MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Fish movements in the engineered marshes of Poplar Island, Chesapeake Bay

MATOS Project Code: POPNCCOS

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: May 2023 - August 2025

Project Description: Fish movements are being tracked throughout the marshes and embayments on Poplar Island to determine how fish are utlizing restored habitats and to help inform design of future restored marshes to support the Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Engineering with Nature initiative. In collaboration with USACE, and NOAA's Chesapeake Bay office, NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) is tagging a variety of species including: striped bass, white perch, gizzard shad, American eels, snakehead, diamondback terrapins, and blue crabs. Over 200 fish will be tagged with V8's during this 2 year study. Over 70 receivers will be deployed throughout the marsh cells of Poplar Island, including at the entrances to each cell. This study will demonstrate which aspects of the restored habitats, such as creek size and culvert type, are most used.

Objectives:

Understand fish usage of restored marsh habitat
Support USACE Engineering with Nature initiative

Management Benefits:

Inform future design of restored marsh habitats

Principal Investigator:	Bethany Williams (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Email:	bethany.williams@noaa.gov

Point of Contact:	Bethany Williams
Email:	bethany.williams@noaa.gov

Collaborators:

Matt Kendall (NOAA NCCOS)
Wilmelie Cruz-Marrero (NOAA NCBO)
David Bruce (NOAA NCBO)
Matt Ogburn (SERC)
Willem Roosenburg (Ohio University)

Participating Organizations:

NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
US Army Corps of Engineers
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office
Ohio University
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Funding:

NOAA NCCOS
Army Corps of Engineers

NCCOS Poplar Island