Natural mortality and size-structure of introduced blue catfish in Virginia tidal rivers

U.S. Geological Survey Archive, U. G.-C.-N. (2017, November 22). Invasive Species Compendium: Datasheet report for Ictalurus furcatus (blue catfish). (I. S. catfish), Editor) Retrieved September 2018, from Cabi: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/79120

Summary

Blue Catfish scientific name is Ictalurus furcatus, and the international common names such as in English is; chucklehead, humpback blue, catfish, and forked-tailed cat. The blue catfish is native to Guatemala, southern and central states of the USA, and Mexico. Blue Catfish was presented for aquaculture in China, but it’s not recognized as invasive. Ictalurus furcatus has the capability of growing to grow to a weight of 45 kilograms and a height of 165 centimeters. The ability of Blue Catfish to develop that big is characterized with its omnivorous feeding tactic, the ability to consume a lot of prey and this has raised concerns on the fish communities over the effect of the fish it can eat

(U.S. Geological Survey Archive, U. G.-C.-N., 2017).

Evaluation

            The was written by a group of researchers of the Geological Survey in the U.S. The information is recovered from a website of a reputable organization called CABI which stands for “Centre for Agricultural and Biosciences International” which applies scientific expertise to solve problems in the environment and agriculture. Cabi is based in 47 countries around the world, and scientific staff from those countries deliver the information displayed on their website (U.S. Geological Survey Archive, U. G.-C.-N., 2017). The articles presented has been evaluated before being posted, and the extract is current because it was written on the 22nd of November 2017 which is less than five years ago. Cabi sponsoring organization is AIRCA, ”The Association of International Research and Development Centers for Agriculture.”

Bledsoe, J. W., Waldbieser, G. C., Swanson, K. S., Peterson, B. C., & Small, B. C. (2018). Comparison of channel catfish and blue catfish gut microbiota assemblages shows minimal effects of host genetics on microbial structure and inferred function. Frontiers in microbiology, 9, 1073.

Summary

            The journal gives comprehensive research focusing on the marketable benefits of Blue Catfish. Ictalurus furcatus is commercially essential fish because currently it has a good market of US aquaculture freshwater industry of 65%, and the estimated food fish commercial value of 386 million dollars. A congener, a type of Blue Catfish is of interest to the aquaculture industry commercial because of its interspecific crosses of I. furcatus and I. punctatus, their offspring have fillet yield, and they are resistant to diseases (Bledsoe, J. W., Waldbieser, G. C., Swanson, K. S., Peterson, B. C., & Small, B. C.,2018).

 Evaluation

            The extract is from a journal article which has been peer reviewed and accepted into the Journal of Frontiers in microbiology in 2018. Therefore, it means that the information presented in the article was analyzed by experts and approved before it was included in the journal. The authors have all studied aquaculture from approved standard universities. Therefore, the data were analyzed and presented professionally. The information is displayed using a dissertation format that included a literature review, methodology, findings, and conclusion (Bledsoe, J. W., Waldbieser, G. C., Swanson, K. S., Peterson, B. C., & Small, B. C.,2018).

Hiling, C., Bunch, A. J., Greenlee, R. S., Jiao, Y., & j., O. (2018). Natural Mortality and Size-Structure of Introduced Blue Catfish in Virginia Tidal Rivers. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 5, 30-38.

Summary

The journal article gives comprehensive research of Blue Catfish focusing on the introduction of the fish in different places. Ictalurus furcatus has been presented outside its native environment, now ranges from California to Atlantic coastal rivers. Blue catfish have been implicated in the degenerations of native fishes within the introduced range. The size of Ictalurus furcatus has also raised concerns to people and its predation on other economically important fish species. Blue Catfish also feed on non-native species of fish. Department of Inland Fisheries and Game in Virginia was the one responsible for introducing Blue Catfish in Virginia tidal rivers in the year 1970s (Hiling, C., Bunch, A. J., Greenlee, R. S., Jiao, Y., & j., O. 2018).

Valuation

            The extract is from a journal article which has been peer reviewed and accepted into the Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in the year 2018 volume 5. The information presented in the article was discussed by and analyzed before approved and included in the journal (Hiling, C., Bunch, A. J., Greenlee, R. S., Jiao, Y., & j., O. 2018). The authors of the report are all graduates from Virginia Polytechnic Institute their education standards make them qualified to write the study they conducted. The data is displayed using a dissertation format that included a literature review, methodology, findings, and conclusion. The article provides empirical evidence to illustrate the dangers of Blue Catfish on the population of economically important fish in the river (Hiling, C., Bunch, A. J., Greenlee, R. S., Jiao, Y., & j., O. 2018).

References

Bledsoe, J. W., Waldbieser, G. C., Swanson, K. S., Peterson, B. C., & Small, B. C. (2018). Comparison of channel catfish and blue catfish gut microbiota assemblages shows minimal effects of host genetics on microbial structure and inferred function. Frontiers in microbiology, 9, 1073.

Hiling, C., Bunch, A. J., Greenlee, R. S., Jiao, Y., & j., O. (2018). Natural Mortality and Size-Structure of Introduced Blue Catfish in Virginia Tidal Rivers. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 5, 30-38.

U.S. Geological Survey Archive, U. G.-C.-N. (2017, November 22). Invasive Species Compendium: Datasheet report for Ictalurus furcatus (blue catfish). (I. S. catfish), Editor) Retrieved September 2018, from Cabi: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/79120