Deciduous – refers to those trees and shrubs that lose all of their leaves at one point during the year. Most often they lose their leaves during the fall or autumn part of the year.
Demersal – A fish living close to the floor of the sea or a lake.
Detritus – Organic debris formed from the decay of dead organisms.
Diadromous – Fish which in habit salt water, fresh water and brackish water during their lifetime.
Diatom – A diatom is a form of photosynthetic algae or aquatic plant with distinctive transparent cells composed of silicon.
Distinct population segment – A distinct population segment is a vertebrate population or group of populations that is discrete from other populations of the species and significant in relation to the entire species. The Endangered Species Act provides for listing species, sub-species and distinct population segments of vertebrate species.
Dorsal – The dorsal region in a fish refers to the surface running along the backbone of the fish.
Eggs – female reproductive material.
Embryo – An unhatched fish offspring in the process of development.
Endangered – An “endangered species” is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as likely to become extinct.
Endemic – Present or usually prevalent in a population of geographical area at all times.
Estuarine – Brackish water. This type of water is usually found in a bay or the mouth of a river where fresh water and saltwater mix together or flow into one another.
Estuary – An estuary is the region where salt water and freshwater mix together.
Eutrophication – The process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life. This sudden explosion in plant life usually results in the depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water.
Export/exported – Goods or services sold to another country.
Extinct – The name of the condition of a species or population of a species which no longer exists.
Extrude – The act of pushing out of one’s body.
Facultative Catadromy – This term essentially means that a species seems to have the ability to choose whether or not they want to fully commit to a catadromous lifestyle.
Federal Trust – The term Federal Trust Species means migratory birds, threatened species, endangered species, interjurisdictional fish, marine mammals and other species of concern.”
Fishery – All the activities involved in catching a species of fish or group of species of fish.
Fishery Management Plan (FMP) – A FMP is a plan to achieve specified goals for a fishery. It includes data, analyses and management measures for a fishery.
Fish Way/Fish ladder – An apparatus that lets fish swim around a dam or a waterfall.
Fingerling – A juvenile fish.
Forage – A sought after food or prey item or species.
Fluvial – Relating to or living in a stream or river.
Fry – This term is reserved for newly hatched fish, fingerlings or fish that are less than a year old.
