Article
Conflicts among protected native birds and valuable sport fishes: potential pelican predation effects
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
(2022)
Abstract
Reservoirs are examples of novel ecosystems that have developed into popular sport fisheries; these systems are also becoming seasonal refuges for migratory birds, including the piscivorous American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). We (1) investigated the proportion of cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii utah) and other species consumed by pelicans, (2) compared whether pelicans have an adverse effect on cutthroat trout spawning movement, and (3) determined the importance of pelican predation relative to other sources of fish mortality in Strawberry Reservoir, Utah, USA. Pelican diet samples consisted of >85% Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens), 6% Utah chub (Gila atraria), and 3% cutthroat trout. Based on bioenergetics, we estimated that pelicans consumed 384–3020 individual cutthroat trout (0.17%–1.3% of population), in contrast to 14 166–27 196 nongame sucker and chub. Bird-related mortality rate ranged from 1% to 6% for stocked, PIT (passive integrated transponder)-tagged adult cutthroat trout and from 4% to 16% for subadult cutthroat trout. Based on these results, any management action taken to control pelican predation would need to be weighed against the benefits of nongame fish removal and the protected status of pelicans.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2022
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2021-0228
Citation Information
Phaedra Budy. "Conflicts among protected native birds and valuable sport fishes: potential pelican predation effects" Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (2022) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/phaedra_budy/354/