Catchable Trout Fisheries: The Need for Assessment

Abstract

State fisheries agencies were questioned regarding their catchable-size (>178 mm) salmonid stocking programs, specifically: (1) number, species, and propagation cost of catchables stocked; (2) total length of stream and area of impoundments stocked; (3) methods used to estimate angler effort and harvest of catchables; (4) extent to which these techniques have been employed in the past 10 years. In 1983, 43 states stocked in excess of 50 million catchable-size trout at a production cost of nearly $37 million. Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) was the most popular species, predominating in 28 states and accounting for more than 77% of all catchable salmonids stocked. Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) were the next most frequently stocked salmonids (11.0% and 10.1% of total, respectively). More than 54,000 km of streams and 550,000 ha of ponds, lakes, and reservoirs were planted with catchables in 1983. Most methods utilized by management agencies to assess use and harvest required field personnel (complete creel census, partial creel survey with or without angler counts, spot checks); others were voluntary (fish tags, questionnaires, individual diaries). Although few states have conducted extensive surveys recently, most believe greater than 50% of stocked catchables are harvested. Possible reasons for the current de-emphasis of field surveys include: (1) budget and manpower limitations; (2) dependence on historical survey results; (3) increasing attention to wild trout fisheries; (4) lack of specific management objectives; (5) labor intensive nature of creel survey work. Recognition of the value of creel and angler use surveys for evaluating and improving catchable salmonid programs is stressed.