Abstract
Passive acoustic telemetry is more frequently being used by resource managers and researchers to understand the movements, distribution, and interactions of aquatic organisms. Here, we discuss the approaches used to design a study to assess the thermal niche of juvenile and adult Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) across time and space in Mille Lacs Lake in the 1837 Ceded Territory in Minnesota. The objectives of our pilot study were to (1) evaluate the range of different acoustic tag types on two power settings in different habitat types, (2) determine the optimal spacing of receivers in a gridded array and evaluate the performance of tags in this virtual array, and (3) determine if acoustic tags implanted in juvenile Walleye affected the fish. To do this, we conducted range tests using Vemco V7, V13, and V16 acoustic tags in four habitat types: sand, boulder, boulder and cobble, and silt. Next, we used range test data to conduct a random swim simulation through a virtual gridded receiver array to determine how frequently we would hear from each tag and power combination. Lastly, we evaluated the survival, condition, swimming performance, and wound healing of juvenile Walleye that had Vemco V7 tags surgically implanted into their coelomic cavity compared to fish that did not receive a tag. Findings indicate that (1) detection range is variable across habitat types, with the largest detection range observed over sand and the smallest over silt; (2) the spacing of receivers based on the largest detection range in a habitat resulted in a gridded array with receivers spaced apart by 3 km (minimal/no overlap in the detection range around each receiver); (3) signals from larger tags (e.g., V16) traveled farther than the signal from smaller tags (e.g., V7); (4) setting the tag on low or high power did not considerably increase signal transmission distance, but the high power setting did shorten the life span of the battery; and (5) the performance of juvenile Walleye (>180 mm) implanted with a V7 acoustic tag was not altered. Together, these projects optimized the design of the telemetry array, guided the tag selection for adult and juvenile Walleye, and provided insight on the performance of larger tags that could be used in other species (e.g., Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy). We strongly encourage researchers and resource managers to consider similar pilot projects prior to initiating a whole-lake telemetry study.
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Acknowledgments
We thank the team from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (MLBO) Department of Natural Resources, including George Bigbear and Keith Wiggins, for assisting us with the study design and implementation. We appreciate the logistical support from the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC) and the assistance from their intern, Brandon Johnson. Fond du Lac Band, Mole Lake Band, Bad River Band provided letters of support for the proposal. Employees from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the United States Geological Survey commented on the experimental design of these projects. Staff from Vemco quickly responded to technical questions about receivers, transmitters, and software. Financial support for this project came from MLBO , GLIFWC , and a Tribal Wildlife Grant from the Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Shultz, A., Klimah, C.A., Curtis-Quick, J., Claussen, R., LaBine, J., Ray, A. (2021). Can You Hear Me Now? Design Considerations for Large Lake, Multispecies Telemetry Projects. In: Bruner, J.C., DeBruyne, R.L. (eds) Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Sauger: Aspects of Ecology, Management, and Culture . Fish & Fisheries Series, vol 41. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80678-1_10
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