Updates and upgrades to the Delta Juvenile Fish Monitoring Program database

Jonathan Speegle, Angie Bourandas, and Paul Cadrett, US Fish & Wildlife Service, 4001 N. Wilson Way, Stockton, CA 95205

The Delta Juvenile Fish Monitoring Program has made many upgrades to our database to better serve the IEP community….

USFWS Juvenile Fishes

Monitoring Sites

USFWS Juvenile Fishes

Monitoring Sites

PDELT

To monitor the condition of fish we sample, we have begun recording visible Parasites, Deformities, fin Erosion, Lesions and Tumors (PDELT) on fish in the field. This information is currently entered into the comments section of the database, we hope to add fields in the near future. Monitoring the health of fish species within our sampling area may also allow us to provide information on the health of the ecosystem in general.

History

The data produced by the Delta Juvenile Fish Monitoring Program (DJFMP) at the USFWS Stockton Field Office has changed considerably since data collection began in 1976. To accommodate the large amount of data that the DJMFP has accumulated through time, various database management software packages of increasing complexity have been used. The DJFMP initially used dBASE to store field sampling data. This program later proved to be inadequate as it is not a true relational database management tool. Microsoft Access was more applicable and useful as it is a true relational database and allows the data to be cross referenced and more accessible. Our database has grown to over 1.0 GB in size and is approaching the limits of what Microsoft Access can reliably handle. Our office is in the process of changing to Microsoft SQL Server which can handle much more data at greater speeds and is able to give us greater accessibility. Microsoft Access will continue as the user interface, but Microsoft SQL Server will serve as the back end to store data.

Taxonomic Nomenclature

The database is regularly updated to ensure that species sampled are recorded with the latest taxonomic nomenclature published by the American Fisheries Society. All aquatic species sampled are identified to species level or recorded as unidentified species to ensure consistency. The taxonomic names of mollusks, cnidarians, ctenophores and crustaceans have also been added to the database to provide the proper documentation for all species sampled in the field. The Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN), obtained from the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (http://www.itis.usda.gov), has been added for each species to further ensure proper documentation.

Exotics

All aquatic species in our database have been labeled as either native or non-native. The goals are to detect and document new introductions, abundance and spread of new species.

Public Access

The DJFMP database is regularly used by biologists from the USFWS and other agencies for data analyses and report writing. The database is regularly exported to California’s Department of Water Resources, where it is uploaded onto the BDAT website (http://baydelta.ca.gov) for use by the public. The database is routinely scrutinized for errors and inconsistencies and is updated to ensure accuracy. A meta-data file for our office can also found on the BDAT website which details our standard operating procedures and sampling practices that have been used. These procedures and practices have changed through the years to reflect changes in programs needs and funding.

Black Sea Jellyfish Maeotias marginata, Courtesy of David Wrobel, http://jellieszone.com

Species Diversity and Seasonal Mapping

The usual locations and seasons in which we encounter fish species have been documented. Fish species found in areas and/or in seasons where they are not normally encountered may reflect errors in the database or changes in species diversity and/or a species population dynamics. These changes, if in error, can be noted quickly and corrected, thereby providing an additional means of quality control. Discrepancies which are not in error may give direction for further study.

Special Studies

Separate databases have been set up for special studies. Studies include recently flooded habitats at Liberty Island and the detection of invasive species like zebra mussels. Changes are regularly made to the databases that reflect the quality and quantity of information being collected. It is our hope that these changes will prove invaluable to research in coming years.

All-Dates Table

A table of every date by day of week, week, month, calendar year and sample year has been generated in the database to allow users the ability to cross reference data by different time periods. This advent removes the necessity of manipulating data with external spreadsheet programs when analyzing data.

All-Race Salmon Table

An all-race salmon table has been incorporated into the database that calculates the race of juvenile salmon that have been caught based on their fork lengths at the time of capture. Chinook salmon race has been estimated by DJFMP beginning in 1992 based on a size criteria developed by Frank Fisher (California Department of Fish and Game) and later modified into a daily criterion by Sheila Greene, California Department of Water Resources. This table is generated on a routine basis and allows users to differentiate between races of salmon for better analyses and management of the species. It should be noted that these race designations are merely estimates based on size at date and may not always be accurate.

Northern Pike Esox lucius with Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Jim Lavrakas, Anchorage Daily News

Sailfin Shiner Pteronotropis hypselopterus with encysted parasite, USFWS Region 4

Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus with hemorrhaging and external parasites, USFWS Region 1, Stockton Field Office

Beach Seining at Liberty Island, USFWS Region 1, Stockton field staff

Mid-water trawling at Chipps Island, USFWS Region 1, Stockton field staff

Mid-water trawling at Chipps Island, USFWS Region 1, Stockton field staff

Beach seining along the Sacramento River, USFWS Region 1, Stockton field staff

Gill netting at Liberty Island, USFWS Region 1, Stockton Field Office