Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Newport Pond, Sbasticook Lake (1868 Warner 2005)
Geographic Extent
ME/Penobscot River Watershed (1868-1881, Warner 2005); ME/Penobscot River estuary (Page and Burr 1991: O'Malley et al. 2010)
Vectors
Level | Vector |
---|---|
Probable | Fisheries Accidental (not Oyster) |
Regional Impacts
Ecological Impact | Predation | |
Predation- Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is one of the major piscivorous species in nontidal tributaries and in upper reaches of major East Coast estuaries In New England rivers, it is considered a major predator of Atlantic Salmon juveniles (Salmo salar) (US Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). | ||
Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) is a highly prized sport fish in Gulf of Maine rivers, including the Merrimack, Kennebec, Penobscot, and others (Everhart 1966; Hartel et al. 1996). Its negative fisheries impacts on Atlantic drainage fish communities and fisheries have not been well studied. Smallmouth Bass is considered to be a major predator on Atlantic Salmon (Salmo slar (US Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). | ||
Ecological Impact | Competition | |
In an experimental stream, juvenile Smallmouth Bass and Atlantic Salmon showed little habitat overlap, with Salmon preferring riffles, and Bass preferring pools (Wathen et al. 2012). However, with a wider range of age-classes and habits, competition and predation interactions could be more apparent. | ||