MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Preferential River Use During the Spawning and Migration of American Shad in the Albemarle Sound, North Carolina

MATOS Project Code: NCDMFS4

Data Type: Tracker

Project Duration: February 2013 - March 2019

Project Description: The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) in partnership with the National Marine Fisheries Service conducted a study to determine which river basins are used by American shad (Alosa sapidissima) during spawning runs in the Albemarle Sound. American shad were captured in the Albemarle Sound, tagged with sonic transmitters, and their spawning migrations were tracked using an array of acoustic receivers. Of the 62 fish which made detectable migrations during the six years of the study, 55 ascended the Chowan River while only five ascended the Roanoke River. These results indicate the Albemarle Sound stock of American shad prefer the spawning grounds in the Chowan and its tributaries, the Blackwater, Nottoway, and Meherrin rivers over those in the Roanoke River. This project contains only tagging data for American Shad tagged in this study. For acoustic telemetry array information, see the associated NCDMF waterbody array project in MATOS.

Objectives:

To determine which river basins are used by adult American shad during spawning runs.

Management Benefits:

Gain knowledge of which river basins are used by adult American shad during spawning runs.

Principal Investigator:	Holly White (North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries)
Email:	holly.white@ncdenr.gov

Point of Contact:	Ami Staples
Email:	ami.staples@ncdenr.gov

Collaborators:

Holly White (North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries)
Lindsey Staszak (North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries)
Fritz Rohde (National Marine Fisheries Service)
Kevin Mack (National Marine Fisheries Service)

Participating Organizations:

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
National Marine Fisheries Service

Funding:

NOAA

Citations:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/28058/noaa_28058_DS1.pdf

NCDMF American Shad Tagging Study