The Development Of a Collaborative Telemetry Technique For Augmented Tracking Of Migratory Fishes In Large Navigable Water Ways

The Big Rivers and Wetlands field station (BRWFS) first attempted telemetry of fishes using boat mounted gear.  We soon discovered that large river fish species can migrate long distances and are essentially lost to the researcher.  Several methods of stationary receivers were used over a 10 year period of study.  Since 2005, we have experienced very little damage or loss of receivers on the most durable method (i.e. bridge piers); however there was still logistical issues with receiver loss, damage, and fish continuing to challenge the spatial extent of the array.  During summer 2012, BRWFS staff began to evaluate using barge company vessels for enhancing the existing telemetry array.  The logistics of attaching the receivers and deploying them in the rivers was left up to the barge company—American Electric Power (AEP).  Communication between BRWFS and AEP continued from August through October 2012 when the receivers were removed from the motor vessels.  Seven receivers documented 96 unique fish identifications in 156 distinct locations.  Among the ID’s were 41 endangered pallid sturgeon, 39 threatened shovelnose sturgeon, 2 hybrid sturgeon, and 1 lake sturgeon.  All of the new locations are attributed to the diligent working efforts of this barge company.