Smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus Rafinesque) population trends and demographics in the Upper Mississippi River System

Abstract

Smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus Rafinesque) are a large-bodied fish highly valued and commercially exploited across most of their range. Despite this, relatively little is known of their population demographics compared to other exploited species. To fill these knowledge gaps, we analyzed two independent long-term datasets (30 and 57 years, respectively) and population demographic data (age structure, growth, mortality, age at maturity, and recruitment) from multiple pools of the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS) and Illinois River (Illinois, USA). Long-term data (30-year dataset) generally show downward trends or significant declines in catch per unit effort in the UMRS, while the 57-year dataset shows a stable trend or a significant increase in the Illinois River. The oldest smallmouth buffalo were estimated to be 39 years old, with nearly every pool sampled having individuals estimated to exceed 30 years of age. Except for Pool 13 of the UMRS, 90% of smallmouth buffalo were estimated to mature between 411 and 470 mm in length or between 8.7 and 11.2 years old. Recruitment was variable: strong year classes were generally preceded by multiple years of weak year classes. Our results indicate that the smallmouth buffalo population may be stable in portions of the UMRS and Illinois River systems, but significant declines in the northern extent of the UMRS may warrant conservation concern. Recent research into ages of buffalofishes shows that consideration should be given to the idea that the UMRS population could be age truncated. Results also emphasize the importance of long-term data and the ability to show changes in exploited populations over time.