Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Plant Management ◽  
Stakeholder Interests ◽  
Aquatic Plant Management ◽  
Tennessee Valley ◽  
Water Level Management ◽  
Fish Harvest ◽  
Sport Fish ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Conflict over recreational uses of water, land, wildlife, and fish in the Tennessee Valley is as old as the impoundments within. Public stakeholders are varied and represent valley residents and visitors and many interrelated levels on societal, business, and political scales. Fishery conflicts have been prevalent in recent decades as angler expectations are often not met or in conflict with agency objectives and other stakeholder interests. Controversy in the past has arisen from water level management, aquatic plant management, stocking programs, and sport fish harvest limitations. Conflicts of this sort are expected to increase in the future as demand for power, water, and riparian lands rise in response to projected increases in the valley’s human population. The Tennessee Valley Authority and state regulating agencies like the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency have been most successful in thwarting or resolving conflicts when putting forth strong efforts for public education on issues and inviting a broad segment of reservoir interests into the decision-making process.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Fish Populations ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Water Quality And Quantity ◽  
Water Uses ◽  
Chattahoochee River

<em>Abstract</em>.—The Upper Chattahoochee River (UCR) basin is typical of many river systems in the southeastern United States. A warmwater system with high biodiversity, the creation of impoundments for human water use has altered water quality and quantity and, in some reaches, converted it into a coldwater system. To recover lost fishing opportunities, nonnative trout (Salmonidae) were introduced into the system and a popular fishery developed. Recent drought, human population growth, and increased water use has resulted in changes in the fish populations and fisheries management objectives in the UCR basin. As water allocation discussions continue among the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, the future of the fishery in the UCR basin is unknown. This paper describes the changes in fisheries management in the UCR basin during the last century in relation to impoundment and increased water use in the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, Georgia.

scholarly journals Effects of Reservoir Aquatic Plant Management on Recreational Expenditures and Regional Economic Activity

1996 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 409-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Bergstrom ◽  
R. Jeff Teasley ◽  
H. Ken Cordell ◽  
Ray Souter ◽  
Donald B. K. English
Keyword(s):  
Economic Activity ◽  
Aquatic Plant ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Plant Management ◽  
Regional Economic ◽  
Aquatic Plant Management ◽  
Tennessee Valley

AbstractExotic aquatic plant management is a major concern for public reservoir management in many regions of the United States. A study was conducted to measure the effects of alternative aquatic plant management strategies on recreational expenditures and regional economic activity. The study area was Lake Guntersville, Alabama, and the local economy surrounding the lake. Lake Guntersville is one of the largest reservoirs in the Tennessee Valley Authority system. Results suggested that relatively moderate levels of aquatic plant control are associated with the highest levels of recreation-related economic effects on the economy surrounding Lake Guntersville.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Reservoir Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Interstate Disputes ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Litigation regarding reservoir management is increasingly common. I used a range of examples in the United States to show that such litigation is generally ineffective and that most stakeholders can achieve better results through negotiated solutions. This article provides a brief introduction to this type of litigation and illustrates some of its basic limitations. Examples are drawn from several recent interstate disputes of the United States.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Long Term Results ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
Private Organizations ◽  
Recreational Angling ◽  
Original Estimate ◽  
Volunteer Labor ◽  
Physical Abilities ◽  
Sport Fish ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—The Lake Havasu Fisheries Improvement Program was established in 1992 through the development of a partnership with all of the state, federal, and private organizations that hold an interest in improving the fisheries in Lake Havasu. As the 10-year program reached completion, the actual costs were half of the original estimate. Nonfederal sources provided more than 7 million dollars and the volunteer labor force contributed more than 170,000 h of service in the construction and placement of artificial structures. Angler satisfaction improved, even with a quadrupling of the angling pressure to the lake. Nearly 40 national and regional fishing tournaments returned Lake Havasu to their circuit schedule as a result of this program. The five recreational angling facilities provided free 24-h access to the lake for all ages and physical abilities. These facilities receive more than 80,000 angler use days per year. In addition to all of the sport fish activities, the program was able to re-establish populations of two federally listed endangered species of fish to the reservoir, ending a 20-year absence in the area. As a final accomplishment, the partnership signed a new memorandum of understanding that covers future coordinated maintenance and monitoring activities on the reservoir to sustain the benefits and document long-term results.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Public Pressure ◽  
Rearing Techniques ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—Thirteen United States fishery agencies utilized routine supplemental stocking as a means to manage largemouth bass <em>Micropterus salmoides </em>populations in large (>405-ha) reservoirs. State agencies stocking largemouth bass used two strains (i.e., northern and Florida) as well as intergrades. Largemouth bass for stocking were raised in hatcheries, lakeside nursery ponds, or both. Among states, methods used to monitor fish in hatchery ponds and lakeside nursery ponds, the date ponds were drained, and methods to enumerate fish from the ponds varied. Although most states cited bolstering weak year-classes as their main reason for routine stocking, others noted increasing genetic variability within populations and public pressure as reasons that their agencies stocked large reservoirs with largemouth bass. As agencies continue to respond to public pressures for larger fish, they should consider the possible consequences of mixing stocks of largemouth bass. With continued development of agency rearing techniques, especially in lakeside nursery ponds, methods to enumerate fish should be considered to aid in future stocking evaluations. Improved rearing and stocking techniques will allow fisheries managers to utilize resource dollars in a way that provides benefit to anglers while ensuring the sustainability of largemouth bass populations.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Release Site ◽  
Single Site ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Black Bass ◽  
Spotted Bass ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Population Effects ◽  
Water Uses ◽  
Negative Population

<em>Abstract</em>.—In Lake Martin (16,000 ha), Alabama, black bass <em>Micropterus </em>spp. tournaments occur nearly every weekend at a single site (Wind Creek State Park [WCSP]), which could cause fish to accumulate at this release site and potentially cause negative impacts to the population. Over a 7-month period, nearly 6,600 tour-nament-caught largemouth bass <em>M. salmoides </em>and spotted bass <em>M. punctulatus </em>were injected with a coded wire tag at different body locations before release at WCSP. After release, black bass were collected with electrofishing up to 1.5 years following release at 0–10 km from the release site and scanned for a tag. Although variable, a substantial proportion (10–70%) of tournament-caught black bass comprised the black bass population within 3 km of WCSP up to 3 months after release. After 3 months, proportions of tagged black bass within 10 km of WCSP decreased dramatically and by an order of magnitude after 1 year, which strongly suggested that these fish dispersed from WCSP. Over a 2- to 70-d period after release from a tournament, relative weights of tournament-released black bass were typically less than fish not released in tournaments. In addition, we collected and aged black bass throughout Lake Martin; relative weights of both black bass species were less and spotted bass growth was lower within 10 km of WCSP compared to other regions of Lake Martin. Even though black bass dispersed from the WCSP release site, these negative population effects were attributed to the constant translocation and accumulation of tournament-caught fish in this region of Lake Martin. In water bodies such as Lake Martin where mass translocation of black bass occurs annually at a single site, the use of live-release boats to transport tournament-caught black bass and the promotion and use of alternative release sites should be encouraged to reduce possible localized negative population effects.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Flood Control ◽  
Fishing Pressure ◽  
Subjective Ratings ◽  
Behavioral Alterations ◽  
Western North Carolina ◽  
Boat Traffic ◽  
Fishing Behavior ◽  
Water Uses

<em>Abstract</em>.—We examined perceptions of and responses to crowding by boat anglers on hydropower and flood-control reservoirs in western North Carolina by reviewing angler opinion information obtained during year-long creel surveys conducted 1997–2006. Interview topics included subjective ratings of crowding on the day of interview, boating safety concerns, alterations to fishing trips due to crowding, types of behavioral alterations used to avoid crowding, and incidence of night fishing. Angler perceptions of crowding and resulting changes in fishing behavior were typically higher in warmer months and on reservoirs with greater fishing pressure. However, boat anglers on reservoirs with high fishing pressure but low nonfishing boat traffic reported fewer crowding concerns than on reservoirs with more diverse boating use. Spatial responses to crowding were reported on all waters and included fishing coves, diverting fishing trips to less-crowded reservoirs, and leaving the reservoir to avoid crowds. Temporal responses to crowding were more common on heavily used reservoirs and included fishing at night, avoiding weekends, and avoiding summer months. We recommend focusing access improvements on enhancements for off-season and night fishing, including improved access-area lighting and low-water ramps and docks.

Balancing Fisheries Management and Water Uses for Impounded River Systems

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Random Sample ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Micropterus Salmoides ◽  
Minimum Size ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Slot Length ◽  
Water Uses ◽  
Conservation Ethic

<em>Abstract</em>.—Rates of voluntary release of legally harvestable largemouth bass <em>Micropterus salmoides </em>have increased over the past few decades, causing managers concern that this behavior is reducing the effectiveness of harvest restriction regulations. We conducted an angler survey to assess the degree to which Texas anglers practice voluntary release, their attitudes towards harvest and slot-length regulations, and factors that influence these attitudes and actions. Our sampling frame consisted of a random sample of general fishing license holders and anglers intercepted by creel surveys on reservoirs managed with a slot-length limit for largemouth bass. Seventy-one percent of largemouth bass anglers reported that they rarely or never harvest fish smaller than the slot. Concerns with contaminants, value of fish as food, or the influence of peers were not reported to be strong factors in their decision to release fish. Increases to the minimum size of the protected slot range or an increase in the daily bag were not effective incentives for harvest of small largemouth bass. Anglers intercepted on slot lakes appeared to have a better understanding of the rationale for slot-length limits and are more likely to harvest fish smaller than the slot. The propensity for general fishing license holders to release small largemouth bass appears to be motivated by a perceived conservation ethic. More anglers rely on friends, magazines, television, and Web sites than other informational sources. We believe these results can be used to enhance effectiveness of educational efforts to encourage angler harvest of largemouth bass smaller than protected slot-length ranges.

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