The Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office often undertakes special studies that enhance the knowledge base for management of aquatic species. These studies often don't fall neatly into any prescribed category, and often employ cutting edge technology. These special studies often are pilot studies, studies to test a concept, or are short term studies that answer a specific management question. Special studies usually involve other federal, state, local, and tribal agencies and are developed cooperatively with these agencies. The AFWO often conducts the field work as an independent third party providing data and results to the cooperators.

Investigation of Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) Migration and Habitat Use in the Klamath and Trinity Rivers

In 2002 and 2003, the Arcata Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Program, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Karuk Tribe of California, and Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program conducted a study to monitor the migration and habitats utilized by green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in the Klamath and Trinity Rivers. Sturgeon were tagged using Advanced Telemetry Systems radio transmitters, Vemco ultrasonic transmitters and Floy disc tags. Each agency manually tracked and retrieved data from fixed stations on the Klamath and Trinity Rivers (radio and sonic).

Fish communities in Eelgrass, Oyster Culture, and Mudflat Habitats of North Humboldt Bay, California

The Arcata Fish and Wildlife Office has conducted fish community studies on Humboldt Bay since July of 2003. This project addresses Fish community use of Eel grass versus non-eel grass habitats, as well as mariculture sites versus non-mariculture sites.

Cross Channel and Vertical Distribution of Ceratomyxa shasta Spores in Klamath River Drift

Recent studies have documented significant mortality in juvenile salmon and steelhead populations in the Klamath River due to infectious disease, primarily caused by the endemic parasites Ceratomyxa shasta and Parvicapsula minibicornis. Two sample events were conducted in summer 2005 at four locations between Iron Gate Dam and the Klamath River estuary