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Influence of Floodwater Storage on Abundance of Juvenile Crappie and Subsequent Harvest at Lake Rathbun, Iowa
Author(s) -
Mitzner Larry
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1981)1<46:iofsoa>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - juvenile , abundance (ecology) , fishery , environmental science , biology , ecology
Abundance of juvenile crappie (Pomoxis spp.) was positively related to temporary floodwater storage at Lake Rathbun, Iowa. Regression analysis of crappie density on storage showed 0‐age crappie increased 442 per hectare for each billion m 3‐days of water stored above conservation pool from April through August. Abundance of 0‐age crappie also was positively related to the numerical catch in the sport fishery 2 to 4 years later. Harvest was positively correlated with year‐class strength; 93% of the variability in crappie harvest between years was explained by survival of young crappie 2 to 4 years previously. A rise in elevation of 1.2 m from April through early June would have a predicted benefit of 1.4 million dollars by increasing the crappie harvest by about 100,000 fish.