Articles By Samantha Baxter

Arctic char in a tank. This species was the focus of a 2024 characterization study.

Fish Science and Species

The Importance of Characterization in Fishery Management

Each species has its niche in its native ecosystem; from the smallest microorganism to larger predator species, each plays an important role in the ecological chain. This uniqueness from species to species makes characterization an essential component of fishery management. Characterization means defining habitat, breeding and spawning behaviors, populations,...

Posted January 20, 2025

The Bangrin Mangrove Marine Protected Areas situated at Bani, Pangasinan, Philippines.

Fish Science and Species

Evaluating the Efficacy of Marine Protected Areas

Managers of multi-use fisheries face the complex challenge of managing angler and biodiversity needs in addition to ensuring the water resource is protected. One strategy that resource management departments have implemented in saltwater fisheries is the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs), which can vary in size, age, and...

Posted January 13, 2025

A research station monitors spawning sockeye salmon on their way from the Okhotsk Sea into Kuril Lake.

Fish Science and Species

Transdisciplinary Fisheries Research: Improving and Diversifying Management Techniques

Fishery managers across the world are all too familiar with the challenge of balancing the various demands of a multi-use fishery resource. As a result, a 2022 study published in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries proposes that transdisciplinary fisheries research is necessary to solve the “wicked problem.” Management...

Posted January 6, 2025

Aquaculture

IoT in Fish Farming: How Cloud-Based Innovation Improve Aquaculture Operations

Aquaculture, also referred to as fish farming, is globally recognized as an essential component of ensuring that future generations do not suffer from food insecurity. While current operations allow for high yields, researchers and fish farm managers are looking for ways to update operations to be more productive and...

Posted December 30, 2024

Harmful algal blooms, dead zones, and fish kills are the results of a process called eutrophication—which begins with the increased load of nutrients to estuaries and coastal waters. The Mississippi River carries millions of tons of nutrient-rich sediment into the Gulf each year.

Fish Science and Species

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Understanding Fisheries and Eutrophication

While eutrophication is often portrayed as a negative in limnological circles, fisheries managers may have a different view of high productivity. Though high levels are linked to poor water quality, productive water bodies tend to increase fish yields thanks to increased food production for fish. Effects of Eutrophication Of...

Posted December 23, 2024

Aquaculture

Creating Sustainable Aquaculture Practices for the Future

Perfecting sustainable aquaculture is a key component to ensuring that future generations have access to food. In particular, as the global population increases, aquaculture needs to become more efficient and preserve natural resources at the same time. While aquaculture is generally seen as a necessary step toward ensuring global...

Posted December 16, 2024

Stocking fish from Leadville National Fish Hatchery. These hatchery-reared fish will have unique eDNA compared to their native counterparts.

Fish Science and Species

Using eDNA to Evaluate and Inform and Evaluate Fish Stocking Efforts

eDNA sampling and analysis have been used to evaluate native fish populations for many years, and a 2023 article published in Scientific Reports highlights its utility in evaluating restocking and measuring stock improvements. A key component of fishery management is evaluating current fish populations and the needs of the...

Posted December 9, 2024

Aquaculture

Automated Water Quality Monitoring in Aquaculture Facilities

Aquaculture as an alternative to commercial fishing has seen a boom over the last decade as the global demand for seafood grows. Seen as an alternative to aggressive fishing practices, well-managed aquaculture facilities consistently produce seafood without disturbing the native ecosystem. Due to the volume of fish present in...

Posted December 2, 2024

image of the the Green River in Utah which hosts a variety of avian, terrestrial, and aquatic species populations. Such sites are ideal locations for functional diversity studies

Fish Science and Species

How Functional Diversity Studies Inform Fishery Management and Allocate Resources

Understanding functional diversity amongst species in an ecosystem is a key component of managing fishery resources. The importance of maintaining native biodiversity cannot be overstressed, particularly when climate change and various land use stressors threaten fish populations globally. Use of Functional Diversity Studies While species diversity studies only consider...

Posted November 25, 2024

Fisheries

Climate Change Impacts on Fishery Resources in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Climate change’s impacts on fishery resources have been observed across the world in fresh and salt waters. Fish distribution, population sizes, native biodiversity, and other variables have shifted under climate change and shaped the availability of resources. How Climate Change Impacts Fishery Resources Climate change has led to increased...

Posted November 18, 2024

The National Park Service's Matt Kulp discusses fishery management in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Fisheries

The Importance of Data-Informed Fishery Management

Fisheries across the world contribute billions to the global and local economy, representing a vital source of food, recreation, income and employment, and water resource. However, various stressors like unsustainable fishing practices, climate change, pollution, and other variables threaten these critical resources. As a result, data-informed fishery management has...

Posted November 11, 2024

Aquaculture

Shark Conservation in South Florida: Practices and Impacts

When Captain Chris Johnson of SeaSquared Charters takes his clients to his honey hole of a calm, grassy flat somewhere in the Florida Keys, they'll catch as many as 16 sharks in a four-hour trip. Despite the frequent hook-ups, landing sharks on 20-pound spinning gear isn't a walk in...

Posted May 20, 2024

Fish biologists from the USFWS Alpena FWCO, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, and University of Windsor, holding a lake sturgeon captured in the Detroit River.

Aquaculture

Using Fish Tags to Inform Habitat Restoration in the Huron-Erie Corridor

Researchers and resource departments utilize fish tags as a means of improving current fish and habitat management strategies.

Posted April 29, 2024

Long-term salmon run data from weirs like this one helped show alarming shifts in migration timing.

Fish Science and Species

Salmon Shifting Migration Habits Due to Climate Change

Migratory fish like salmon have long been traveling from their freshwater birth waters to the ocean and then returning to these lakes to spawn later in life. Unfortunately, recent changes in the climate have impacted these migration patterns, harming the population size of migratory salmon. As a keystone species—the...

Posted April 15, 2024

Striped bass swimming in the hatchery with tags carrying contact information.

Fish Science and Species

Considerations for Fish Stocking

Many fisheries engage in fish stocking, and the strategies they use can significantly influence the effectiveness of these efforts.

Posted April 1, 2024

Various boats fight fires caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

Aquaculture

Examining Deepwater Horizon: Impacts of Oil Spills on Aquatic Ecosystems

The Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill claimed 11 human lives and countless non-human lives. The infamous spill is just one of several large oil spills in the world’s oceans. Oil spills can have devastating impacts on the ecosystem and surrounding cities that rely on the ocean for...

Posted March 25, 2024

Fish Science and Species

Predation Tags: Innovative Fish Tracking

Fish tagging has been a common practice for years, usually helping researchers track the movement of fish through a fishery or the return of migratory fish. While there are many different kinds of fish tags, the most common type are plastic tags and telemetry tags. With all fish tagging initiatives,...

Posted March 11, 2024

Fish Science and Species

Smallmouth Bass Thriving After Round Goby Invasion in the Great Lakes

A review of 20 years of data shows that smallmouth bass caught in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario have gotten heavier since round goby invaded.

Posted December 11, 2023

Fish Science and Species

How Fishing Tournaments Impact Fisheries

Lake Champlain has been a popular bass fishing spot for some time, made so by its size, surrounding scenery and abundant fish habitat, especially in its northern end. The lake’s expansive tributaries also draw in anglers who like to rev up their fishing boats and make waves. But with...

Posted December 4, 2023

NASA image acquired August 28, 2010 of the Great Lakes.

Fish Science and Species

Using Models to Prepare the Great Lakes Fishery for Climate Change

Like other lake regions across the world, the Laurentian Great Lakes are facing changes as a result of climate change. In particular, the Great Lakes Fishery has been hit hard—impacting habitat suitability, fish health, water temperature, seasonal dynamics and other system components. While there is a long list of...

Posted November 27, 2023