Foraging Locations of Double-crested Cormorants in the Beaver Archipelago of Northern Lake Michigan: Potential for Impacts on Smallmouth Bass

Seefelt, Nancy E.; Gillingham, James C.

doi:10.1675/1524-4695(2006)29[473:flodci]2.0.co;2

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Furthermore, in some cases cormorants have been implicated as a causative factor in sport fish population declines and associated reduced recreational harvest (VanDeValk et al 2002;Rudstam et al 2004;Fielder 2010), as well as adversely impacting local economies dependent upon the affected fishery (Shwiff et al 2009). Most investigations, however, have concluded that cormorant impacts are negligible to fish populations and their fisheries (Engström 2001;Seefelt and Gillingham 2006;Barks et al 2010).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Population Dynamics and Fish Consumption of a Managed Double‐Crested Cormorant Colony in Minnesota

Schultz

Carlson

Mortensen³

et al. 2013

N American J Fish Manag

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The recovery of the double‐crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus throughout North America has led to increased human–cormorant competition over fishery resources and has forced managers to evaluate cormorant effects and consider management alternatives at local and broader scales. We present a method for modeling local double‐crested cormorant populations under varying levels of culling intensity based on a colony managed at Leech Lake, Minnesota, during 2005–2011. In this case study, the cormorant colony was evaluated under no, moderate, and intensive control rates and compared with the observed population response. Cormorant diets for fledged (adults and subadults) and nestling cormorants were described during 2004–2007 and 2010. Annual fish consumption and 95% confidence intervals were estimated from 1992 to 2011 using a bioenergetics model and Monte Carlo methods. Total feeding effort and fish consumption has been reduced by nearly 90% since cormorant control began in 2005 (consumption reduced from 20.01 kg/ha in 2004 to 1.98 kg/ha in 2011) and by 46–73% annually, depending on the number of birds arriving each spring and the applied culling intensity. Averaged across all years and periods, fledged cormorants consumed 0.75 kg·bird−1·d−1 and nestlings consumed 0.45 kg·bird−1·d−1. Respectively, average fledged and nestling diets were comprised of Yellow Perch Perca flavescens (61.0% and 77.4%), Coregonus spp. (12.3% and 9.4%), minnows Notropis spp. (9.9% and 2.2%), Trout‐perch Percopsis omiscomaycus (4.1% and 0.4%), and Walleye Sander vitreus (4.6% and 3.6%), though considerable seasonal and temporal variability was observed. The bioenergetics model used to estimate total fish consumption was sensitive to this variability, which was strongly associated with the dynamics of the population of Cisco Coregonus artedi. Some fish population and fishery statistics were described by changes in cormorant predation pressure, but these relationships were compromised by other concurrent management activities. Received April 1, 2013; accepted August 20, 2013

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confidence: 99%

Modeling Population Dynamics and Fish Consumption of a Managed Double‐Crested Cormorant Colony in Minnesota

Schultz

Carlson

Mortensen³

et al. 2013

N American J Fish Manag

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“…However, empirical evidence from this area indicates that the primary diet item of double-crested cormorants within the Beaver Archipelago area is the alewife rather than the smallmouth bass (Seefelt and Gillingham 2008). Furthermore, double-crested cormorants typically foraged approximately 2.5 km away from any islands within the Beaver Archipelago, and their foraging areas were not typical juvenile smallmouth bass habitat (Seefelt and Gillingham 2006). If double-crested cormorants were foraging heavily on juvenile smallmouth bass, we would expect lower relative abundance estimates in recent years and possibly a change in recruitment variability (missing year-classes) between the historical and recent time periods; however, this was not empirically supported.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Fish Assemblage Shifts and Population Dynamics of Smallmouth Bass in the Beaver Archipelago, Northern Lake Michigan: A Comparison between Historical and Recent Time Periods amidst Ecosystem Changes

et al. 2012

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The ecological and economic importance of Great Lakes nearshore areas and the paucity of information on nearshore Lake Michigan fish assemblages prompted us to document changes that occurred from a historical time period (1969–1972, 1975, 1977, and 1984) to a recent period (2005–2008) in a nearshore northern Lake Michigan (Beaver Archipelago) fish assemblage, with an emphasis on smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu. From historical to recent periods, the Beaver Archipelago fish assemblage shifted from predominantly brown bullheads Ameiurus nebulosus to predominantly smallmouth bass. Relative abundance of brown bullheads and white suckers Catostomus commersonii declined from historical to recent time periods, as did overall species richness. The relative abundance, recruitment variability, and mortality rates of smallmouth bass have not significantly changed since the historical time period, whereas both condition (ages 5–7) and growth (ages 2–7) of this species have significantly increased. Our results suggest that the smallmouth bass population in the Beaver Archipelago area has not been negatively affected by recent ecological changes (i.e., declining primary productivity, increasing benthic invertebrate densities, increasing numbers of double‐crested cormorants Phalacrocorax auritus, and increasing introductions of nonnative species). The smallmouth bass is currently the dominant nearshore species and remains a critical component of the nearshore fish assemblage in northern Lake Michigan.

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“…Double-crested Cormorants often forage alone, but can form rafts comprising a few to several hundred individuals, in which birds may work together to catch fish (Hatch and Weseloh 1999). Seefelt and Gillingham (2006) used boat surveys to document rafting locations during the 2003 breeding season. We collected raft location data from 17 May to 21 July 2010 (34 sampling days) following similar methods to Seefelt and Gillingham (2006) and used data only from the corresponding time period for comparison.…”

Section: Surveysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seefelt and Gillingham (2006) used boat surveys to document rafting locations during the 2003 breeding season. We collected raft location data from 17 May to 21 July 2010 (34 sampling days) following similar methods to Seefelt and Gillingham (2006) and used data only from the corresponding time period for comparison. Each raft was assumed to represent a foraging group.…”

Section: Surveysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The goal of this study was to assess changes in cormorant foraging distributions in the Beaver Archipelago that occurred between 2003 and 2010. Specific objectives were to: 1) examine differences between the location and size of rafts (foraging flocks) sighted in 2003 prior to control and the invasion of the round goby (Seefelt and Gillingham 2006), and those sighted in 2010 after the initiation of control and post-round goby invasion; and 2) describe how cormorant foraging locations were related to colony proximity, proximity to the nearest shoreline, water depth, lake bottom slope, and other landscape characteristics.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) on the Move in the Beaver Archipelago, Northern Lake Michigan

Tucker

Seefelt

2014

Waterbirds

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Foraging Locations of Double-crested Cormorants in the Beaver Archipelago of Northern Lake Michigan: Potential for Impacts on Smallmouth Bass

Cited by 12 publications

References 13 publications

Modeling Population Dynamics and Fish Consumption of a Managed Double‐Crested Cormorant Colony in Minnesota

Modeling Population Dynamics and Fish Consumption of a Managed Double‐Crested Cormorant Colony in Minnesota

Fish Assemblage Shifts and Population Dynamics of Smallmouth Bass in the Beaver Archipelago, Northern Lake Michigan: A Comparison between Historical and Recent Time Periods amidst Ecosystem Changes

Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) on the Move in the Beaver Archipelago, Northern Lake Michigan

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