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Results and Evaluation of An Aerial Creel Survey Technique On Lake Sharpe, South Dakota PDF

133 Pages·2016·9.17 MB·English
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Preview Results and Evaluation of An Aerial Creel Survey Technique On Lake Sharpe, South Dakota

SSoouutthh DDaakkoottaa SSttaattee UUnniivveerrssiittyy OOppeenn PPRRAAIIRRIIEE:: OOppeenn PPuubblliicc RReesseeaarrcchh AAcccceessss IInnssttiittuuttiioonnaall RReeppoossiittoorryy aanndd IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn EExxcchhaannggee Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1975 RReessuullttss aanndd EEvvaalluuaattiioonn ooff AAnn AAeerriiaall CCrreeeell SSuurrvveeyy TTeecchhnniiqquuee OOnn LLaakkee SShhaarrppee,, SSoouutthh DDaakkoottaa Bruce R. Schmidt Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Part of the Natural Resources and Conservation Commons RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn Schmidt, Bruce R., "Results and Evaluation of An Aerial Creel Survey Technique On Lake Sharpe, South Dakota" (1975). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 219. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/219 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RESULTS AND EVALUATION OF .I\N i·.ERIAL CREEL SliRVEY TECHNIQUE ON LAKE SHARPE, SOUTH DAKOTA . ' BY BRUCE R. SCHMIDT A thesis sJbmitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science, Major in vJildlife and Fisheries Science, South Dakota State University l C/i'j RESULTS AND EVALUATION OF AN AERIAL CREEL SURVEY TECHNIQUE ON LAKE SHARPE, SOUTH DAKOTA This thesis is approved as a creditable and independent investi- gation by a candidate for the degree, Master of Science, and is acceptable as meeting the thesis requirements for this degree. Accept- ance of this thesis does not imply that the conclusions reached by the candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department. 1nes1s f\OVJ.ser ua l.e"' Head, Wildlife and Fisheries uate Science Department ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Funds for the Lake Sharpe creel survey project ,iere prc·.;ided L, North Central Reservoir Investigations, U. S. Fish and \-JildLfe Ser­ vice, Yankton, South Dakota, and were administered by the South Dakota Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota. My particular thanks go to Dr. Nor,,,an G. Benson, Director, North Central Reservoir Investigations, Dr. Richard L. Applegate, Assistant Unit Leader, and Dr, Donald C. Hales, Unit Leader, who also served as major adviser, South Central Reservoir Investigations, Fayetteville, J..rkansas, and particulcrly Mr, David Morais, provided information concerning the design of the creel surveys on Bull Shoals and Beaver reservoirs, and helped to set up the original sampling schedule for the Lah Sharpe survey. Their assistance is appreciated. Dennis L. Tol and J. Antony Rose served as cre�l clerks, and Rebecca Riesselrnan prepared many of the figures. Their helr is gratefully acknowledged. Finally: thanks go to my wife, Jackie, who pre:)ared the stud;, area niap and who patiently put up with my 13 months of field r.1ork 200 miles from home. BRS ABSTRACT A creel survey, consisting of two independent surveys, was con­ ducted on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota from May, 1973, through flay, 1974. An aerial fisherman count was used to estimate fishing pressure and an angler interview survey was used to estimate catch rates, mean party size, mean fishennan day, and residence of the anglers. The results of the two surveys were combined to estimate harvest. The separate surveys allowed optimum stratification and allocation of sampling effort for each, Estimated fishing pressure was 32,643 fisherman-hours, 2:_ 9,60% at the 95% confidence level, and the total estimated harvest was 113,800 fish, + 12,46%, weighing 7,36 x 104 kg (81,05 tons). The mean catch rate for the entire survey was 0.33 fish per fisherman-hour. The survey produced final estimates of catch statistics with a relatively small amount of manpower well within the range of accuracy needed for management decisions. The methods used n·ay prove to be applicable to many other large, open reservoirs with numerous access points. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION . 1 STUDY AREA 3 METHODS 7 The Aerial Survey . 7 The Angler Interview Survey l] 15 Calculations ttESULTS AND DISOJSSIONS 20 Fishing Pressure 20 Catch Rates . . . . 27 Harvest . . . . . 40 Trip Length, Party Size, and Residence 49 Method Evaluation 54 SUMMARY 63 LITERATURE CITED . APPENDIX A Fortran IV computer program used to analyse the creel survey data from Lake Sharpe, South Dakota . . . , , APPENDii. "i::, s�pplemental data, Lake Sharpe creel survey . . . . . . . . APPENDIX C Individual species catch rates within each month, zone, and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through flay, 1974 • • . • . . . QO APPENDIX D Estimated harvest in numbers of individual species within each month, zone, and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . . . . 113 I LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Number of counting flights scheduled each month on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973 through fv1a y , 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . · · · · · · 9 2. Species of fish, in order of numerical abundance, in the sport fishery of Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973 through May, 1974 • • • . • • • . . • . • 21 3. Estimated total fishing pressure (fisherman-hours) by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through M3y 31, 1974 . . . . . 22 4. Average catch rate (fish per fisherman-hour) for all species by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 • 28 5. Estimated harvest and percent of total harvest in numbers and weight, by species, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 • . . 41 6. Estimated total harvest of all species combined by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 . . . • . . , • . . 44 7. Percentage of walleye in the total harvest by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 8. Average weight (grams) of walleye and number observed by month, zone, and typl= of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973 through y,1 974 t4a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • • 48 9. Estimated monthly harvest of walleye (numbers and grams) by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973 throug� May, 1974 . . • . 50 10. Average weight (grams) of all species except walleye from Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 • • . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 52 11. Percentage of nonresident fishing parties by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Lake Sharpe study area • 4 2. Angler interview form 14 3, Estimated monthly fishing pressure by zone, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 24 4. Estimated monthly fishing pressure by zone and type 1973, of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, through May, 1974, • . • . . . • • . • • . . 25 5, Estimated average monthly catch rate for all species combined by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . • . . . 29 6, Estimated monthly total catch rate by species for boat and shore fishing in each zone, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . • . 32 7. Estimated monthly catch rate for walleye by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 197& . . . . . • • . 34 s. Estimated monthly catch rate for channel catfish by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, 1-\3.y, 1973, througr. !·ay, 1974 . • . • • . 35 9 , Estimated monthly catch rate for white bass by zone and type of fishing, Lake � 1rpe, South Dakota, May, 10. Estimated monthly fishing pressure compared to monthly catch rate for all species for boat and shore fishing in each zon�, r.ake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, througt .'-L1. y, 1974 • • • . . . 39 11. Estimated monthly harvest of all species by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . • • • • • . . • . 43 12, Estimated monthly harvest by species for boat and shore fishing in all zones, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through Miy, 1974 • , , • , , , . , . . 46 Figure Page 13, Average angler day by month, zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharp. e,. S. ou. th. Dakota, May. , . 19. 73. , . . . . . 53 through "1a y, 1974 14, Average number of fishermen per party by month, zone, and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe,. S. ou. th. . . . . . . 55 Dakota, "1ay, 1973, through May, 1974 1 INTRODUCTION Obtaining accurate information regarding sport fishing pressure and harvest has always been a problem for fishery management agencies. The problems are compounded as the size of the water under investi­ gation increases, and reach a maxirr.um on the large, open reservoirs which are now common in all of the major river systems in the United States. Fry (undated), Solman (1951), and Currier (1956) described the early develoµnent and application of the various methods used to measure sport fishing activity and success. The trend in creel survey design has been toward survey systems which accurately measure fishing activity with the least sampling effort. Statistically sound sampling methods came into use in the 1950's and provided not only precise estimates of fishing pressure and success, but also measurements of the accuracy of the estimates. The expansion of fisherman counts is one useful method for esti­ mating fishing pressure. Fisherman counts can be made on any body of water that can be covered in a relatively short period of time. On large reservoirs, however, counting by conventional means is impos­ sible. Neuhold and Lu (1957) suggested using an airplane to count fishermen on large bodies of water. Eschmeyer, et al. (1946) reported using an airplane in addition to boats for making counts, but indicated that the counts from the boats were more reliable because of heavy shoreline vegetation. Counts

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helped to set up the original sampling schedule for the Lah Sharpe survey. an angler interview survey was used to estimate catch rates, mean party size . evaluate an aerial creel survey of a large South Dakota reservoir. An stream 9,6 km (6.0 mi) to Pierre and the end of La Framboise Island and.
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