Biological Sampling within the Biological Sampling within the Pontchartrain Basin with Emphasis on Pontchartrain Basin with Emphasis on

Bonnet Carre’ Spillway OpeningBonnet Carre’ Spillway Opening

Brian LezinaBrian Lezina

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and FisheriesFisheries

Office of FisheriesOffice of Fisheries

- Marine Fisheries- Marine Fisheries

resource monitoringresource monitoring

- Inland Fisheries- Inland Fisheries

resource monitoring, protected and invasive resource monitoring, protected and invasive speciesspecies

- University of New Orleans- University of New Orleans

resource monitoringresource monitoring

LDWF Marine / UNOLDWF Marine / UNOFisheries IndependentFisheries Independent

• Long-term data set Long-term data set • Fixed stationsFixed stations• Sampling frequency increased and new stations added Sampling frequency increased and new stations added

for Bonnet Carre’for Bonnet Carre’• Trawls, finfish nets, oyster dredgesTrawls, finfish nets, oyster dredges• Weekly samples scheduled to last at least through JuneWeekly samples scheduled to last at least through June• Majority of the stations will remain weekly into JulyMajority of the stations will remain weekly into July

LDWF MarineLDWF MarineFisheries DependentFisheries Dependent

• Recreational surveysRecreational surveys– MRFSS ProgramMRFSS Program– Shrimp surveysShrimp surveys

• On-water commercial surveysOn-water commercial surveys– Oyster fisheryOyster fishery– Crab effortCrab effort

• Trip Ticket ProgramTrip Ticket Program– Started 1999Started 1999– Information such as landings, location, and effortInformation such as landings, location, and effort

LDWF Marine Fisheries / UNO NektonLDWF Marine Fisheries / UNO Nekton

LDWF Inland FisheriesLDWF Inland Fisheries

• Routine sampling in basin riversRoutine sampling in basin rivers• Directed sampling within Bonnet Carre’Directed sampling within Bonnet Carre’• Assisting USACE with sturgeon translocationAssisting USACE with sturgeon translocation• Observation / outreach concerning invasivesObservation / outreach concerning invasives

What We Have SeenWhat We Have Seen

• Sporadic shifts of larger saltwater species Sporadic shifts of larger saltwater species with fresh water (like spotted seatrout and with fresh water (like spotted seatrout and crab)crab)

• Some movement of recreational anglersSome movement of recreational anglers

• Several species in sub-optimal habitats, Several species in sub-optimal habitats, esp. brown shrimp and oystersesp. brown shrimp and oysters

• No large scale changes in assemblagesNo large scale changes in assemblages

What We Are WatchingWhat We Are Watching• Finfish populations and fisheriesFinfish populations and fisheries• Oyster resources and fishery Oyster resources and fishery • Crustacean populations and fisheriesCrustacean populations and fisheries• Dissolved OxygenDissolved Oxygen• Invasive speciesInvasive species• Multiple sources of freshwater inputMultiple sources of freshwater input

– Bonnet Carre’Bonnet Carre’– Mississippi RiverMississippi River– Pearl River and Northshore riversPearl River and Northshore rivers

Louisiana Department of Natural Louisiana Department of Natural ResourcesResources

• Coast-wide Reference Monitoring System - Wetlands– emergent vegetation (marsh / forested wetlands)– Percent cover, dbh– sampled annually

• Project Specific– emergent and submerged aquatics

Mississippi Department of Marine ResourcesMississippi Department of Marine Resources

Finfish and Invertebrate Monitoring

- 8 stations in western Mississippi Sound

- initially weekly then monthly for several months after spillway closure (trawls)

- abundance, distribution, species assemblage changes

Oyster Monitoring

- 7 stations in Mississippi Sound

- monthly sampling frequency

- oyster mortality, stress, and condition