Catch-and-release management of a trout stream contaminated with PCBS
- Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection, Harwinton (United States)
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 and yearlings had average annual survivals of 39 and 42%. Survival of fingerlings 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.
- OSTI ID:
- 5312989
- Journal Information:
- North American Journal of Fisheries Management; (United States), Journal Name: North American Journal of Fisheries Management; (United States) Vol. 10:3; ISSN 0275-5947; ISSN NAJMD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Kootenai River Fisheries Investigations; Stock Status of Burbot and Rainbow Trout and Fisheries Inventory, 1993 Annual Report.
Dworshak Reservoir Investigations: Trout, Bass and Forage Species, 1988 Annual Report.
Related Subjects
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONNECTICUT
CONTAMINATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FISHERIES
FISHES
FOOD CHAINS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RISK ASSESSMENT
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TROUT
USA
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION