Marty Liedtke is a Project Leader at the Columbia River Research Laboratory with 25+ years of experience focused on movement, behavior, and performance of fishes in both freshwater and marine systems.
My research is currently focused on Pacific Lamprey and other native lampreys in the Columbia River Basin and forage fishes in Puget Sound. My team evaluates juvenile and larval lamprey performance under controlled laboratory conditions to address management needs such as dewatering of lamprey habitat, interactions with screens at water diversions, and dredging impacts. A newly developed, prototype acoustic telemetry transmitter, designed for use in lamprey and eels allowed us to conduct one of the first acoustic telemetry studies of juvenile Pacific lamprey migration movements. Prior to the development of this transmitter such studies were not possible due to the small size of these fish. In Puget Sound we have focused on Pacific sand lance and surf smelt and have evaluated spawning site selection, responses to climate change, food habits, and rearing habitats. Most recently we are investigating linkages between forage fishes and legacy and current use contaminants in both field and laboratory settings.
Historically my team has conducted radio and acoustic telemetry studies to evaluate juvenile salmon passage and survival at hydroelectric dams in the Columbia River Basin. We have used telemetry to monitor the behavior and movements of many fishes, including adult salmonids using transmitters with sensors (temperature, motion). I have developed standard operating procedures for surgical implantation of transmitters and regularly train others to design tagging operations and conduct tagging for telemetry studies. I am interested in the performance of fish equipped with telemetry transmitters, specifically comparing the stress response, swimming performance, buoyancy compensation, and predator avoidance ability of tagged fish to untagged fish.
Professional Experience
1994 to Present - Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, Cook, WA
Education and Certifications
M.S. Zoology/Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
B.S. Biology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Science and Products
Contaminants in Puget Sound Forage Fishes and Impacts to the Marine Food Web
Science and Products
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Contaminants in Puget Sound Forage Fishes and Impacts to the Marine Food Web
Toxic chemical pollutants have been released into Puget Sound for decades by human activities. There’s a wide range of contaminants, from persistent compounds like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and flame retardants to contaminants of emerging concern. Aquatic species can be exposed to and accumulate contaminants, causing disease or disruption of biological processes like growth or reproduction... - Data
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