Biology and Management of Inland Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass

<em>Abstract</em>.—Striped bass <em>Morone saxatilis</em> provide important commercial and recreational fisheries in many Atlantic coast states, in addition to providing popular recreational reservoir fisheries in numerous inland states. Measurements of fishery-dependent data such as harvest, catch, and effort are essential to determining whether management actions are effective. Many states, including Texas, use creel-survey methods for measuring striped bass catch and effort statistics for recreational anglers. However, a systematic overview of the performance of the various types of creel surveys, or creel surveys in general, for measuring striped bass catch and effort has not been performed previously. In many states, both roving and access creel surveys are used, and effort may be allocated using unequal probabilities. In fisheries with low harvests of <em>Morone </em>spp., survey statistics for these fish typically have high relative standard errors (RSE), from 30% to 115%.As directed effort increases, the RSE typically decreases; in systems with high angling effort directed at striped bass, RSE is much lower (e.g., 18% in Lake Texoma, Texas–Oklahoma).We used these and other data from striped bass creel surveys throughout the United States to assess the reliability of estimates from various methods. We recommend making survey sampling effort coincide with the fishing effort. While it may be possible to improve the precision by increasing the amount of manpower devoted to the current creel survey, stratifying or using unequal spatial and temporal probabilities are techniques more likely to improve precision in a cost-effective manner. Once the data have been collected, we show how using model-based estimation, such as using Kalman filters or empirical Bayesian estimation, could also prove advantageous.

Conservation, Ecology, and Management of Catfish: The Second International Symposium

<em>Abstract</em>.—Hand grabbing for catfish has been practiced in Mississippi for many years; however, few studies have addressed this fishing technique. Ross Barnett Reservoir is a<em> Abstract</em>.—Hand grabbing for catfish has been practiced in Mississippi for many years; however, few studies have addressed this fishing technique. Ross Barnett Reservoir is a 13,360-ha impoundment located in central Mississippi that supports a substantial hand grabbing fishery. A roving creel survey was conducted during the 2007 and 2008 Mississippi hand grabbing season (May 1–July 15). Objectives were to estimate catch, harvest, and effort of hand grabbers and to solicit information concerning techniques used by these anglers. A total of 37 parties was interviewed, consisting of 150 total anglers. Seventy percent of the parties interviewed targeted flathead catfish <em>Pylodictis olivaris</em>. Ninety-five percent of the parties used a probe, and all parties fished boxes located at depths of 1–2 m. Average party size was four anglers, indicating that hand grabbing is a social event. For 2007 and 2008, anglers spent an estimated 4,424 and 5,259 h hand grabbing, respectively. An estimated 3,313 and 2,589 catfish were harvested in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Based on size structure of harvested catfish, hand grabbing anglers at Ross Barnett Reservoir do not appear to be size-selective. Most anglers were harvest-oriented, with catch-and-release estimates making up only 12% and 9%, respectively. Future creel surveys should be directed at the total effort allocated toward catfishing, in an effort to determine the effect of hand grabbing on Ross Barnett Reservoir.

Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

<em>Abstract.-</em>A put-and-take winter rainbow trout <em>Oncorhynchus mykiss </em>fishery was established at Banner Lake South in southern Iowa during 2004. The objectives of the new program were to promote angling and to increase trout permit sales. A total of 16,329 catchable rainbow trout were stocked between October and March in 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. During 2005-2006 each stocking was individually marked with a distinctive fin clip and a creel survey was conducted to determine angler attitudes, demographics, harvest, how quickly stockings were depleted, and whether the program paid for itself. Additionally, permit sales in an eight county area surrounding Banner Lake South were monitored through the Electronic Licensing System for Iowa (ELSI). Nearly 7,200 angler-hours were expended to harvest 83% of the fish within each two week period post-stocking, leading to approximately 90% of each stocking being harvested. Overall catch rate during 2005-2006 was 1.41 rainbow trout per hour. The majority of the anglers were Caucasian males between the ages of 16 and 64. The creel survey revealed that 56% purchased a trout permit specifically to fish Banner Lake South; these were considered new permit buyers. However, the ELSI system found that 32% of sales were to new buyers. Disparities may be due to bias from angler interviews or sales outside of the eight county area. Additionally, the creel survey indicated that 15% purchased a fishing license specifically to fish Banner Lake South. The ELSI system was unreliable in identifying new fishing license buyers. For every dollar spent on the trout program at Banner Lake South during the first three years of the program, an average of $1.68 was generated as profit from trout permit sales in the surrounding eight county area.