COLUMBUS, OH -- Conservation measures
designed to provide long-term stability for Lake Erie's
walleye and smallmouth bass populations are being proposed
by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division
of Wildlife and may result in significant new fishing regulations
in the 2004 season. The proposals will be finalized and
presented later this summer to the Ohio Wildlife Council
to be effective March 1, 2004.
ODNR’s Division of Wildlife plans to propose reducing the springtime
limit on walleyes from four to three fish per day from March 1
- April 30. The limit for walleyes outside of the March 1- April
30 period is planned to stay at 6 fish per day. Also planned is
a proposal creating a year-round walleye size limit of 15 inches.
“Poor weather conditions during recent springs have resulted in
inconsistent and minimal walleye reproduction in Lake Erie,” said
Gary Isbell, executive administrator for the Division of Wildlife’s
Fish Management and Research Program. “The outlook for the 2003
hatch is not good, based on the cold, stormy spring this year.”
Isbell said that while many anglers
are reporting some of the best catches seen in recent
years, the concern is for the future of the fishery since
reproduction has been poor in two of the past three years.
The Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission has
advised member agencies to prepare for a "40%-60% reduction
in total allowable catches (TAC) for 2004."
“All Lake Erie agencies are examining
regulation options best-suited to their area to meet
this challenge,” said Isbell.
State fisheries biologists are
also proposing closing of smallmouth fishing in May and
June, when the popular sport fish are laying eggs and
guarding their nests.
The proposal comes in response
to concern that the round goby, an invasive fish species,
is adversely impacting smallmouth populations by preying
on bass eggs and fry. Gobies arrived from eastern Europe
in the ballast water of transoceanic ships and have multiplied
rapidly during the 1990s, becoming abundant throughout
Lake Erie.
Research conducted by the Division
of Wildlife in conjunction with The Ohio State University
over the last three years has documented that gobies
are having a negative impact on smallmouth reproduction,
as higher populations of round gobies dramatically decrease
the number of smallmouth in the nesting areas.
In addition, tagging studies conducted in cooperation with the
Lake Erie Charter Boat Association and Ohio Sea Grant have confirmed
limited movements or small home ranges of smallmouth bass. Fish
that are tagged and released are likely to be found at a later
time in the same location. This raises concerns about removing
smallmouth during the spawning season, and explains how serious
nesting failures are to local populations.
Another potential negative factor
impacting smallmouth bass is the double-crested cormorant,
a bird that dives to feed on small fish including small
bass. Neither gobies nor cormorants were present in Lake
Erie just 10 years ago.
No fishing regulation changes are
proposed for yellow perch or white bass.
The Division of Wildlife, based on a hearing to be scheduled this
summer, consultation with anglers, and further review of the recent
research information, will finalize the proposals between now and
September. Ohio Wildlife Council action will likely take place
in October 2003.
For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com
For Further Information Contact:
Roger Knight, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(419) 625-8062
-or-
Kevin Kayle, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(440) 352-4191
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