Growth Rate Analysis of Coastal Wetland and Near Shore Great Lakes Fish Using Otolith Dating

Currently there is little information regarding the use of nearshore and wetland habitats by transient sportfish species in Green Bay.  It is expected that these fish preferentially choose habitats to maximize growth and fitness.  We assessed differences in growth of walleye (Sander vitreus) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) using sagittal otoliths from fish collected at seven sites throughout the upper and lower bay.  Nearshore and wetland habitats were sampled at each site in 2014 and 2015 using gillnets, fyke nets, and electroshocking.  Annuli were identified independently by two readers using FishBC.  RStudio was then used to calculate von Bertalanffy growth curves for fish from each site. Growth rates were compared between habitats and among sites to investigate differences in walleye and yellow perch growth. These data will be combined with otolith microchemistry results to determine habitat use over the course of each fish’s lifetime. Pairing growth rates with habitat use will allow us to estimate the relative importance of these habitats to walleye and yellow perch in Green Bay.