Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Tidal Record: MD-DC-VAPotomac River (1900, Bean and Weed 1911)
1st Watershed Record: Two cans of fish from Ohio' were stocked in 1878 in the reservoir at Hollidaysburg PA, Juniata River (Susquehanna drainage) (Creveling 1881). However, L. macrochirus was included in lists of Susquehanna fishes in PA made in 1893 (Bean 1893), 1919 (Fowler 1919), or 1948 (Fowler 1948).
Geographic Extent
Susquehanna River- Below Conowingo Dam/MD/Susquehanna Rier (1972, McKeown 1984). Established in upper river (NY) by 1936 (Greeley 1936) , present in lower river (PA) by 1961 (Bielo 1963).
Upper Chesapeake Bay- ' near Rock Hall', Kent Co/MD/Swan Creek (1933, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2000); Cecil CountyMD/Northeast River (1958, Elser 1960, creel survey); Anne Arundel County/MD/Curtis Creek to Rhode River (Carmichael et al. 1992; Hines et al. unpublished data, rare to common); Calvert Cliffs and Cove Point/MD/Chesapeake Bay (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1973, after very heavy rains (including tropical storm 'Agnes')
Eastern Shore tributaries- Dorchester County, Caroline County, Queen Annes County, Kent County/MD/Eastern Shore tributaries by 1949, (U.S. National Musem of Natural History 1996); MD/Elk, Choptank, Nanticoke, and Pocomoke (Boward et al. 1998b; Boward et al. 1998d; Kazyak et al. 1998b; Kazyak et al. 1998c). This fish was common in the low-salinity tributaries of the Blackwater River, Somerset County (Love et al. 2008).
Patuxent River- Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Upper Marlboro/MD/Jug Bay, Patuxent River (Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary 1995)
Potomac River - MD-DC-VA/Potomac River (1900, Bean and Weed 1911); Washington/DC/ the Tidal Basin and Eastern Branch (Anacostia River, Bean and Weed 1911); DC-MD-VA (Chain Bridge to Wicomico River (Lippson et al. 1979; Killgore et al. 1989; Carmichael 1992; Serafy et al. 1994); Fort Belvoir /VA/Potomac River (Ernst et al. 1995, all tidal and nontidal sampling sites); Lorton/VA/Gunston Cove (2007, Kraus and Jones 2012); above Chain Bridge/DC-MD/Potomac River (2010, Starnes et al. 2011)
Rappahannock River- VA/tidal Rappahannock River (1951 (Massman et al. 1952, rare, Mauakis et al. 1981, abundant); 1st watershed record 1938, 1938 (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993)
York River System- VA/Pamunkey (1949, Raney and Massmann 1953) 1st Watershed Record (1938, Jenkins and Burkhead 1993)
James River-1st Watershed Record (1938, Jenkins and Burkhead 1993); Richmond/VA/Tuckahoe Creek (1958-1988, Weaver and Garman 1994, the only species increasing in abundance).
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | Fisheries Intentional |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Predation | |
| Predation- Juvenile Bluegill fed heavily on Striped Bass larvae (Morone saxatilis) in experiments. This species was abundant in larval nursery areas in the tidal Pamunkey River VA (McGovern and Olney 1988). Bluegills also fed on newly stocked shad (Alosa sapidissima larvae in the nontidal Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania (Johnson and Dropkin 1992). | ||
| Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
| Fisheries - Bluegill is a very popular sport fish, although small (a pan-fish) and a favorite catch of children (Elser 1960; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). They are larger and more desirable as a sports fish than the native Pumpkinseed and Redbreast Sunfish (L. auritus). However, Bluegill is apparently less abundant than Pumpkinseed in many Chesapeake tributaries (Carmichael et al. 1992; Hines et al. unpublished data; Killgore et al. 1989; Serafy et al. 1993). Negative effects on native centrarchids and other fish with similar food habits Notemigonus chrysoleucas (Golden Shiner); Perca flavescens (Yellow Perch); Morone americana (White Perch)] are not known, but fisheries benefits probably exceed negative impacts. | ||