03-26-2013, 02:25 PM
Mike -- anglers are a funny lot. Most of the time, their logic is backwards. We always want to associate fish with mammals, and fish are not mammals.
We always want to use the logic of determinate growth vs. indeterminate growth. When a mammal is born, it is predetermined that the mammal will grow larger as it gets older (to a point). We think that fish are the same, and they are not. Fish may grow for a time, then stop. Later it may grow again. It may also "grow" smaller. It all depends on habitat and surrounding environment as well as the fishes eating habits (diet).
Basically, anglers think that catch-and-release promotes opportunities for fish to grow larger. In some cases it does. In other cases (Lee's Ferry???) it actually hurts more than it helps. When mortality is low and reproduction is high, you end up with too many fish. How do you increase mortality and lower your population size? One way is to liberalize harvest -- increase the limit. However, if anglers won't harvest more fish (Lee's Ferry, Provo River, Willard Bay) then you still have a low mortality rate. Another way is to allow bait fishing (Provo River) which automatically increases mortality rates even when fish are released. In the case of Willard Bay, you allow fishing in the inlet. Mortality increases (even if the public doesn't like it), walleye population is lowered, and the overall fishery health is better.
I view this situation as nothing more than jealous anglers. Just like with lake trout and bass, many anglers hate to see those vulnerable fish targeted and harvested. But in the larger scope of managing a population of fish, it's small potatoes.
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We always want to use the logic of determinate growth vs. indeterminate growth. When a mammal is born, it is predetermined that the mammal will grow larger as it gets older (to a point). We think that fish are the same, and they are not. Fish may grow for a time, then stop. Later it may grow again. It may also "grow" smaller. It all depends on habitat and surrounding environment as well as the fishes eating habits (diet).
Basically, anglers think that catch-and-release promotes opportunities for fish to grow larger. In some cases it does. In other cases (Lee's Ferry???) it actually hurts more than it helps. When mortality is low and reproduction is high, you end up with too many fish. How do you increase mortality and lower your population size? One way is to liberalize harvest -- increase the limit. However, if anglers won't harvest more fish (Lee's Ferry, Provo River, Willard Bay) then you still have a low mortality rate. Another way is to allow bait fishing (Provo River) which automatically increases mortality rates even when fish are released. In the case of Willard Bay, you allow fishing in the inlet. Mortality increases (even if the public doesn't like it), walleye population is lowered, and the overall fishery health is better.
I view this situation as nothing more than jealous anglers. Just like with lake trout and bass, many anglers hate to see those vulnerable fish targeted and harvested. But in the larger scope of managing a population of fish, it's small potatoes.
[signature]