.7             488            529







                                                                            1Z
























                    45


                    40


                    35


                    30
            Number  25- - -
                    20


                    15


                    10


                    5


                    0
                        425   435  445   455. 465   475 485    495   505  515   525
                                                    Size











          Figure 2. Number of American shad captured by size range from the nearshore
                    ocean area off southeastern North Carolina, January-April, 1989.





            L. Croatan Sound                  5. Carolina Beach       9. Winyah.Bay
            2. Northeast Cape Fear River      6. Corncake Inlet      10. Edisto River
            3.  Cape Fear River               7. Baldhead Island     11. Savannah River      13
            4.  Brunswick River               8. Pee Dee River













                                                                                                   370
                                          ,7








                                                                                                   3
                                                                                                     0
                                                                                                    5





                                                                      2
                                                                      3


                                                                     5
                                                                     6                             33
                                                                   7
                                                           8

                                                          9

                                          V
                                                        10


                                                                                                   310








                                                                                                     0
                                                                                                   29








                                                                                                   270


                 850           830            810           790           770             750

         Figure 3.   Recapture sites of American shad captured in the nearshore waters off
                     southeastern North Carolina, January-April, 1989.







                                                                                        14


              Table 7. Number and percent of shad captured by size range from the nearshore
                         ocean area off southeastern North Carolina, January       April, 1989.


              Size range                               Number                              Percent
              (mm, FL)

              421-430                                    5                                   2.3


              431-440                                    7                                   3.2


              441-450                                    6                                   2.7


              451-460                                   16                                   7.3


              461-470                                   24                                  10.9


              471-480                                   35                                  15.9


              481-490                                   43                                  19.6


              491-500                                   35                                  15.9

              501-510                                   26                                  11.8

              511-520                                   15                                   6.8

              521-530                                    8                                   3.6

              Total                                     220                                100.00







                                                                                       15


             Table 8. Capture and recapture locations, distance traveled,and days at large
                        for American shad tagged and released in the nearshore ocean off
                        southeastern North Carolina, January-April, 1989.

                                                                         Distance
                                                                            from
                                                                            site         Days at
             Capture location             Recapture location              (miles)         large-

             Wrightsville Beach           Savannah River, GA                222             14
                                          Pee Dee River, SC                 120             25

             Yaupon Beach                 Brunswick River, NC                26             15
                 1 11                    .Cape Fear River, NC                34             43

             Masonboro Island             Winyah Bay, SC.                    97              8

             Corncake Inlet               Cape Fear River, NC                82             20

             Wrightsville Beach           Winyah Bay, SC                     92              5
                                          Cape Fear River,  NC              105              6
                                          Edisto River, SC                  185              8
                                          Cape Fear River,  NC               97              6
                                          Cape Fear River,  NC               97              8
                                          Pee Dee River, SC                 120              9
                                          Cape Fear River, NC                35             17
                                          Cape Fear River, NC                99             14
                                          Cape Fear River,  NC               78              9

                                          Edisto River, SC                  185             19
                                          Pee Dee River, SC                 130              7
                                          NE Cape Fear River,  NC            86              6
                                          Carolina Beach, NC                 13              3
                                          Pee Dee River, SC                 120              9
                     If                   Corncake Inlet, NC                 23              3
                                          NE Cape Fear River,  NC            85             11
                                          Cape Fear River, NC                84              6
                     H                    Pee Dee River, SC                 130              7
                                          Carolina Beach, NC                 13              2
                                          Cape Fear River, NC                97             20
                                          Pee Dee River, SC                 147             19
                     If                   Baldhead Island, NC                25              1
                                          NE Cape Fear River,  NC            85              .5
                                          @NE Cape Fear River, NC            98             33
                                          Croatan Sound, NC                 195             16
                                          Cape Fear,River, NC                58              5
                                          Corncake Inlet, NC                 23              3
                                          Corncake Inlet, NC                 23              1
                                          Corncake Inlet, NC                 23              1
                                          NE Cape Fear River,  NC            75             16
                                          Cape Fear River, NC               105             13
                                          NE Cape Fear River,  NC            88              8
                                          Brunswick River, NC                58              9
                                          Cape Fear River, NC               100              8







                                                                                     16


                  Average number of days at large was 11 days with a range of 1 to 43 days.
             The shad at large the greatest number of days (43) was captured at Yaupon
             Beach, NC and recaptured in Cape Fear River, NC It traveled a distance of
             only 34 miles.


             Environmental Parameters
                  Temperatures at which shad were captured ranged from 8.00   C to 14.90 C,
             with the maximum number of shad caught at 13  0 C. Salinities during the
             sampling period ranged from 32.0 to 36.0.parts per thousand (Table 9). Water
             depth at sampling sites ranged from 4.5 meters to 9.0 meters (Table 10). Wind
             speed and direction were also monitored and recorded and   are shown in Table

             10.



                                        DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

                  Age and size of shad  captured during the.study were greatly in  fluenced by
             gear type and mesh size.   Gill nets have been reported to bias the length
             range and sex ratios of adult shad (Weinrich et al. 1988). Therefore, it
             would be impractical to determine average year-class size or age based on
             information obtained from the study. The 5 112 inch stretched mesh was
             selected for capture because it was the preferred mesh size of commercial shad
             fishermen who were expected to be the primary source of recapture data. A
             more accurate age and size composition probably could have been obtained by
             utilizing a range of mesh sizes.. However, the recapture data would have been
             skewed due to the commercial fishermen's preference for the larger roe shad,
             thus, defeating the primary purpose of the study.
                  An advan tage of selectivity of mesh sizes is that all the recaptures were
             females, and presumably all or most of the tagged shad were female. (Positive
             sex of shad could not be determined during tagging due to time and health
             restraints and difficulty of visual sex identification). Thus, information
             from the study probably provides information, on the female population and
             their migration patterns.
                  Shad were captured throughout the entire range of temperatures.and
             salinities. Based on the relatively small fluctuations in temperature (8.0 0
             C-14.90 Q and salinity (32.0 ppt-36.0 ppt), no conclusions could be drawn to
             ascertain the upper and/or lower limits required for shad during migrations.
             The small fluctuations in water depth between sampling sites was due to an







                                                                                                  17


               Table 9. Water temperature, salinity, and number of shad captured, by date
                           of capture for each tagging site in the nearshore ocean area off
                           southeastern North Carolina, January-April 1989                            Number
                                                        Temperature (OC)       Salinity (ppt)       of shad
               Site                          Date       Surface     Bottom Surface Bottom           captured

               Yaupon Beach                 1-24-89        10.3        9.9       33" 9    35.7             0
                       11                   1-26-89        11.9       10.7       35.2     35.6             0
                                            2- 2-89        13..0      12.9       32.0     35.4             6
                                            2- 7-89        13.3       12.1       32.8     34.1             0
                                            2- 9-89        11.5       11.6       33.8     34.7             0
                       If                    -2-15-89      13.5       12.7       33.2     33.0             0
                                            3- 3-89        10.8       10.3       35.5     36.0             2
                       If                   3- 6-89        14.0       11.0       33.2     33.1             0

               Baldhead Island              1-26-89        11.8       10.7       35.2     35.6             1
                                            3- 6-89        12.0       11.0       33.0     33.1             2

               Carolina Beach               2-16-89        12.2       11.8       34.4     34.2.            0

               Corncake Inlet               2-16-89        12.1       11.7       34.3     34.6             0
                       11                   2-20-89        12.0       11.6       34.7     35.1             4
                       If                   3-16-89        11-3       10.7       34.3     35.0             1

               Masonboro Island             2-22-89        11.1       11.1       35.5     35.6             0
                                               -14-89                            35.1
                                            3                9.2       8.0                34.9             2

               Wrightsville Beach           2-21-89        10.7       10. 7      35.0     35.0             3
                                            2-27-89        10.1       10.3,      34.8     35.2             2
                                            3- 7-89        10.8       10.8       35.1     35.4             5
                                            3-14-89          8.7       8.8       35.2     35.2             0
                                            3-15-89          9.6       9.2       35.2     35.1             2
                                            3-17-89        10.1       10.1       35.1     35.4             3
                       If                   3-21-89        12.0       12.0       34.3     34.5            14
                                            3-22-89        12.5       12.6       34.3     34.2             0
                                            3-27-89        13.6       13.2       33.7     33.6             0
                                            3-28-89        14.9       14.7       37.8     31.2             6
                                            3-29-89        12.8       12.8       34.1     34.2,           10
                                            3-30-89        12.9       12.4       34.3     33.9             3,
                                            3-31-89        13.0       13.0       33.9     34.1            50
                                            4-  1-89       13.3       13.3       34.1     34.0            26
                                            4-  3-89       13.4       13.4       34.0     34.0            26
                                            4-  4-89       13.7       13.7       34.0     33.9            20
                       If                   4-  5-89       13.8       13.8       33.9     34.2             1
                                            4-  6-89       13.9       13.9       33.9     33.9             0
                                            4-  7-89       14.2       14.2       34.2     34.2             0
                                            4-10-89        14.2       14.2      34.3.     34.2             0
                                            4-12-89        12.6       12.5       33.7     33.6            15
                                            4-13-89        12.6       12.6       33.6     33.6            14







                                                                                        18


              Table 9. (Continued).

                                                                                            Number
                                                  Temperature (OC)     Salinity (ppt)     of shad
              site                       Date      Surface   Bottom Surface Bottom        captured

              Wrightsville Beach                     13.3      1 3.3    33'.81   33.8           0
                                        4-17-89      13.6      13.4     33, 8    33.8           0
                                        4-18-89      14.1      14.1     33.8     34.3           0

              Little River              4-21-89      14.3      14.1     33.4     33.8           0







                                                                                        19


              Table 10. Wind direction,    wind speed, depth, and number of shad captured, by
                         date of capture   for each tagging site in the nearshore ocean area
                         off southeastern North Carolina, January-April, 1989. '

                                                                     Wind       Water      Num ber
                                                          Wind      speed       depth    of shad
              Site                        Date        direction      (mph)     (meters) captured


              Yaupon Beach                1-24-89          NE          10           9         0
                    11                    1-26-89          NE          15           9         0
                                          2- 2-89          NE          10           7         6
                                          2- 7-89           S           5         6.5         0
                                          2- 9-89           N          10           7         0
                                          2-15-89          SW                       6         0
                                          3- 3-89          NE          15           4         2
                                          3- 6-89          NE          10           4         0

              Baldhead Island             1726-89          NE          15           9         1
                                          3- 6-89          NE          10           5         2


              Carolina Beach              2-16-89          SW           5           7         0


              Corncake Inlet              2-16-89          SW           5          4.5        0
                    If              -     2720-89           S           5          4.5        4
                                          3-16-89          NE          25           5         1


              Masonboro Island            2-22-89           S           5           5         0
                                          3-14-89          SE          15           6         2

              Wrightsville Beach          2-21-89           S          20           6         3
                                          2-27-89          SW           5           6         2
                                          3- 7-89          NE          25           5         5
                                          3-14-89          SE          15           6         0
                                          3-15-89          SW          20           4         2
                                          3-17-89          NE          15           5         3
                                          3-21-89          SE          20           6        14
                                          3-22-89          NE          25           6         0
                                          3-27-89          NE           5           6         0
                                          3-28-89          SE          20           6         6
                                          3-29-89          SW          15           7        10
                                          3-30-89          SW          20           6         3
                                          3-31-89          SW          10           7        50
                                          4- 1-89          NE          10           .7       26
                                          4- 3-89          SE          10           7        26
                                          4- 4-89          SW          15           7        20
                                          4- 5-89          SW          20           7         1
                                          4- 6-89          SW          20           7         0
                                          4- 7-89          NE          15           7        .0
                                          4-10-89          NE           5           7         0
                                          4-12-89          NE          20           7        15
                                          4-13-89          NE          15           7        14







                                                                                     20



             Table 10. .(Continued)

                                                                    Wind       Water     Number
                                                        Wind       speed       depth    of shad
             Site'                       Date        direction     (mph)      (meters) captured


             Wrightsville Beach          4-14-89          NE         10           7        0
                                         4-17-89          NE         10           7        0
                                         4-18-89          Sw         15           7        0
             Little"River Inlet          4-21-89          Sw         15           9        0







                                                                                   21


             intentional effort by the samplers to fish the nets at a depth at which it was
             felt they covered or nearly covered the entire water column. Other
             environmental parameters, such as, wind speed and wind d-irection did not
             appear to have a significant bearing on shad capture. However, most
             commercial shad fishermen strongly suggested a northeast wi.nd and high wind
             speeds (>15 mph) as the most favorable wind direction and speed for ocean shad
             capture.
                  Analyses of catch and tagging data su ggest that there is a viable shad
             fishery resource in the near shore ocean waters off North Carolina and that
             those shad exhibit a pronounced southerly migrational pattern. Over 99% of
             all tag returns were reported captured south of the tagging site, with
             approximately 24% percent  recaptured in South Carolina and Georgia. Although
             based on only one year of data and therefore subject to bias introduced from
             any number of abiotic and biotic factors, the study reasonably confirms that
             the southeastern North Carolina ocean fishery for shad is to some degree
             intercepting South Carolina's stocks. If North Carolina is to totally comply
             with the ASMFC policy of fishing entirely on its own stock, then some
             regulations on ocean shad fishing may be necessary. Points to consider when
             determining regulations should include information on number of ocean shad
             fishing boats, number of fish and pounds landed yearly, potential growth of
             the fishery, peak fishing periods, type of gear and selectivity of gear in
             reference to size, age and sex of fish captured.







                                                                                  22



                                            ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS



                  I wish to acknowledge the efforts of many Division of Marine Fisheries
             personnel, without whom this project would not have been possible; especially,
             Federal Aid Coordinator Maury Wolff, Chief of Research Section Mike Street,
             Biologist John Schoolfield and Technicians Jack Hunter and Otto Rutten.
             Special thanks are also given to the United-States Department of Commerce
             through the National Marine Fisheries Service for providing partial funding
             for the project and to the commercial shad fishermen whose cooperation was
             sincerely appreciated.







                                                                                       23



                                               LITERATURE CITED

              Alexander, A.B.
                   1905. Statistics of the fisheries of the South Atlantic States, 1902.
                   U.S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, Report for 1903, p. 343-410.

              Bowers, G.M.
                   1913. Shad Fisheries. U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries, Report for 1911.
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              Carscadden, J.E., and W.C. Leggett.
                   1975. Life history variation in populations of American shad, Alosa
                   sapidissima (Wilson), spawning in tributaries of the St. John River, New
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              Chittenden, M.E., Jr.
                   1975. Dynamics of American shad, Alosa sapidissima, in the Delaware
                   River, Fish. Bull., 74: 343-352.

              Cornell, J.H.
                   1955-. The White shad. Wildlife in North Carolina. 19(6): 14-17.

              Eames, M.J., and M.K. Hind.
                   1983. An evaluation of four tags,suitable for marking juvenile chinook
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              Glebe, B.D., and W. C. Leggett.
                   1981. Latitudinal differences in energy allocation and use during the
                   fresh water migrations of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and their
                   life history consequences. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 38: 806-820.

              Holland, B.F., Jr., and G. Frank Yelverton.
                   1973. Distribution and biological studies of anadromous fishes offshore
                   North Carolina. N.C'. Dept. of Natural and Economic Resources, Div. of
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              Johnson, F.F.
                   1938. Marketing of shad on the Atlantic coast. U.S. Bureau of
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              Judy, M. H.
                   1961. Validity of age determinations from scales of marked American
                   shad. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Fish. Bull. 61.: 161-170.

              LaPointe, D.F.
                   1958. Age and growth of the American shad from three Atlantic coast
                   rivers. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 87: 139-150.

              Leggett, W.C.
                   1972. Weight loss.in American shad (Alosa sapidissima) during the fresh
                   water migration. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 10(13): 549-552.







                                                                                    24


             Leggett, W.C., and J.E. Carscadden.
                  1978. Latitudinal variation in reproductive characteristics of American
                  shad (Alosa sapidissima): evidence for population specific life history
                  strategies in fish. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 35:1469-1478.

             Leggett, W.C., and R.R. Whitney.
                  1972. Water temperature and the migrations of American shad. Fish.
                  Bull. 10(3) 659-670.

             Marcy, B.C., Jr.
                  1969. Age determinations from scales of Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson)
                  and Alosa aestivalis (Mitchill) in ConnecTi-c-5-t waters. Trans. Amer.
                  Fish. Soc.    (4): 622-630.

             Massmann, W.H.
                  1952. Characteristics of spawning areas of shad, Alosa sapidissima
                  (Wilson) in some Virginia streams. Trans. Amer. Ffs--h-Soc. 81: 78-93.

             McDonald, M.
                  1884. The shad, Clupea sapidissima, p. 594-607. In: G.B. Goode and
                  Associates, the fisheries and fishery industries of the United States.
                  Section I. Natural history of useful aquatic animals, p. 594-607. U.S.
                  47th Congr. 1st Sess. Senate Misc. Doc. 124.

             Melvin, G.D., M.J. Dadswell, and J.D. Martin.
                  1985. Fidelity of American shad, Alosa sapidissima (Clupeidae), to its
                  river of previous spawning. Can. j_.Fish. Aquat. Sci. 43(3): 640-6461.

             Neaves, R.J., and L. Depres.
                  1979. The oceanic migration of American shad, Alosa sapidissima along
                  the Atlantic coast. Fish. Bull. 77(l): 199-21L

             Nichols, P.R., and W.H. Massmann.
                  1962. Abundance, age and fecundity of shad, York River, Va. 1953-59.
                  Fish. Bull. 63(l): 179-187.

             Rothschild, B.J.
                  1963. A   critique of the scale method for determining  the ages of the
                  alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus (Wilson). Trans. Amer.    Fish. Soc. 92(4):
                  409-413.

             Smith, H.M.
                  1896. A review of the history and results of the attempts to acclimatize
                  fish and  other water animals in the Pacific states. Bull. U.S. Fish
                  Comm. 15: 379-472.


             Smith, H.M.
                  1899. Studies of young shad in Potomac River, In: Report on the inquiry
                  respecting food-fishes and the fishing grounds. p. cxxxviii-cxxxix.
                  U.S. Comm. Fish., Part 24, Rep. Comm. 1898.

             Sykes, J.E., and G.B. Talbot.
                  1959. Progress in Atlantic coast shad investigations-migration. Pro-
                  ceedings of the Gulf and Carribbean Fisheries Institute, 11th Annual
                  Session, p. 82-90.







                                                                                 25


            Townsend, C.H.
                  1900. Statistics of the fisheries of the South Atlantic states.. U.S.
                  Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries Report for 1899, pt. 25, p. 171-227.

            Weinrich, D.R., N. Butowski, and J.P. Mowrer.
                  1988. Investigation of anadromous alosids. USFWS Federal Aid Annual
                  Report. 143 p.



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