Applying AcousticTechnology to Analyze Late Summer Fish Distribution and Behavior in Lower Lake Norman, NC

The alewife, an anadromous species native to the northern and mid-Atlantic coast, was introduced into Lake Norman in the late 1990’s and serves as forage for many sport fish including blue catfish and striped bass.  During natural, late-summer stratification adult alewife follow cooler water to the deepest areas of the lake becoming a fouling issue for McGuire Nuclear Station.  In addition, foraging striped bass may become trapped in the hypolimnion leading to fish mortality.  Since 2003, Duke Energy personnel have used hydroacoustic technology to document the summer distribution of these hypolimnetic fish.  In 2008, a DIDSON camera has been deployed concurrently to record real-time fish behavior including predation, schooling under hypoxic conditions, and the presence of both forage and predator fish under anoxic conditions.