GARY D. HICKMAN, Tennessee Valley Authority, Aquatic Biology Laboratory, Norris, Tennessee 37828, USA

A team of biologists including representatives from TVA and Tennessee Valley state fishery resource agencies developed an index to quantify sport fishing quality for individual sport fish species. The objective of the Sport Fishing Index (SFI) is to provide fishermen with information to assist them in selecting locations which have the best potential for a successful fishing experience for the species they prefer, and give biologists a measure of the quality of that fishery. Comparison of both creel and population sampling results for a particular sport fish species with expectations of these parameters from a high quality fishery (reference conditions) allows determination of fishing quality. To date, indices have been developed for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass and crappie. Each SFI relies on measurements on both quantity and quality aspects of angler success and fish population status. Comparison of index results among reservoirs and between years from Tennessee and Cumberland river reservoirs from 1990-1995 found differences in fishing quality for a particular species were measurable. Years when only creel results were available had higher annual variations. When both creel and population data were available, annual variations were generally minimal and considered to be a result of differences in year class strength.