Case in Point: Science In Action
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Photo Courtesy of Doug Harned, USGS
The Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences program at NC State often conducts research studies in partnership with local governments or environmental agencies — providing manpower and scientific expertise to augment or fill in gaps in the resources available within these organizations.
For example, students majoring in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences recently assisted the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission in a study of the crappie population at Jordan Lake, a 13,900-acre state recreational area that serves the residents of nearby Chatham County and surrounding areas. Students helped with research and monitoring being conducted by biologists Brian McRae and Corey Oakley (a recent NCSU Zoology graduate with a M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences).
During the fall and winter months, McRae and Oakley set trap nets around Jordan Lake to sample the crappie population. The fish were weighed and measured, and some were removed in order to age the animals in a laboratory setting and observe their various stages of development.
The sagittal otoliths (ear bones) were viewed under a microscope to determine the age of the fish, much like examining rings on a tree stump. The research helped the Commission better evaluate its current regulations governing crappie fishing, resulting in adjustments to the regulations that allow the younger fish a chance to spawn before being harvested. Study participants will continue to monitor the population, growth rate and condition of the fish in order to determine if the regulations need to remain in place or be adjusted. Current results show that the new regulations have had a highly beneficiary effect on the population — keeping Jordan Lake at the forefront of crappie fisheries.
For more information on this study, visit http://www.newsobserver.com/802/story/375341.html.
