Corbin D Hilling, PhD
Corbin Hilling is a Fish Biologist working out of the Great Lakes Science Center, Lake Erie Biological Station in Huron, OH.
Corbin began working in fisheries science as an undergraduate student at West Virginia University. He later earned a M.S. at West Virginia University studying channel catfish population biology in a West Virginia hydropower reservoir. During his doctoral studies at Virginia Tech, Corbin studied non-native catfish populations in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. He developed a size-based stock assessment model for blue catfish, which allowed for estimation of predatory effects on native species and evaluation of potential management strategies. Corbin also co-authored a book (Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Virginia) as a doctoral student. Corbin is working to understand non-native grass carp reproduction in the Great Lakes basin, as well as processes influencing fish early life history and recruitment. Corbin is also interested in evaluating aquatic survey methods to understand and correct biases in population assessments. Generally, Corbin's research is generally focused on questions related to fisheries management, population dynamics, non-native species, and evaluation/development of fishery survey and analysis methods.
Professional Experience
Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, 2021-Present
Fish and Wildlife Biologist (Hydropower Coordinator), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Maine Field Office, 2020-2021
Post-doctoral Researcher, University of Toledo-U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, 2020
Education and Certifications
Ph.D (Fisheries and Wildlife), Virginia Tech, 2020
M.S. (Wildlife and Fisheries Resources), West Virginia University, 2015
B.S. (Biology), West Virginia University, 2013
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Fisheries Society
Honors and Awards
Burd Sheldon McGinnes Graduate Fellowship, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2017
Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2017
Robert D. Ross Scholarship. Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 2017
Catfish Management Scholarship Award, Catfish Management Technical Committee of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, 2018
Best Student Poster, Annual Meeting of the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, 2018
Best Student Poster, Annual Meeting of the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters of the American Fisheries Society, 2018
Dwight Chamberlain Graduate Fellowship Award, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2018
Graduate Research Fellowship, Virginia Sea Grant, 2018-2020
A.B. Massey Outstanding Doctoral Student Award, Virginia Tech Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, 2020
Distinguished Service Award, Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 2020
Service Appreciation Award, Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, 2020
Emerging Leaders Mentorship Award, American Fisheries Society, 2020
Jack Dequine Award Runner-Up, Journal of Southeastern Association of Fisheries and Wildlife Agencies, 2022
Science and Products
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Egg Diameter Estimates from the Huron River (Ohio), 2022
These data include egg diameter estimates from Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) eggs collected during bongo net sampling in the Huron River (Ohio; 41.3305, -82.5812) on May 23, 2022 near Milan, Ohio. Egg diameters were estimated from photographs using proportional relationships of pixel lengths with a known length scale bar in millimeters. Given that eggs were not perfectly spherical, egg diam
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) egg capture data from Great Lakes tributaries, 2021-2022 (ver. 1.1, November 2023)
The data includes dates, places, and times of sampling events for eggs of invasive Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in tributaries to the Great Lakes in 2021 and 2022. Reference data on locations and dates sampled, gears used, and effort are included. Developmental stages for a subset of undamaged, fertilized eggs are provided. Tables include common fields to allow for integration into a relat
Fisheries Surveys and Management Planning in the St. Clair - Detroit River System and Western Basin of Lake Erie, 1971 - 2021
These data include goals, objectives, and performance measures from management plans and monitoring surveys related to fisheries management in the St. Clair-Detroit River System and the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Researchers extracted these data from existing management plans identified from on-line grey literature searches and discussions with collaborators and regional fisheries management pers
Seine Collection Data Along the Michigan Shoreline of the St. Clair-Detroit River System
These data contain counts of fish species collected with a 1.83 m x 9.14 m bag seine constructed of 1.6 mm Delta nylon mesh. When permitted, five consecutive 15.25 m hauls were made parallel to the shoreline. Sites with smaller shorelines were sampled to the greatest extent possible and distance recorded. The seine was pulled in the upstream direction to allow the net to stay open during sampling.
Multimedia of or by this scientist
Publications by this scientist
First documentation of grass carp spawning in Lake Erie’s Central Basin
Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) are non-indigenous to North America having been translocated to the United States in the 1960s as a potential non-chemical solution for nuisance aquatic vegetation. Reproductively viable grass carp now exist in many watersheds in the United States. In the Great Lakes basin, grass carp were first discovered in the 1980s with direct confirmation of successful rep
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, Adam J. Landry, James Roberts, Nathan Thompson, Cathy A. Richter, Ryan E. Brown, Christine M. Mayer, Song S. Qian
How well do existing surveys track fish community performance measures in the St. Clair-Detroit River System?
The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) connects Lake Huron to Lake Erie and provides important habitats for many fishes of economic and ecological importance. Portions of the SCDRS are designated as Great Lakes Areas of Concern and fish production and conservation may be compromised. Efforts to address beneficial use impairments have focused on restoring habitat for native fishes and improving
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, M. L. Belore, J. Boase, Justin A. Chiotti, Robin L. DeBruyne, Susan E. Doka, Richard Drouin, Christine M. Mayer, Jeff T. Tyson, T. Wills, Edward F. Roseman
Predatory impacts of invasive Blue Catfish in an Atlantic coast estuary
ObjectivePredatory invasive fishes may consume species of management interest and alter food webs. Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus is a large-bodied, salinity-tolerant species that exhibits broad diet breadth and preys on species of both conservation concern and fisheries management interest. To better understand the ecological consequences of the establishment of Blue Catfish fisheries, estimates
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, Joseph Schmitt, Yan Jiao, Donald J. Orth
A size-based stock assessment model for invasive blue catfish in a Chesapeake Bay sub-estuary during 2001–2016
Stock assessment modeling provides a means to estimate the population dynamics of invasive fishes and may do so despite data limitations. Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) were introduced to the Chesapeake Bay watershed to support recreational fisheries but also consume species of conservation need and economic importance. To assess management tradeoffs, managers need to understand the current sta
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, Yan Jiao, Mary C. Fabrizio, Paul Angermeier, Aaron J. Bunch, Donald J. Orth
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2022
This report presents biomass-based summaries of fish communities in western Lake Erie derived from USGS bottom trawl surveys conducted from 2013 to 2022 in June and September. The survey design compliments the August ODNR- OMNDMNRF effort by reinforcing stock assessments with more robust data. Analyses herein evaluated trends in total biomass, abundance of dominant predator and forage species, non
Authors
Mark Richard Dufour, Corbin David Hilling, Kevin R. Keretz, Richard Kraus, Richard Cole Oldham, James Roberts, Joseph Schmitt
Nearshore fish species richness and species–habitat associations in the St. Clair–Detroit River System
Shallow water riparian zones of large rivers provide important habitat for fishes, but anthropogenic influences have reduced the availability and quality of these habitats. In the St. Clair–Detroit River System, a Laurentian Great Lakes connecting channel, losses of riparian habitat contributed to impairment of fish populations and their habitats. We conducted a seine survey annually from 2013 to
Authors
Corbin D. Hilling, Jason L. Fischer, Jason E. Ross, Taaja Tucker, Robin L. DeBruyne, Christine M. Mayer, Edward F. Roseman
Harvest as a tool to manage populations of undesirable or overabundant fish and wildlife
Harvest is a common management tool for fish and game species and can also be used for overabundant populations when stakeholders want to reduce populations reduced and still provide recreational opportunities. The authors propose a framework to determine if harvest can be used to control populations when overabundance is an issue, stakeholders support harvest, information is available to set harv
Authors
Craig Paukert, Elisabeth B. Webb, Drew N. Fowler, Corbin D. Hilling
Estimates of food consumption rates for invasive Blue Catfish
As a prolific invasive species, Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus threaten native organisms in numerous estuarine and tidal freshwaters along the Atlantic coast of the United States. However, no published estimates of consumption rates are available for Blue Catfish in the scientific literature. This information is critical for development of bioenergetics models or estimation of population‐level im
Authors
Joseph Schmitt, Corbin D. Hilling, Donald J. Orth
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021
A comprehensive understanding of fish populations and their interactions is the cornerstone of modern fishery management and the basis for Lake Erie’s Fish Community Goals and Objectives (FCOs) developed in 2020 (Francis et al. 2020). The 2021 USGS Lake Erie Biological Station annual report is responsive to these FCOs and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) obligations via a Memorandum of Understand
Authors
Mark Richard Dufour, Corbin David Hilling, Kevin R. Keretz, Richard T. Kraus, Richard Cole Oldham, James Roberts, Joseph Schmitt
Science and Products
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Egg Diameter Estimates from the Huron River (Ohio), 2022
These data include egg diameter estimates from Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) eggs collected during bongo net sampling in the Huron River (Ohio; 41.3305, -82.5812) on May 23, 2022 near Milan, Ohio. Egg diameters were estimated from photographs using proportional relationships of pixel lengths with a known length scale bar in millimeters. Given that eggs were not perfectly spherical, egg diam
Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) egg capture data from Great Lakes tributaries, 2021-2022 (ver. 1.1, November 2023)
The data includes dates, places, and times of sampling events for eggs of invasive Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in tributaries to the Great Lakes in 2021 and 2022. Reference data on locations and dates sampled, gears used, and effort are included. Developmental stages for a subset of undamaged, fertilized eggs are provided. Tables include common fields to allow for integration into a relat
Fisheries Surveys and Management Planning in the St. Clair - Detroit River System and Western Basin of Lake Erie, 1971 - 2021
These data include goals, objectives, and performance measures from management plans and monitoring surveys related to fisheries management in the St. Clair-Detroit River System and the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Researchers extracted these data from existing management plans identified from on-line grey literature searches and discussions with collaborators and regional fisheries management pers
Seine Collection Data Along the Michigan Shoreline of the St. Clair-Detroit River System
These data contain counts of fish species collected with a 1.83 m x 9.14 m bag seine constructed of 1.6 mm Delta nylon mesh. When permitted, five consecutive 15.25 m hauls were made parallel to the shoreline. Sites with smaller shorelines were sampled to the greatest extent possible and distance recorded. The seine was pulled in the upstream direction to allow the net to stay open during sampling.
Multimedia of or by this scientist
Publications by this scientist
First documentation of grass carp spawning in Lake Erie’s Central Basin
Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) are non-indigenous to North America having been translocated to the United States in the 1960s as a potential non-chemical solution for nuisance aquatic vegetation. Reproductively viable grass carp now exist in many watersheds in the United States. In the Great Lakes basin, grass carp were first discovered in the 1980s with direct confirmation of successful rep
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, Adam J. Landry, James Roberts, Nathan Thompson, Cathy A. Richter, Ryan E. Brown, Christine M. Mayer, Song S. Qian
How well do existing surveys track fish community performance measures in the St. Clair-Detroit River System?
The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) connects Lake Huron to Lake Erie and provides important habitats for many fishes of economic and ecological importance. Portions of the SCDRS are designated as Great Lakes Areas of Concern and fish production and conservation may be compromised. Efforts to address beneficial use impairments have focused on restoring habitat for native fishes and improving
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, M. L. Belore, J. Boase, Justin A. Chiotti, Robin L. DeBruyne, Susan E. Doka, Richard Drouin, Christine M. Mayer, Jeff T. Tyson, T. Wills, Edward F. Roseman
Predatory impacts of invasive Blue Catfish in an Atlantic coast estuary
ObjectivePredatory invasive fishes may consume species of management interest and alter food webs. Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus is a large-bodied, salinity-tolerant species that exhibits broad diet breadth and preys on species of both conservation concern and fisheries management interest. To better understand the ecological consequences of the establishment of Blue Catfish fisheries, estimates
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, Joseph Schmitt, Yan Jiao, Donald J. Orth
A size-based stock assessment model for invasive blue catfish in a Chesapeake Bay sub-estuary during 2001–2016
Stock assessment modeling provides a means to estimate the population dynamics of invasive fishes and may do so despite data limitations. Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) were introduced to the Chesapeake Bay watershed to support recreational fisheries but also consume species of conservation need and economic importance. To assess management tradeoffs, managers need to understand the current sta
Authors
Corbin David Hilling, Yan Jiao, Mary C. Fabrizio, Paul Angermeier, Aaron J. Bunch, Donald J. Orth
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2022
This report presents biomass-based summaries of fish communities in western Lake Erie derived from USGS bottom trawl surveys conducted from 2013 to 2022 in June and September. The survey design compliments the August ODNR- OMNDMNRF effort by reinforcing stock assessments with more robust data. Analyses herein evaluated trends in total biomass, abundance of dominant predator and forage species, non
Authors
Mark Richard Dufour, Corbin David Hilling, Kevin R. Keretz, Richard Kraus, Richard Cole Oldham, James Roberts, Joseph Schmitt
Nearshore fish species richness and species–habitat associations in the St. Clair–Detroit River System
Shallow water riparian zones of large rivers provide important habitat for fishes, but anthropogenic influences have reduced the availability and quality of these habitats. In the St. Clair–Detroit River System, a Laurentian Great Lakes connecting channel, losses of riparian habitat contributed to impairment of fish populations and their habitats. We conducted a seine survey annually from 2013 to
Authors
Corbin D. Hilling, Jason L. Fischer, Jason E. Ross, Taaja Tucker, Robin L. DeBruyne, Christine M. Mayer, Edward F. Roseman
Harvest as a tool to manage populations of undesirable or overabundant fish and wildlife
Harvest is a common management tool for fish and game species and can also be used for overabundant populations when stakeholders want to reduce populations reduced and still provide recreational opportunities. The authors propose a framework to determine if harvest can be used to control populations when overabundance is an issue, stakeholders support harvest, information is available to set harv
Authors
Craig Paukert, Elisabeth B. Webb, Drew N. Fowler, Corbin D. Hilling
Estimates of food consumption rates for invasive Blue Catfish
As a prolific invasive species, Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus threaten native organisms in numerous estuarine and tidal freshwaters along the Atlantic coast of the United States. However, no published estimates of consumption rates are available for Blue Catfish in the scientific literature. This information is critical for development of bioenergetics models or estimation of population‐level im
Authors
Joseph Schmitt, Corbin D. Hilling, Donald J. Orth
Fisheries research and monitoring activities of the Lake Erie Biological Station, 2021
A comprehensive understanding of fish populations and their interactions is the cornerstone of modern fishery management and the basis for Lake Erie’s Fish Community Goals and Objectives (FCOs) developed in 2020 (Francis et al. 2020). The 2021 USGS Lake Erie Biological Station annual report is responsive to these FCOs and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) obligations via a Memorandum of Understand
Authors
Mark Richard Dufour, Corbin David Hilling, Kevin R. Keretz, Richard T. Kraus, Richard Cole Oldham, James Roberts, Joseph Schmitt
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government