Development of American Shad Eggs over 5 days Hatched at MAST May 2011

1. American Shad Egg
Development Experiments
Spring 2011
Marine Academy of Technology and Science (MAST) and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Sandy Hook, NJ

2. Senior Research Projects 2011 - 2012
 Sunday Mother’s Day May 2012 - Eggs harvested and
fertilized by Jim Cummins of the ICPRB from Potomac
River - approximately 8 PM
 Eggs transported from VA to NJ early Monday morning
 Three Hatching Systems set up - one control, two studies
 Catherine S. studied the effect of suspended solids
 Ryan C. studied the effect of reduced surface area for
biological growth
 Third system set up to run at optimal conditions for
hatching

3. Day One
Sort Eggs - 12 hours Development
Picture credit - Kathleen Devine
Picture credit - NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011
-Blastodisc formed on egg yolk
Petri Dish Full of viable eggs
-Two eggs dead, one dying,
seven developing

4. Day One
Sort Eggs - 12 hours Development
Pictures credit - NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011
Close ups of two different eggs -
formation of “backbone/spinal column” - vertebrae

5. Day Two
Eggs - 36 hours Development
Pictures credit - NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011
Backbone clearly visible with tail bud and myomeres visible

6. Day Three
Eggs - 60 hours Development
Pictures credit - NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011
Tail free embryo, eyes developing, more myomeres

7. Day Four
Eggs - 84 hours Development
Pictures credit - NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011
Yolk covered with stellate Some Hatched
chromatophores, heart visible

8. Day Five
Eggs - 84 hours Development
Pictures credit - NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011
Hatched with eyes, heart behind eyes, yolk sac, fins
visible 12x, 25X

9. Conclusions
 The students observed American Shad egg
development.
 Catherine was able to conclude that
suspended solids is not conducive to egg
development due to mortality.
 Ryan could not statistically prove the effect
of reduced surface area on development.

10. Line Drawings of Egg Development - 1978
Development of Fishes of Mid-Atlantic Bight; An Atlas of Egg, Laval, and Developmental
Stages - Fish and Wildlife Services 1978 Volume 1 page 100

11. Recommendations
 Hope for eggs from the Natural Spawning
Tank project on the Delaware
 Test the effect of light exposure
 Test the difference on the source of eggs -
Potomac to Delaware
 Develop a Shad egg apgar test
 Continue to share information with other
programs

12. Acknowledgements
(This project could not have happened without)
 The cooperation from Northeast Fisheries Science Center, James Howard Laboratory on
Sandy Hook for use of their staff, scope, camera, and software under the direction of Dr.
Chris Chambers.
 The contribution of fertilized eggs from Jim Cummins of the Interstate Commission on
the Potomac River Basin.
 The shad fisherman who took Jim and Kathleen out on the Chesapeake.
 The sound teaching of Barbara Boyd of MAST.
 The facilitation of Carl Alderson of NOAA Restoration Center - Sandy Hook Office
 Claire Steimle of NOAA - James Howard Library
 The inspiration of Delaware Shad Fishermen Association.
 The book: Let the Rivers Run Silver Again by Sandy Burke.
 The technical support from NJDEP, USFW, PFBC, and DRBC. This support came from
Russ Allen, Mark Boriek, Jerre Mohler, Michael Hendricks, Michael Odom.
 The local fisherman of the Jersey Shore with the cooperation of Fletcher Chayes.
 The labor of Brian Harris who built the hatching systems.
 The family and friends of Kathleen Devine, who drive her to VA and listen to her talk
about the American Shad.

13. References:
 Catherine Sufficool - AMERICAN SHAD EGG AND JUVENILE
OBSERVATION OF AVERAGE GROWTH IN THE JAMES J. HOWARD
LABORATORY - 27 FEBRUARY 2012
 Ryan Corbett - AMERICAN EGG AND JUVENILE OBSERVATION
FEBRUARY 2012
 Development of Fishes of Mid-Atlantic Bight; An Atlas of Egg, Laval, and
Developmental Stages - Fish and Wildlife Services 1978 Volume 1 page 100-
101

14. Thank you!

15. Contact:
 For questions regarding this Power Point
Presentation contact Kathleen Devine
 Email: kdevine5@gmail.com
 Phone: 732-229-5849
 Please credit the appropriately credit pictures to
NOAA/NEFSC/Howard Laboratory 2011