Fish in Waterfowl Habitat: Managing National Wildlife Refuges for Multiple Purposes using Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge as a Model

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Allison Stewart Mulligan (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Anadromous river herring (including Blueback Herring Alosa aestivalis and Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus) spend most of their lives at sea but migrate to freshwater systems during the spring to spawn. The spawning success of the two species is impacted by barriers to upstream spawning sites as well as nursery habitat quality. At Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR), the effectiveness of side-opening versus top-hinged gates in low-head water control structures in Lake Mattamuskeet for diadromous fish passage is unknown. Additionally, water control structure design and the focus of refuge resource management on waterfowl habitat has potentially limited fishing opportunities and/or fishery habitat, creating feelings of mismanagement among the public based on anecdotal information collected. The MNWR founding documents leave much of the exact natural resource management requirements open to interpretation, although historical and current refuge management have focused resources and staffing to provide optimal habitat for migratory birds, especially wintering waterfowl. Results of a textual analysis of MNWR and four nearby National Wildlife Refuge founding documents and Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs, a more-updated guiding document currently used by the refuges) indicated that none of the subsampled NWRs had close associations between the founding documents and the Comprehensive Conservation Plans. This suggests that NWRs in coastal North Carolina are not being managed in accordance with founding documents. For fish management and passage at MNWR, I compared two flapgate designs: a new side-opening gate and the existing top-hinged design. The side-opening gate passed significantly more fish of all species and significantly more Alewife compared to the top-hinged flapgate design. The spawning run for adult Alewife through Waupoppin Canal into Lake Mattamuskeet is still present but small. Four push net surveys designed to determine Alewife spawning success within Lake Mattamuskeet showed that Alewife spawning occurs in lake habitats but none of the surveys indicated that juvenile Alewife were abundant in lake habitats.

Additional Information

Publication

Dissertation

Language: English

Date: 2020

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