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Catch‐and‐Release Management of a Trout Stream Contaminated with PCBs
Author(s) -
Orciari Robert D.,
Leonard Gerald H.
Publication year - 1990
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 - 10.1577/1548-8675(1990)010<0315:carmoa>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - catch and release , fishery , trout , fishing , salmo , brown trout , recreational fishing , streams , fish <actinopterygii> , fisheries management , environmental science , biology , computer network , computer science
Due to health risks associated with PCB contamination, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection chose to apply catch‐and‐release regulations to the Housatonic River, which had previously supported one of the most popular put‐and‐take trout fisheries in Connecticut. The management change was successful in maintaining a highly rated recreational fishery. Stocked brown trout Salmo trutta survived up to five summers and grew to maximum total lengths of about 400 mm. Through 5 years, fish stocked as adults (254–305 mm) and yearlings (152–229 mm) had average annual survivals of 39 and 42%, respectively. Survival of fingerlings (< 152 mm) averaged 22%. With holdover trout present after the first year of catch‐and‐release management, 50‐66% of the fish caught by anglers exceeded the maximum length of 305 mm of trout stocked for put‐and‐take purposes in other Connecticut streams. Also, an average of 38% more trout by number and 210% more trout by weight were caught and released than were stocked. The catch‐and‐release fishery supported continuous utilization and high catch rates throughout the fishing season. Anglers who kept diaries while fishing under catch‐and‐release management had significantly greater catch rates after May than did those fishing the same area under previous put‐and‐take conditions. These results suggest that catch‐and‐release management may be used to maintain popular, high‐catch‐rate trout fisheries in streams where contamination levels are a risk to human health but have no serious direct or indirect effects on fish.