Relationship between body size of Asian carp and hydroacoustic target strength

Population density estimates of Asian carp in the Illinois Waterway have been quantified using hydroacoustic technology since 2011. These hydroacoustic data serve as the primary source of information used for inputs into a stock assessment population model being used, in part, to evaluate the effectiveness of removal efforts in the upper Illinois Waterway. As such, ensuring an understanding of the sources of uncertainty in these estimates is important for both developing management recommendations and evaluating management action effectiveness. The relationship between fish body size and acoustic target strength for Asian carp is one source of uncertainty that is not well understood, but can be addressed by in-situ by measuring target strength of individually tethered fish of varying sizes, measuring target strength of free-swimming fish of varying sizes, and estimating the relationship between observed fish sizes and target strength. This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) under justification 505DM 2.14B (4). Competition for the award is not practical as the scientists at SIUC have been estimating density of Asian carp throughout the entire Illinois River since 2011 and are the leading experts on the subject. SIUC already has 1) the expensive hydroacoustics equipment in hand, 2) the pond facilities at their Touch of Nature facility that are outfitted with the necessary equipment to conduct both the controlled tethering experiments and to observe target strength variation of free-swimming fish, and 3) also has 8 years of data to relate in-situ target strength to body size distribution of Asian carp The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the Carterville Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, will be substantially involved in this project under this funding opportunity. In particular, the Service will capture Asian carp of various sizes for estimation of acoustics target strength, transport collected fish to from the wild to be used for target strength determination. In addition, the Service will measure, weigh, determine sex and estimate gas bladder volume of Asian carp that have been tethered for acoustics target strength determination. The Service will also serve on the Graduate Committee for the Master of Science student that will complete this work.