Alan’s email makes a few things clear:
- sizes and health of cutts hasn’t dropped…they are remaining relatively constant.
- the limiting factor of fish sizes is harvest…if the slot limit were raised, fish sizes would go up.
- Alan’s estimates are based on numerous gill-netting samples taken in both spring and fall months…and cover a wide range of sites.
- Alan’s estimates–based on gill net data–is far more reliable and consistent than fishermen’s fishing results
- numbers of fish within the slot is NOT limiting the numbers of fish outside the slot
- numbers of chubs, although reduced, are NOT limiting the sizes or health of cutts