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ABSTRACT
We evaluated the effects of repeated hoopnet sampling and subsequent handling on the endangered bonytail chub (Gila elegans) to determine if these sampling techniques cause increased mortality or reduce fish growth. A total of 327 bonytail chub was tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags and placed in a 0.04 ha pond on July 2003. These fish were sampled with hoop nets during four, three-day sampling events, two in fall (September-October 2003) and two in spring (June 2004). Fish were measured and weighed with the time required to complete all steps for processing an individual fish being recorded. Individual fish were handled from one to eight times during the study, with >95% recaptured five or fewer times. Fish that were recaptured multiple times grew less in length (P<0.001) and weight (P<0.001) than fish that were not recaptured. Fish recaptured up to five times grew only 12.8% of their initial weight compared to fish not recaptured which grew 29.7% of their initial weight.