Texas Parks and Wildlife Archives - AgriLife Extension Wildlife & Fisheries

Experimental System to Test Larval Flounder Live Feed Enrichments

January 11, 2019 by Teri Gaston

Master’s student, Grayson Clark, and Research Associate Brian Ray spent 2 days in Corpus Christi this week, at the TPWD CCA Marine Development Center, setting up an experimental system to test larval flounder live feed enrichments as part of the SRAC grant the Aquacultural Research and Teaching Facility was awarded last fall. See the original story here.

They plan for the system to be stocked with new hatched larval flounder from TPWD Sea Center Texas on January 21. Dr. Ivonne Blandon is working with ARTF personnel to run this first phase of the work in Corpus. Dr. Blandon, who works as Natural Resource Specialist for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Coastal Hatcheries, is a recent WFSC graduate under Dr. Gelwick. A similar system will be set up at the ARTF and run follow up studies with flounder and other estuarine species (red drum and spotted seatrout).

To see more about what the Aquacultural Research and Teaching Facility entails, head over to the ARTF Facility‘s page. For information on how to Give to the Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department to support our research and opportunities, visit our Giving page.

USDA Southern Regional Aquaculture Center Grant to evaluate probiotics in finfish hatcheries

January 4, 2019 by Teri Gaston

Lead scientists, Dr. Delbert Gatlin from TAMU and Dr. Mike Frinsko from North Carolina State, along with cooperators from Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, University of Alabama at Birmingham, NCSU Raleigh and Texas Agrilife Extension (Dr. Todd Sink), have recently been awarded a grant from the USDA Southern Regional Aquaculture Center to evaluate probiotics in finfish hatcheries to improve larval production.

Trials to determine the effectiveness of various probiotics and prebiotics in larval production will be performed with southern flounder, red drum, and striped bass.

The portion of the TAMU team involved in the project visited TPWD’s Sea Center Texas marine fish hatchery on Tuesday. The team was involved in a training session lead by Sea Center’s hatchery manager, Paul Cason. Current southern flounder and red drum larval culture methods were shared in an effort to maximize the impact of the research on TPWD’s stock enhancement activities.

Pre-metamorphic larval southern flounder

Dr. Delbert Gatlin and TPWD hatchery manager Paul Cason

Delbert Gatlin and graduate student Grayson Clark

Invasive zebra mussels have spread to Lake Georgetown and Lake Livingston

November 14, 2017 by Teri Gaston

This destructive species, originating from Eurasia, can damage boats, clog water intakes and litter shorelines with sharp shells. The way boaters can help slow the spread? Clean, drain and dry all boating equipment before leaving the boat ramp.

Remember, it is unlawful to possess or transport zebra mussels, dead or alive, in the State of Texas. It is required that boaters drain all water from their boat and any on-board receptacles before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water to prevent the transfer of zebra mussels. The draining requirement applies to all types and sizes of boats: personal watercraft, sailboats, kayaks/canoes or any other vessel used on public waters. Zebra mussel larvae are microscopic. Both the larvae and adult mussels can survive for days on boats transported from a lake. This is especially so during cooler fall months.

Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department‘s website for the full story.

For more information on Zebra Mussels and learn more about stopping their spread in our lakes, visit the Texas Invasives’ website.