Fisheries Survey of the New York State Barge Canal, Knowlesville to Oneida Lake

Abstract

The New York State Department of Transportation conducted a two-year fisheries survey in the New York State Barge Canal with the goal of obtaining a qualitative baseline inventory of fisheries resources. The first year examined, in addition to conducting the survey, possible dredging and spoil disposal effects on fish populations in four widewater areas between Knowlesville and Fairport (Canal Section 7) (Kucharski, 1982). The present study continued the survey to Oneida Lake (Canal Sections 5 and 6). Canal Sections 5 and 6 had never been thoroughly surveyed with the exception of a few stations in two previous studies (Sawyko, 1982; Haines and Ellis, 1977). More historical collection information was available from Canal Section 7 (see Kucharski, 1982, Appendix). A variety of habitats were sampled using electroshocking, gill and trap nets, and beach seines. The collected data were used to meet the following objectives: to identify the fish species present, to determine their range; to determine the species composition and relative abundance of species within stations, study sections, and habitat type; to determine the length frequencies of selected species; and to collect scale samples for later age and growth studies. Each station was characterized as to depth, vegetation, substrate, current, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity or total hardness, and secchi disc transparency.