Species Regional Summary
Micropterus dolomieu
Chesapeake Bay ( M130 )

Invasion History Vectors Impacts References

Invasion

Invasion Description

1st Estuarine Record: Washington/DC/Potomac River (Smith 1907).

1st Watershed Record: near Cumberland/MD/Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Potomac River (1854, Smith 1907). In 1854, 20 adult M. dolomieu were carried from the Ohio River drainage in a locomotive water-tank and released in the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (Smith 1907). Additional stocking in Potomac drainage occurred from the 1860s onward. By 1876, the first MD fish survey reported that M. dolomieu 'abounds' in the Potomac in Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties (Uhler and Lugger 1876)

Geographic Extent

Susquehanna River: Micropterus dolomieu was stocked in the Susquehanna sometime around 1869 (Pennsylvania Department of Fisheries 1904; cited by Bielo 1963), and was abundant in the tidal river near Havre de Grace by 1883 (Bean 1893). A resident population below Conowingo Dam moves from non-tidal waters in winter and spring to tidal fresh waters as oxygen concentrations in the nontidal river drop in summer (Pavol and Davis 1982).

Upper Bay - Micropterus dolomieuwas reported by Bean (1883) at Havre de Grace, MD 'Black Bass' were planted at Principio Creek, 1893, by the USFC (Worth 1895), and M. dolomieu were stocked in the Little and Big Gunpowder River by United States Fish Commission in 1909-1910 (Bowers 1911). This species was collected in the Bohemia River (Fowler 1912; Radcliffe and Welsh 1917) and at Love Point (Hildebrand and Schroeder 1928). One specimen was caught in the the Rhode River at SERC in 1983 (Rob Aguilar, personal communication).

Eastern Shore Tributaries - 'Black Bass' were stocked in the Tred Avon River, at Easton MD in 1901, and in the Pocomoke River at Snow Hill MD in 1901-1907 (Ravenel 1902; 1903; 1904). In 1905, 129 < i>M. dolomieu were stocked in the Blackwater River, Cambridge MD (Bowers 1906). However, the distribution of Smallmouth Bass is very localized on the Eastern Shore (Lee et al. 1976; Lee et al. 1981). They were collected at one location in the Choptank River drainage in a recent MD Department of Natural Resources survey (Kazyak et al. 1998c).

Potomac River- In 1854, 20 adult M. dolomieuwere carried from the Ohio River drainage in a locomotive water-tank and released in the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (Smith 1907). Additional stocking in Potomac drainage occurred from the 1860s onward. By 1876, the first MD fish survey reported that M. dolomieu 'abounds' in the Potomac in Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington Counties (Uhler and Lugger 1876). 'Inside of ten years, the fish literally swarmed in all the tributaries from Mount Vernon to the Headwaters. At the present time the species offers much sport from Washington to Harpers Ferry and beyond, but is not common below the capital' (Smith 1907). This still seems to be an accurate description of its distribution (Jenkins and Burkehead 1993; Lippson et al. 1979), but it was present in nontidal streams at Fort Belvoir VA (Ernst et al.1995).

Rappahannock River- Micropterus dolomieu was probably stocked in 1875–76 and developed a popular fishery by 1882 (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). It is common in the upper tidal fresh river (Massman et al. 1952; Maurakis et al. 1987).

York River- Micropterus dolomieu was probably stocked in 1875-76 (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).

James River- In 1871, M. dolomieu was stocked by the Virginia Fish Commission in the middle and upper drainage. By 1877, they were found down the river to Richmond, where they may be resident in tidal fresh water (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).

Vectors

Level Vector
Probable Fisheries Intentional

Regional Impacts

Ecological ImpactPredation

Impacts of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the tidal waters of the Bay are probably limited by the low abundance of this primarily freshwater river species, but it is an important predator above the Fall-Line (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993) and in the Susquehanna River below Conowingo Dam (Pavol and Davis 1982.

Predation - Smallmouth Bass is one of the major piscivorous species in nontidal Chesapeake tributaries and in the tidal Susquehanna. Soon after its introduction, it was blamed by fishermen for the decrease of shad and "chubs, minnows, and suckers" in the upper Potomac (Ferguson 1876). Ferguson considered that while "Black Bass" were responsible for significant predation, dams, and other obstructions of fish movement were the major factor in decline of these fishes and of bass populations themselves in the upper river. In the tidal Susquehanna, major native prey species included Tesselated Darter (Etheostoma olmstedi), White Perch (Morone americana), and Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) (Pavol and Davis 1982). Jenkins and Burkhead (1993) and others have suggested the introduction of large predatory fishes (primarily Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass (M. salmoides), and (Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus)) may have been responsible for the extinction of two small benthic fishes, Percina caprodes (Logperch) in the Potomac, and Percopsis oniscomaycus (Troutperch), in the entire Chesapeake drainage. Predation on juveniles of many other species is likely. Smallmouth Bass fed heavily on larval shad (Alosa sapidissima) newly released in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, within 30–60 minutes after stocking (Johnson and Dropkin 1992). The extent of predation on natural larval populations of shad and other anadromous fishes in the Chesapeake Basin is not known. Smallmouth Bass are also important as a predator of crayfishes (Rabeni et al. 1992) and probably other large benthic invertebrates in streams. For Smallmouth Bass in the tidal Susquehanna River, insects and crustaceans together comprised 29% of food items by number, but only 1.6% of volume, suggesting that crayfishes were not important as prey in those waters (Pavol and Davis 1982).

 
Economic ImpactFisheries
Fisheries - Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a major sportfish in nontidal rivers entering Chesapeake Bay and a minor sportfish in the upper Bay (e.g. lower Susquehanna; Susquehanna flats, Northeast River MD, (Elser 1960; Mansueti 1964; Plosila 1961). It is also a predator on larval shad in nontidal waters (Johnson and Dropkin 1992) and probably on other juvenile sport and game fish.
 

References

Full Reference List for Micropterus dolomieu

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