Angler Exploitation of Norris
Reservoir’s Important Fisheries
Christopher J. O’Bara, Center for the Management,
Utilization and Protection of Water Resources, Tennessee Technological University, P.O.
Box 5033, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505; Voice 931-372-3753; FAX 931-372-6346; E-Mail cobara@tntech.edu
Douglas Peterson and James Negus, Tennessee Wildlife
Resources Agency, 6032 Andrew Johnson Highway, Talbott, Tennessee 37877; Voice
432-587-7037; FAX 432-587-7057; E-Mail dpeterson@mail.state.tn.us, jnegus1@aol.com
Keywords: angler exploitation, tag retention,
walleye, black basses, black crappie, striped bass
Annual angler exploitation is an important consideration when efficiently
managing most freshwater fisheries. To determine annual exploitation for largemouth bass,
spotted bass, black crappie, striped bass, and walleye in Norris Reservoir,
Tennessee a traditional tag-recapture study was conducted over a two-year period. Legal
sized individuals were collected with boat-mounted electrofishing equipment and tagged
with either Hallprint anchor tags or Hallprint dart tags. Tag retention and tagging
related mortality (21-d) for all species except striped bass was determined in
experimental hatchery ponds. Nonreporting by anglers was determined by surrogate post
cards. A reward of $ 5.00 was offered for both tags and post cards. Tag retention was 100
% for all species evaluated with total tagging-related mortality ranging from 22 % for
walleye to 10 % for the black basses. Nonreporting was estimated was 30 % for walleye, 35
% for the black basses, 40 % for striped bass, and 42 % for crappie. Annual exploitation
for largemouth bass was 20+/-4 % in 1996 and 14+/-4% in 1997, and 22+/-10 % in 1996 and
17+/-9% in 1997 for spotted bass. Black crappie were the most exploited with annual angler
exploitation exceeding 40 % in both years. Striped bass were also heavily exploited with
an annual angler exploitation exceeding 30 %. Since 1994, annual exploitation of
river-spawning walleye was decreased from 42+/-11% to 14+/-10 %.
|