MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: James River Blue Catfish movement ecology

MATOS Project Code: JamesBCF21

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: September 2021 - October 2025

Project Description: Non-native Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) were intentionally introduced into the James River in the 1970’s to create a recreational fishery. This has led to increasing abundance and spatial distribution of Blue Catfish within the James River watershed and has prompted concern over the impacts of Blue Catfish on native species. The James River supports an active recreational fishery and a commercial low-frequency electrofishing fishery, with the commercial zone limited to a 100-rkm section of the tidal mainstem. The purpose of this project is to identify movement and distribution patterns and assess Blue Catfish response to LFEF in an effort to inform guidance, management decisions, and angler outreach.

Objectives:

Evaluate behavioral response to low frequency electrofishing
Evaluate transboundary movements and spillover from commercially unexploited areas
Identify spawning, overwintering, and summer aggregation areas
Identify spatiotemporal patterns of Blue Catfish movement and distribution and drivers of pattern

Management Benefits:

Increased operational efficiency of commercial LFEF fishery
Assessment of targeted removals as management strategy

Principal Investigator:	Margaret Whitmore (Mid - Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System)
Email:	margaret.whitmore@dwr.virginia.gov

Point of Contact:	Margaret Whitmore
Email:	margaret.whitmore@dwr.virginia.gov

Participating Organizations:

Virginia Commonwealth University

VDWR- Blue Catfish