Stream%20Smallmouth%20Regulations%20Review

1
Stream Smallmouth Regulations Review

• February 2008

2
Regs Review Process

• Reviewed stream smallmouth fisheries regulations
  for 29 different states three Canadian
  provinces
• Data included
• General state/province-wide stream regs
  length/creel limits
• Closed (catch release) seasons
• Special Regs (length/creel) or slot limits
• Catch Release streams/sections
• Artificials only/special seasonal regs
• Comparisons to Missouri regulations

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Closed or CR Seasons

• 48 of locations surveyed had closed seasons
• CR fishing for SMB expressly allowed during
  nearly all closed seasons, but there are some
  exceptions
• MO the most Southern state w/closed season
• Effectiveness is debatable amongst fisheries
  managers
• MN instituted closed fall/winter season on SMB
  due to pressure from The Smallmouth Alliance
• High concentrations of SMB below dams/deep holes

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Creel Limits

• Creel Limit of SMB that may be taken daily
  possession limit usually 2x daily creel limit
• U.S. creel limits ranged from a high of 10 black
  bass (SC) to a low of 3 SMB with only 1 gt 14
  (ME)
• Creel limits
• 2 fish 1 location (New Brunswick)
• 3 fish 3 locations (including IL/IA)
• 4 fish 4 locations (including AR/NE NW
  Ontario)
• 5 fish 16 locations (including TN/KS)
• 6 fish 8 locations (including MO/OK/KY)
• 10 fish 1 location
• Some states/provinces employed seasonal creel
  limits as well (e.g. 1 or 2 fish during the early
  season switching to 4 fish in summer months)
• Effectiveness varies since most anglers dont
  catch their limit regularly

5
Minimum Length Limits

• Length limit fish can only be kept above the
  minimum length limit
• 51 of locations surveyed had state/province-wide
  minimum length limits
• Ranged for a low of 10 (AR) to a high of 15
  (PN/KS)
• Most prevalent length limit of 12 14 used for
  SMB
• Some states/provinces employed seasonal length
  limits as well (e.g. 15 early/late season
  switching to 12 in summer months)
• Considered the most effective means of managing
  SMB populations, size distribution
• Problems too often set to support optimal
  sustained yield management philosophy fish
  often stockpile just below legal length limit

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Quality Regulations

• Quality-based fisheries regs for SMB came into
  existence in late 1980s and have been increasing
  nationwide since then
• In states with no minimum length limits such as
  OK quality regs include 12 min length limit on
  30 miles of Glover River (6 fish creel)
• In states such as MO, quality regs of 1 SMB gt 15
  or 1 SMB gt 18 have been implemented on streams
  and/or stream reaches
• On trophy waters limits as high as 1 SMB gt 20
  have been used on stream sections or entire
  streams
• All such quality regs protect vulnerable SMB
  fisheries, create trophy fishing opportunities or
  allow anglers to catch more and larger SMB

7
Quality Regs Waters

• 61 of locations surveyed have instituted
  special quality-based regs on selected
  waters/areas
• Regs generally include higher minimum length
  limits combined with lower creel limits, slot
  limits or total CR
• Range from individual stream sections, to
  individual streams to sizeable geographic
  sections
• Some regs on short 3 to 15-mile stream sections
  to as much as entire river systems spanning 200
  miles

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Summary of MO Stream SMB Regs

• Southern MO (Ozarks Region)
• 6 fish daily creel limit (enacted 1961)
• 12 minimum length limit (enacted 1974)
• Closed season from March 1 to Friday before
  Memorial Day (since 1965)
• Northern SE MO
• 6 fish daily creel limit
• 12 minimum length on black bass
• No closed season
• MDC viewed as very innovative back in 1960s/70s
  but . . .
• Wasnt it about time for MDC to get with the
  program?

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SMB Special Management Areas

• MDC program began in 1991 MSA founded in 1992
• 35 biological studies completed / 12 areas
  established
• Special regs on sections of 10 streams (312
  miles)
• 15 minimum length/ 1 SMB creel limit
• Big Piney, Big, Meramec, Eleven Point, Mineral
  Fork, James, Joachim Ck, Osage Fork, Ten Mile Ck,
  Elk River (2 bass creel)
• Trophy regs on sections of 2 streams (46 miles)
• 18 minimum length / 1 SMB creel limit
• Gasconade, Jacks Fork

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Special Mgt. Area Results

• Improved SMB catch rates (2.5x better)
• Number of 12 to 14.9 15 SMB doubled
• Angler catch rates for these larger fish
  increased by 3 and 10 times, respectively
• Number of 17 SMB trended up sharply as well
  (over time)
• Biologist surveys consistent w/angler success
• Important No declines in growth rates noted

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SMA Results

• Fishing pressure by consumptive anglers generally
  decreased in managed stream sections
• Fishing pressure by CR SMB anglers has grown in
  most managed areas
• Angler acceptance/compliance with special regs
  has been high
• Majority of anglers in favor of special
  management to produce better SMB fishing
• So what is stopping the MDC from doing more?

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Neighboring States SMB Regs

• IL AR IA KY TN OK KS
• Creel Limit 3 4 3 6 5 6 5
• Length Limit N 10 12 12 N N 15
• Special Regs Y Y Y Y Y Y N
• CR Y Y Y N N N N
• Slot Limit Y N N Y Y Y N
• Closed Season Y N N N N N N
• - new 13-17 protected slot limits enacted on
  several top SMB streams in 2008

13
Illinois SMB Mgt. Program

• Management program greatly influenced by the
  Illinois Smallmouth Alliance in early to mid
  1990s
• Prior to ISA, IL had
• No closed season
• 6 SMB creel limit
• No Special Regs waters
• Aided by ISAs efforts, IL now has
• Closed season during spawn
• Creel limit of 3 SMB on most flowing waters
• Abundance of Special Regs Waters
• 12 to 18 protected slot limit on section of
  Kankakee River
• Slot regs on section of Fox River
• CR section on DePlaines River
• 3 SMB / 14 minimum on 5 major river sections
• 1 SMB / 18 minimum on 1 river section

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Arkansas SMB Mgt. Program

• Arkansas management program largely modeled after
  Missouris
• Before 1990, Arkansas had
• No SMB minimum length limit
• 10 fish creel limit
• No special regs or CR waters
• Current Arkansas Stream SMB Regs
• 4 SMB creel limit
• 10 minimum length limit statewide
• Variety of Special Regs waters

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Arkansas Unique Approach to Special
Regs

• Separated NW ½ of state into 3 zones Ozark
  Quality Zone, Boston Mountain Quality Zone,
  Ouachita Quality Zone
• Ozark Quality Zone (18 northern counties)
• Ozark Zone best stream habitat in Arkansas
• 4 SMB creel / 12 minimum length
• 6 streams (356 miles) with 2 SMB creel / 14
  minimum
• Entirety of Buffalo River, Crooked Creek, Kings
  River, Eleven Point, Spring River, South Fork of
  Spring River Blue Ribbon Streams
• 3 stream sections (54 miles) with 1 SMB creel /
  18 minimum
• Sections of Kings River, Crooked Creek and
  Buffalo River
• 3 miles of CR water on Crooked Creek
• Lower 25 miles of Buffalo River added in 2008

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Arkansas Approach to SMB Special Regs
(cont.)

• Ouachita Quality Zone
• 5 streams (325 miles) with 2 SMB creel / 12
  minimum
• Upper sections of Little Missouri, Caddo, South
  Fork of Saline, Ouachita and Cassatot Rivers
• - Cassatot River (26 miles) reinsated in 2008
• 10 miles of CR water on South Fork Ouachita
  River
• Boston Mountain Quality Zone
• Mulberry River (55 miles) with 2 SMB creel / 12
  minimum

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Missouri Stream SMB Management Future?

• How many more MDC studies are being conducted?
• How many more Special Management Areas will be
  considered?
• Is MDC planning to expand any existing mgt.
  areas?
• (Gasconade Meramec Rivers total almost 450
  miles in length, but only 35 miles, or 8, under
  special management)
• Is MDC re-visiting any previously studied areas
  for future consideration?
• (Current, North Fork, Bryant, Niangua, Bourbeuse,
  Black, St. Francis, Huzzah, Courtois nearly 600
  miles of SMB water, but no special SMB
  management)
• Since the 12-inch minimum length limit -- Whats
  been the impact of?
• 180 MDC public stream access points
• Jet boats
• Technological improvements in tackle, techniques

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How Can MSA Help Shape the Future?

• Need to develop an Action Plan to support MSA
  mission
• Create World-Class SMB Fishing in Missouri
• Form a Blue Ribbon committee to research/study
  regs proposals
• MSA leadership
• MSA membership
• Canoe outfitters, professional guides
• Outdoor writers
• Develop specific SMB management proposals
• Conduct our own survey to determine angler
  support for special regs on Ozark waters
• Sportshows, seminars, on-line registration
  possibly
• Be focused and relentless in carrying out MSAs
  mission . . .

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SMB Mgt. Proposals

• Individual Waters Regs Proposals
• Greatly expand the SMB Special Management Area
  program
• More streams, longer stretches, more studies,
  revisit rejected areas (out of Ozarks approx.
  2,000 major SMB stream miles, only 18 under
  special mgt.)
• Implement more trophy 18/ 1 SMB management
  areas on top streams
• Consider high slot limits on selected waters (12
  to 18) to encourage harvest of smaller fish but
  protect adults in population

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SMB Mgt. Proposals

• Widespread SMB Regulations Changes
• Increase the Ozarks-wide minimum length limit on
  stream black bass to 14 or 15 (Change to 15 on
  major reservoirs has worked wonders)
• Decrease the state-wide SMB creel limit to 3 or 4
  fish (still keeping total black bass creel at 6
  fish)
• Have MDC conduct a widespread survey to determine
  what majority of avid SMB anglers desire . . .

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SMB Mgt. Proposals

• Enforcement Educational Proposals
• Enforcement
• Increase of officers within SMB Areas ()
• Stop the illegal gigging of sportfish ()
• Prohibit gigging in SMB Areas (similar to B/R
  trout)
• Push back start of gigging season to colder
  period
• Why is the MDC letting the lack of enforcement
  hold back the imposition of quality-based regs?
  (Get on with it already!)
• Education
• Post better regs signage at stream accesses (know
  the rules!)
• Better promote value of voluntary
  catch-and-release
• Elevate status of stream SMB with state fish
  recognition