Continued Evaluation of the Effects of Bowfin, Amia calva, Removal on the Suwannee River Fishery by Daniel R. Holder and Jerome Germann Georgia Department of Natural Reso urces Game and Fish Division Atlanta, Georgia December 1977 This study was funded through the Federal Aid in Fish Restoration Act under Dingell-Johnson Project F-29, Georgia. State: Georgia FINAL REPORT Project Number: F-29-4 Project Type: Research or Survey Study Title: Continued Evaluation of the Effects of Bowfin, Amia calva, Removal on the Suwannee River Fishery Study Objective: To monitor the fishery of the Suwannee River in relation to changes in the bowfin population. ABSTRACT The fish population and fishery of the Suwannee River, including a portion of the Okefenokee Swamp, were monitored from July 1973 to June 1976 to determine the effects of bowfin population levels on the sport fishery quality. A rotenone sample on Red Bluff slough had a standing crop estimate of 130.1 lb/acre. Game fish comprised 58.1% of the sample weight. Bowfin made up 17.6% of the sample weight. Four rotenone samples on Mud Lake slough had standing crop estimates ranging from 148.5 to 494.0 lb/acre. Game fish ranged from 8.0 to 41.9% of the estimates. Bowfin ranged from 40.8 to 80.4%. F/C ratios, At values, and A~ values were determined. Fall population estimates of bowfin ranged from 20,966 fish to 17,832 fish. Estimated fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates in the Suwannee River varied annually. Bullheads were the most abundant species caught by number and weight, except 1974 in which bowfin was the dominant species by weight. Changes in game fish dominance from warmouth to spotted sunfish and channel catfish were indicated in the creel. Total annual harvest per acre ranged from 124.3 fish weighing 103.3 lb in 1974 to 360.6 fish weighing 192.8 lb in 1973. A decline in pressure, catch, and catch rate was indicated in the Okefenokee Swamp in 1975 from the WAYCROSS@ N U.S HWY 4 41 OKEFENOKEE )DIKE SWAMP --- - . __G-E-O-R-G-lA----\ l \. \ I ~ l \ 1.. Figure l. Map of study area 4 previous two years. Bullheads and warmouth were the most abundant species in the creel by number and weight. Confidence intervals and linear regressions were used in analyzing changes in the fish populations and the fishery since bowfin removal. F/C ratios and A~ values declined in the fish population in the Suwannee River from 1970 to 1975. Standing crop estimates, E values, population estimates, and CPUE values showed an increase in bowfin abundance from 1970 to 1975. A significant decline was indicated in standing crop and E values of largemouth bass and warmouth. Analysis of the sport fishery in the Suwannee River from 1969 to 1975 showed yearly fluctuations that could not be related to bowfin abundance. The yearly fluctuations, however, were related to winter high water. A decline in the catch and catch rate occurred in the Okefenokee Swamp from 1970 to 1975. Warmouth, flier, and largemouth bass were the main species to decline. Water level changes in the swamp were thought to contribute to these changes in the fishery. The Suwannee River fishery and the Okefenokee Swamp fishery both seemed to be influenced to a great degree by factors other than bowfin abundance . BACKGROUND A bowfin removal program was initiated on the Suwannee River in Georgia during extre~e low water conditions in 1967 and 1968 after rotenone samples showed that bowfin, Amia calva, Linnaeus, comprised 80% by weight of the river fish population (Wyatt et al. 1968a). Over 14.0 tons of bowfin were removed in a one year Period. The program was initiated to reduce the bowfin population to a desirable level and to evaluate removal as a management technique for improving the 2 FINAL REPORT State: Georgi a Project Number: F-29-4 Project Type: Research or Survey Study Title: Continued Evaluation of the Effects of Bowfin, Amia calva, Removal on the Suwannee River Fishery Study Objective: To monitor the fishery of the Suwannee River in relation to changes in the bowfin population. ABSTRACT The fish population and fishery of the Suwannee River, including a portion of the Okefenokee Swamp, were monitored from July 1973 to June 1976 to determine the effects of bowfin population levels on the sport fishery quality. A rotenone sample on Red Bluff slough had a standing crop estimate of 130.1 lb/acre. Game fish comprised 58.1% of the sample weight. Bowfin made up 17.6% of the sample weight. Four rotenone samples on Mud Lake slough had standing crop estimates ranging from 148.5 to 494.0 lb/acre. Game fish ranged from 8.0 to 41.9% of the estimates. Bowfin ranged from 40.8 to 80.4%. F/C ratios, At values, and A~ values were determined. Fall population estimates of bowfin ranged from 20,966 fish to 17,832 fish. Estimated fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates~n the Suwannee River varied annually. Bullheads were the most abundant species caught by number and weight, except 1974 in which bowfin was the dominant species by weight. Changes in game fish dominance from warmouth to spotted sunfish and channel catfish were indicated in the creel. Total annual harvest per acre ranged from 124.3 fish weighing 103.3 lb in 1974 to 360.6 fish weighing 192.8 lb in 1973. A decline in pressure, catch, and catch rate was indicated in the Okefenokee Swamp in 1975 from the 1 sport fishery. Following removal, rotenone samples and bowfin popu- . < . ..: lation estimates indicated a decline in bowfin abundance (Holder l970a and l969a), and creel survey data showed an improvement in the sport fishery quality (Holder l970b). After the decline in bowfin abundance in 1969, the bowfin population seemed to increase yearly (Holder l973a). The sport fishery quality, which had improved in 1970 after removal, declined in 1971 and 1972 (Holder 1973b and Swanson and Holder 1974a). It was uncertain that removal caused the improvements in sport fishery since other factors such as climatic conditions (Holder 1969a, 1970a, and l973b) and fish movements (Holder l970c) were also interacting. If high bowfin populations caused a lower quality sport fishery in the Suwannee River, bowfin removal would be an effective management tool for controlling their abundance. This study was implemented to monitor the Suwannee River fishery in relation to bowfin population levels with the ultimate objective of determining the effects of bowfin abundance on the sport fishery. PROCEDURES Study Area Fish population and sport fishery data were collected from the Suwannee River between the Okefenokee Swamp dike and the Georgia-Florida state line (Figure 1). Sport fishery data were also collected from the interior of the Okefenokee Swamp above the dike. The Suwannee River drains about 574 square miles of the Okefenokee Swamp. The water is tannin stained from the humus in the swamp. The pH is around 4.4, and the specific conductance is around 41 mhos (U.S. Geological Survey 1974). A 4.7 mile dike with two spillways was constructed in the swamp in 1960 to prevent further erosion of the Suwannee River channel and to prevent 3 Cooperative Game and Fish Statistics Project located at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Suwannee River creel survey was a roving type design utilizing non-uniform probability sampling (Holder l973b). Approximately 33 miles of the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp dike to the Georgia-Florida state line were surveyed from 7 July to 21 December 1973, 2 March 1974 to 3 January 1975, and 15 r1arch 1975 to 2 January 1976, and 6 ~1arch to 9 July 1976. Sampling design involved stratification of weekend-weekdays, AM-PM time periods, river sections, and starting points. Probabilities were assigned for each strata combination by use of estimates from previous surveys. The Okefenokee Swamp creel survey was a landing type design with non-uniform probability sampling (Holder l973b). Access landings only on the west side of the Okefenokee Swamp near Fargo, Georgia were surveyed from 14 July to 28 December 1973, 9 March to 27 December 1974, and 8 March to 26 December 1975. Probabilities were assigned for each strata in the same manner as the roving survey on the Suwannee River. Data from both surveys were collected every other week and were used to estimate the sport fishery statistics for a two week period. The clerk recorded the number in party, time spent fis~ing, method of fishing, bait used, species fished-for, and number and weight of each species caught. Raw data sheets were compiled and sent to the Department of Administrative Services, Atlanta, Georgia for transferal to IBM computer punch cards. The cards were then sent to North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina for computer processing. The expanded estimates of pressure and harvest were returned on a computer print-out for analysis. 6 WAYCROSS@ N U.S H W Y 4 41 OKEFENOKEE )DIKE SWAMP -- ------ __GEORG lA ---- l \. \ I ~ l \ \.. Figure 1. Map of study area 4 sport fishery. Following removal, rotenone samples and bowfin population estimates indicated a decline in bowfin abundance (Holder l970a and l969a), and creel survey data showed an improvement in the sport fishery quality (Holder l970b). After the decline in bowfin abundance in 1969, the bowfin population seemed to increase yearly (Holder l973a). The sport fishery quality, which had improved in 1970 after removal, declined in 1971 and 1972 (Holder l973b and Swanson and Holder l974a). It was uncertain that removal caused the improvements in sport fishery since other factors such as climatic conditions (Holder l969a, 1970a, and l973b) and fish movements (Holder l970c) were also interacting. If high bowfin populations caused a lower quality sport fishery in the Suwannee River, bowfin removal would be an effective management tool for controlling their abundance. This study was implemented to monitor the Suwannee River fishery in relation to bowfin population levels with the ultimate objective of determining the effects of bowfin abundance on the sport fishery. PROCEDURES Study Area Fish population and sport fishery data were collecttd from the Suwannee River between the Okefenokee Swamp dike and the Georgia-Florida state line (Figure 1). Sport fishery data were also collected from the interior of the Okefenokee Swamp above the dike. The Suwannee River drains about 574 square miles of the Okefenokee Swamp. The water is tannin stained from the humus in the swamp. The pH is around 4.4, and the specific conductance is around 41 mhos (U.S. Geological Survey 1974). A 4.7 mile dike with two spillways was constructed in the swamp in 1960 to prevent further erosion of the Suwannee River channel and to prevent 3 the swamp from drying during a severe drought (Holder l970c). The Suwannee River flows about 33 miles in Georgia before entering Florida. Flow is extremely variable being greatest in late winter and late summer and lowest in the spring and late fall. The average water discharge at Fargo, Georgia from 41 years of records was l ,116 cfs. (U. S. Geoloqical Survey 1974). f~i_2_h_ _P__cp~uj_a_t_i _o_Q_ Five rotenone population samples were taken on the Suwannee River. One sample was taken at Red Bluff slough (12.5 river miles above U.S. Hwy 441 bridge) 3~4 October 1973. Four samples were taken at Mud Lake slough (2.8 river miles above U.S. Hwy 441 bridge). The ~1ud Lake samples were collected 4~5 October 1973, 24~25 May 1974, 2-3 July 1975, and 21-22 April 1976. Prior to sa111pling, the surface area and average depth vJere determined. A block-off net (l/2 inch bar mesh 10 feet deep) was set at the mouth of the slough and remained through the second day pick-up. Rotenone (2.5% synergistic liquid emulsifiable formulation) was applied at 1-2 ppm. Fish were collected as they surfaced. The fish were sorted by species, weighed and measured in inch groupings, compiled according to Surber (1959), and tabulated on a one surface acre basis. On all samples, except the 21 April 1976 Mud Lake sample, an assortIIJent of fish were collected for mark and recovery estimates. The fish were collected by electrofishing the day before and held overnight in the river. Prior to the sample the fish were fin clipped (generally a onehalf caudal clip) and released into the sample area. Fish collected in the rotenone samples were examined for fin clips. Spolj_ Fish~ The creel designs for estimating the sport fishery statistics of the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp were provided by the Southeastern 5 Table l. Checklist of fish species collected from the Suwannee River rotenone population samples, 1973 to 1976. Taxa Lepisosteus platyrhincus Amia calva Esox americanus Esox niger Erimyzon 2_ucetta Minytrema melanops Ictalurus natalis Ictalurus nebulosus Ictalurus punctatus Noturus gyrinus Noturus Jeptacanthus Aphredoderus sayanus Fundulus chrysotus Fundulus lineolatus Leptolucania ommata Gambusia affinis Labidesthes sicculus Acantharchus pomotis Centrarchus macropterus Elassoma spp.* Enneacanthus chaetodon Enneacanthus gloriosus Enneacanthus obesus Lepomis gulosus Lepomis macrochirus Lepomis marginatus Lepomis punctatus Micropterus salmoides Pomoxis nigromaculatus Etheostoma fusiforme Percina nigrafasciata Red Bluff Slough t1ud Lake Slough 1973 1973 1974 1975 1976 X X X X XXX X X XXX X X XXX X X XXX X XXX X X XXX X X XX X X XXX X X X X X X X X X X X XXX X X X XXX X X X X X X X X XXX X X X X X X X X X X X X XXX X X XXX X X XXX X X X X X X XX X X X X X XXX t X *Includes Elassoma evergladei and E. okefenokee 8 Cooperative Game and Fish Statistics Project located at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. The Suwannee River creel survey was a roving type design utilizing non-uniform probability sampling (Holder 1973b). Approximately 33 miles of the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp dike to the Georgia-Florida state line were surveyed from 7 July to 21 December 1973, 2 March 1974 to 3 January 1975, and 15 r~arch 1975 to 2 January 1976, and 6 ~1arch to 9 July 1976. Sampling design involved stratification of weekend-weekdays, AM-PM time periods, river sections, and starting points. Probabilities were assigned for each strata combination by use of estimates from previous surveys. The Okefenokee Swamp creel survey was a landing type design with non-uniform probability sampling (Holder 1973b). Access landings only on the west side of the Okefenokee Swamp near Fargo, Georgia were surveyed from 14 July to 28 December 1973, 9 March to 27 December 1974, and 8 March to 26 December 1975. Probabilities were assigned for each strata in the same manner as the roving survey on the Suwannee River. Data from both surveys were collected every other week and were used to estimate the sport fishery statistics for a two week period. The clerk recorded the number in party, time spent fishing, method of fishing, bait used, species fished-for, and number and weight of each species caught. Raw data sheets were compiled and sent to the Department of Administrative Services, Atlanta, Georgia for transferal to IBM computer punch cards. The cards were then sent to North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina for computer processing. The expanded estimates of pressure and harvest were returned on a computer print-out for analysis. 6 the swamp from drying during a severe drought (Holder 1970c). The Suwannee River flows about 33 miles in Georgia before entering Florida. Flow is extremely variable being greatest in late winter and late summer and lowest in the spring and late fall. The average water discharge at Fargo, Georgia from 41 years of records was 1,116 cfs. (U. S. Geoloqical Survey 1974). f_i2_h__P_qp_uj _a_t_i_on Five rotenone population samples were taken on the Suwannee River. One sample was taken at Red Bluff slough (12.5 river miles above U.S. Hwy 441 bridge) 3-4 October 1973. Four samples were taken at Mud Lake slough (2.8 river miles above U.S. Hwy 441 bridge). The t1ud Lake samples were collected 4-5 October 1973, 24-25 May 1974, 2-3 July 1975, and 21-22 April 1976. Prior to sar,lpl ing, the surface area and average depth vJere determined. A block-off net (l/2 inch bar mesh 10 feet deep) was set at the mouth of the slough and relllained through the second day pick-up. Rotenone (2.5% synergistic liquid emulsifiable formulation) was applied at 1-2 ppm. Fish were collected as they surfaced. The fish were sorted by species, weighed and measured in inch groupings, compiled according to Surber (1959), and tabulated on a one surface acre basis. On all samples, except the 21 April 1976 r~ud Lake s~mple, an assortrrlent of fish were collected for mark and recovery estimates. The fish were collected by electrofishing the day before and held overnight in the r1ver. Prior to the sample the fish were fin clipped (generally a onehalf caudal clip) and released into the sample area. Fish collected in the rotenone samples were examined for fin clips. Spoct_ Fis~ The creel designs for estimating the sport fishery statistics of the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp were provided by the Southeastern 5 Bowfin Population Estimates Population estimates of bowfin using the adjusted Petersen mark- recapture method (Ricker 1975) were made on the Suwannee River from 29 October to 16 November 1973, 14 November to 11 December 1974, and 4 November to 5 December 1975, respectively. The sample area each year was from the Okefenokee Swamp dike to U.S. Hwy 441 bridge (18 river miles). The area was divided into sections to distribute sampling effort for capture and recapture attempts. Bowfin were collected with electrofishing equipment, marked by fin clips, and released in the vicinity of capture. A week usually separated the periods of capture and recapture to allow population mixing. Effort was made to obtain sample sizes that would provide estimates within 10% of the true population with 95% confidence (Robson and Regier 1964). Data from previous studies on the Suwannee River are used in the findings and analyses. FINDINGS Rotenone Samples Red Bluff slough contained approximately 0.55 surface acres when the sample was taken in October 1973. The slough had a maximum depth of 6 ft with an average depth of 1.8 ft and was shaded by a cypress-tupelo gum overstory. Mud Lake slough ranged from 0.55 to 0.75 surface acres, varying according to river water level. Maximum depth was generally 8.0-8.5 ft. Average depth ranged from 3.0 to 4.4 ft. The slough was mostly open water but had a few scattered cypress trees. Thirty-two fish species were identified from the five rotenone samples on the Suwannee River (Table 1). Species collected represented 11 freshwater families. Four species - spotted sucker, Minytrema melanops (Rafinesque), channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), black 7 . +> CJ) \.0 .- r--.. (1) 0"1 3rI r- (V) ttl r--.. +> 0"1 0.-+> ~ '"OS... s::: (1) ttl >.- .......... 0::: 0 l.!)(l) 0"1(1) ,...... s::: s::: nit! (1) 3 ,...... ::::::1 CJ) (/) s.:-:: n 3Vl .(.../_)..(.,.1...).. D.. :c+>E c:(ltl Vl n (1)(1) ::::::1 s::: r-0 ttl s::: >UJ +> +JO c:(S.... n OO"l .- ::::::1 +>O ts.t..l. rVl -U .....E ..o LL..S.... 4- Vl (l)Vl .f./14- .- 4-UJ E 4-11:1 0 CJ) Vl(l) D..r0..0 S-.11:1 U+J Vl CJ) (1) s.::-: >s.... '"0 ttl S::: ttl +> 4UiO . N ,.(..1..). ..0 ttl I- \.0 r--.. 0"1(1) r-..::.::. ttl \.0 (V) .<::::t . . . N 0"1 N ,...... _J <::::t N (V) r--.. 0 <::::t 0"1 \.0 0"1 N S-.'"0 N D.. ::::::1 c:(::E l.!) r--.. (1) 0"1 ..::.::. ,...... ttl N <::::t .r--.. . . . . l.!) <::::t \.0 _J (V) (V) 0 l.!) aJ l.!) >, (V) l.!) 0"1 (V) ,...... '"0 <::::t ::::I ::::::I 'J ::2: <::::1"(1) r--....::.::. 0"111:1 ,...... _J 0 \.0 . . . . . 0 N l.!) (V) co <::::t <::::t 0 >,-o 0"1 0"1 aJ aJ 0"1 (V) ttl ::::::1 <::::t =:::::::!:: (V) r--.. 0"1 (1) ..::.::. s.... ttl (1) _J ..0 0'"0 +.I ::::::I U:!: 0 (V) r--.. 0"1 4,...... 4- ::::::1 S....r(l)c:) ..0 0'"0 +uJo(:l:) 0 0"1 aJ (V) (V) . . . . . l.!) \.0 aJ 0 r--.. co 0 <::::t (V) co <::::t (V) aJ l.!) r--.. N . 0 aJ 0 (V) . . . aJ (V) l.!) \.0 r--.. l.!) r--.. l.!) r--.. (1) -s.... u ttl ..0 D.. -(1) 0s.... s.... u u c:( CJ) s.... s::: (1) '"0 ..0 s::: E ttl ::::::1 :z:: +> (/) ..C..i_~... 0.- (1) +> ::::::1 -ttl 0::: ttl > u +> LL.. c:( .0..._~... (1) ::::::1 ttl > :c+> c:( (1) -s.... u ttl ..0 V.-l LL.. (1) E ttl (..!:) 10 Table l. Checklist of fish species collected from the Suwannee River rotenone population samples, 1973 to 1976. Red Bluff Slough t1ud Lake Slough Taxa 1973 1973 1974 1975 1976 Le~isosteus ~lat_y:rhincus X X Amia calva X X X X X Esox americanus X X X X X Esox niger X X X X X Erim_y:zon ~ucetta X X X X X Min_y:trema melano~s X X X X lctalurus natalis X X X X X Ictalurus nebulosus X Ictalurus ~unctatus X X X Noturus gyrinus X X X X X Noturus ~e~tacanthus X X X Aphredoderus sa_y:anus X X X X X Fundulus chr_y:sotus X . < -~ Fundulus l i neola tus X X X X X Le~tolucania ommata X Gambusia affinis X X X X X Labidesthes sicculus XXX X Acantharchus pomotis X X Centrarchus macro~terus X X X X X Elassoma spp.* X X X Enneacanthus chaetodon X Enneacanthus gloriosus X X X X Enneacanthus obesus X X Lepomis gulosus X X X X X Le~omis macrochirus X X X X X Le~omis marginatus X X X X X Lepomis punctatus X X X X X Micropterus salmoides X X X Pomoxis nigromaculatus X X X Etheostoma fusiforme X X X X X Percina nigrafasciata X *Includes Elassoma evergladei and E. okefenokee 8 Bowfin Population Estimates Population estimates of bowfin using the adjusted Petersen mark- recapture method (Ricker 1975) were made on the Suwannee River from 29 October to 16 November 1973, 14 November to ll December 1974, and 4 November to 5 December 1975, respectively. The sample area each year was from the Okefenokee Swamp dike to U.S. Hwy 441 bridge (18 river miles). The area was divided into sections to distribute sampling effort for capture and recapture attempts. Bowfin were collected with electrofishing equipment, marked by fin clips, and released in the vicinity of capture. A week usually separated the periods of capture and recapture to allow population mixing. Effort was made to obtain sample sizes that would provide estimates within 10% of the true population with 95% confidence (Robson and Regier 1964). Data from previous studies on the Suwannee River are used in the findings and analyses. FINDINGS Rotenone Samples Red Bluff slough contained approximately 0.55 surface acres when the sample was taken in October 1973. The slough had a maximum depth of 6 ft with an average depth of 1.8 ft and was shaded by a cypr~s-tupelo gum overstory. Mud Lake slough ranged from 0.55 to 0.75 surface acres, varying according to river water level. Maximum depth was generally 8.0-8.5 ft. Average depth ranged from 3.0 to 4.4 ft. The slough was mostly open water but had a few scattered cypress trees. Thirty-two fish species were identified from the five rotenone samples on the Suwannee River (Table 1). Species collected represented 11 freshwater families. Four species - spotted sucker, Minytrema melanops (Rafinesque), channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), black 7 crappie, Po!i!()_x_i_s_ n_i_g_r_o~n_i:l__c_u_l_?_!:-_~ (Leseur) and black banded darter, p_er_c_i_n_a_ ni~3_f~~~ata (Agassiz) - were not previously recorded from the Suwannee River by Dahlberg and Scott (1971). Population data from the slough samples are presented according to Surber (1959) in the Appendix (Tables A-1 to A-6). Red Bluff slough had a standing crop estimate of 130.1 lb/acre (Table 2). Game fishes, primarily chain pickerel, ~s9~ nj~~r Lesueur, flier C~~!!~~5~~~ ~~~cop_!:-~!~~ (Lacepede), warmouth, L~omi_s_ _g_u_l_o_s_u~ (Cuvier), and redfin pickerel, tsox amer_icanus ~l!e~Jca_n_!J~ Lesueur, comprised 36.5% by number and 58.1% by weight of the sample (Tables 3 and 4). Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lac'epe' de), were not present. Bowfin and yellow bullhead, Ictalurus natalis (Lesueur), were the predo11li nant non-game species present. Bowfin rna de up 17.6% of the sample weight. Mud Lake slough had standing crop estimates ranging from 148.5 to 494.0 lb/acre (Table 2). The predominant game fishes by number and v1eight Here chain pickerel, warmouth, and flier (Tables 3 and 4). Game fish ranged from 20.9 to 38.1% by number and 8.0 to 41.9% by weight. Largemouth bass declined from 1.6% by weight in 1973 to 0 in 1976. Bowfin was the predominant nongame species by weight ranging from 40.8 to 80.4% with values around 80% occurring in 1974, 1975, and 1976 (Table 4). F/C ratios, At values, and A~ values (Swingle 1950) were tabulated for each sample (Table 2). The F/C ratios of 0.1 to 1.0 were indicative of a population overcrowded with ca~nivorous species. Harvestable size fish(At) made up 77-99% by weight of the samples. The harvestable game fish (A~) was from 34% to 57.3% in the 1973 samples but dropped sharply in 1974 to around 8% and stabilized at that level. The similarity of the Mud Lake F/C ratios and At and A~ values for 1974-1976 suggest a stabilizing in the fish population. The three samples were taken at different times of the year and at different water levels. 9 Table 4. Percent composition by weight of key species in rotenone samples from the Suwannee River, 1973-1976. Sj2ecies Spotted gar Bowfin Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Lake chubsucker Spotted sucker Yellow bull head Channe1 catfish Black crappie Flier Largemouth bass Warmouth Spotted sunfish Bluegill Others Red Bluff Mud Lake 1973 1973 1974 1975 1976 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.2 0.0 17.6 40.8 79.6 80.1 80.4 27.2 16.8 3. 1 5.3 8.0 6.4 1.1 ra 0.7 0.7 5.8 5.9 9.4 2.0 1.8 0.0 4. 1 2.6 4.0 2.7 14.8 2.8 0. 1 0.6 0.3 0.0 2.4 0.3 T 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.2 0.3 0.0 10.0 15.6 0.7 1.6 0.2 0.0 1.6 0.9 T 0.0 9.0 1.4 1.7 2.0 2.8 5.3 0.5 0.1 ~5 0.3 0.2 1.6 0.4 0.4 1.7 3.8 4. 1 1.0 1.4 1.2 a T = 1ess than 0.1 12 . -l-' J:: OH.O .-- r---. QJCJ) 3:rI r- (V) 10 r---. -l-' 0'1 Or-l-' -os..."' c QJ tO> .---.a.--: 0 LO QJ CJ)QJ r- c c "' 10 GJ3: r- ::J 0)(/") c .-- "' 3:Vl U")Q) .......... .-- 0. :::r:-l->E c::(OJ -l-' -l-'0 c::(S... .,_c: 0 Ol .-- ::J -l-'0 10 rI- Vl -U.....E.o LLS... 4- V"l' J:: Q)Vl J:: .-Vl4- .-- 4-QJ E 4-10 001 VlQJ Cl..rO..Cl I- 10 U-l-' Vl Ol QJ c> .-- I""010 c J:: 10 +> 4- U10 N QJ r..Cl 10 I- \.() r---. CJ)QJ r-..::,:. 10 \.() (V) .<:::t . . . N 0'1 N r- _J <:::t (V) 0 <:::t 0'1 \.() s...-o N r---. N 0'1 N 0. ::J c::(:::E: LO r---. QJ 0'1 ..::,:. r- 10 N <:::t .r---. . . . LO <:::t \.() >, _J r- -o (V) (V) (V) LO <:::t 0 LO ::2: <:::tQJ r---. ..::. 0'110 r- _J 0 \.() . . . . . 0 N LO (V) co >,-o <:::t <:::t 0'1 0 0'1 -l-' c::( r10 > :::r:+> c::( -QJ I- u 10 ..Cl J:: Vl LL QJ E 10 <.!:) 10 crappie, Po~i~o_x_i_s_ n_i_g_r_OJl~a_c_u_l_?_!:._u~ (Leseu r) and b1ackbanded darter, _P_e_r_c_i_n_~ nJ]I~_fa_~~ata (Agassiz) - were not previously recorded from the Suwannee River by Dahlberg and Scott (1971). Population data from the slough samples are presented according to Surber (1959) in the Appendix (Tables A-1 to A-6). Red Bluff slough had a standing crop estimate of 130.1 lb/acre (Table 2). Game fishes, primarily chain pickerel, E_so_x_ n_i_g_er Lesueur, flier _C~_n_t__r~_r_c_h_u~ ~ac_Y'_op_t~!'~2- (Lacepede), warmouth, L~mi_s_ g_u_l_o~_u2 (Cuvier), and redfin pickerel, _ssox amer_icanus _a_I_l~e__r:__ica_ll~~ Lesueur, comprised 36.5% by number and 58.1% by weight of the sample (Tables 3 and 4). Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lac~p~de), were not present. Bowfin and yellow bullhead, Ictalurus natalis (Lesueur), were the predominant non-game species present. Bowfin made up 17.6% of the samp 1e weight. Mud Lake slough had standing crop estimates ranging from 148.5 to 494.0 lb/acre (Table 2). The predominant game fishes by number and v1eight v~ere chain pickerel, warmouth, and flier (Tables 3 and 4). Game fish ranged from 20.9 to 38.1% by number and 8.0 to 41.9% by weight. Largemouth bass declined from 1.6% by weight in 1973 to 0 in 1976. Bowfin was the predominant non- game species by weight ranging from 40.8 to 80.4% with values around 80% occurring in 1974, 1975, and 1976 (Table 4). t F/C ratios, At values, and A~ values (Swingle 1950) were tabulated for each sample (Table 2). The F/C ratios of 0.1 to 1.0 were indicative of a population overcrowded with ca'rnivorous species. Harvestable size fish(At) made up 77-99% by weight of the samples. The harvestable game fish (A~) was from 34% to 57.3% in the 1973 samples but dropped sharply in 1974 to around 8% and stabilized at that level. The similarity of the Mud Lake F/C ratios and At and A~ values for 1974-1976 suggest a stabi- lizing in the fish population. The three samples were taken at different times of the year and at different water levels. 9 Table 3. Percent composition by nur11ber of key species in rotenone samples from the Suwannee River, 1973-1976. seecies Spotted gar Bowfin Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Lake chubsucker Spotted sucker Yellow bullhead Channel catfish Black crappie Flier Largemouth bass Warmouth Spotted sunfish Bluegill Others Red Bluff 1973 0.0 0.8 10.0 6.7 4. l 0.0 5.8 0.0 0.0 l 0. 3 0.0 6.8 2.4 0.3 52.7 1973 Ta 1.2 3. l 1.5 0.4 0. l 0.6 0.2 0. l 31.6 0.1 0.5 0.2 0.8 59.7 Mud Lake 1974 1975 0.0 0.3 45.6 6. 1 2.6 3.8 0.2 5.8 15.4 0.5 1.5 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.2 T 0.2 T 6.3 14.3 0.4 T 5.4 3.2 0.4 3.9 5.2 1.8 16.1 59.5 1976 0.0 4.7 3.6 1.7 2.7 0.4 0. l 0.0 0.0 l.l 0.0 14.9 8.2 2.3 60.4 aT= less than 0.1 ll Table 5. Estimates of fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates by period on the Suwannee River from 17 March 1973 to 2 July 1976. .~ ' .- ~. : Period Angler Total Catch Catch Rates Hours No. Wgt.(lb} No/Hr Lb/Hr l 17 March 23 March 648 906 907 1.40 1.40 2 31 March - 5 April 824 1329 1348 1. 61 l. 64 3 14 April - 20 Apri 1 687 1058 597 l. 54 0.87 4 28 April - 4 May 3960 9539 5845 2.41 1 .48 5 12 May - 18 May 3886 7594 4869 1. 95 1. 25 6 26 May - 1 June 6065 8179 4206 1.35 0.69 7 9 June - 15 June 1806 3038 1451 1.68 0.80 8 23 June - 29 June 2480 4569 2933 1.84 1.18 9 7 July- ll July 3460 l 0638 5090 3.07 1.47 10 21 July - 27 July 4098 11444 5023 2.79 1. 23 ll 4 August - 9 August 4610 5947 3166 1.29 0.69 12 18 August - 22 August 3108 l 0058 4208 3.24 1.35 13 l September - 7 September 3420 9075 4095 2.65 1.20 14 15 September- 21 September 4617 14281 8627 3.09 1.87 15 29 September - 4 October 3960 7474 3997 1.89 1. 01 . ~ '. . ..>, 16 13 October - 18 October 3744 7767 3409 2.07 0. 91 17 27 October - 2 November 1379 3809 2210 2.76 1.60 18 10 November - 16 November 879 1424 874 1.62 0.99 19 24 November - 30 November 1047 3012 1944 2.88 1. 86 20 8 December - 13 December 274 319 192 l. 17 0. 70 Total 17 11a rch 1973 21 December 1973 sx 54952 121460 64991 4966 12471 7194 2.21 1.18 1 2 March - 8 March 2535 1988 1804 .78 0.71 2 16 March - 21 March 849 849 928 1.00 1.09 3 30 March - 4 April 881 1510 ll90 1. 71 1.35 4 13 April - 18 April 1903 3513 2437 1.85 1.28 5 27 April - 2 May 1295 2554 2192 1. 97 1.69 6 11 t1ay - 15 May 2317 2407 1915 1.04 0.83 7 25 May - 31 f~ay 2904 4469 ~872 l. 54 0.99 8 8 June - 14 June 2754 4688 3232 1. 70 1.17 9 22 June - 27 June 2432 2342 1611 .96 0.66 10 6 July - 12 July 910 832 1367 . 91 1.50 11 20 July - 24 July 1720 2248 2412 1. 3. 1. 40 12 3 August - 9 August 1741 1994 1369 1.15 0.79 13 17 August - 23 August 846 314 823 .37 0.97 14 31 August - 4 September 1206 1560 1686 1.29 1.40 15 14 September - 20 September 679 1030 1519 1.52 2.24 16 28 September - 3 October 2027 1971 1604 . 97 0. 79 17 12 October- 16 October 351 586 518 1.67 1.48 18 26 October - 1 November 924 1047 642 1.13 0.69 19 9 November - 15 November 1339 2397 1599 1. 79 1.19 20 23 November - 28 November 1022 1842 1612 1.80 l. 58 21 7 December - 13 December 295 352 422 1.19 1.43 22 21 December - 25 December 686 1410 1015 2.05 1.48 Total sx 2 March 1974 3 January 1975 14 31616 41903 2883 4219 35769 2649 1.33 1.10 Table 4. Percent composition by weight of key species in rotenone samples from the Suwannee River, 1973-1976. Species Spotted gar Bowfin Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Lake chubsucker Spotted sucker Yellow bullhead Channel catfish Black crappie Flier Largemouth bass Warmouth Spotted sunfish Bluegill Others Red Bluff Mud Lake 1973 1973 1974 1975 1976 0.0 0.4 0.0 1.2 0.0 17.6 40.8 79.6 80.1 80.4 27.2 16.8 3. l 5.3 8.0 6.4 l.l Ta 0.7 0.7 5.8 5.9 9.4 2.0 1.8 0.0 4. 1 2.6 4.0 2.7 14.8 2.8 0. 1 0.6 0.3 0.0 2.4 0.3 T 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.2 0.3 0.0 l 0. 0 15.6 0.7 1.6 0.2 0.0 1.6 0.9 T 0.0 9.0 1.4 l . 7 2.0 2.8 5.3 0.5 0. 1 0.5 0.3 0.2 1.6 0.4 0.4 1.7 3.8 4. l 1.0 1.4 1.2 aT= less than 0.1 12 Table 3. Percent composition by number of key species in rotenone samples from the Suwannee River, 1973-1976. S~ecies Spotted gar Bowfin Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Lake chubsucker Spotted sucker Yellow bullhead Channel catfish Black crappie Flier Largemouth bass Wa rmouth Spotted sunfish Bluegill Others Red Bluff 1973 0.0 0.8 l 0. 0 6.7 4. 1 0.0 5.8 0.0 0.0 10.3 0.0 6.8 2.4 0.3 52.7 1973 Ta 1.2 3.1 1.5 0.4 0.1 0.6 0.2 0. 1 31.6 0. 1 0.5 0.2 0.8 59.7 Mud Lake 1974 1975 0.0 0.3 45.6 6. 1 2.6 3.8 0.2 5.8 15.4 0.5 1.5 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.2 T 0.2 T 6.3 14.3 0.4 T 5.4 3.2 0.4 3. ~ 5.2 1.8 16.1 59.5 1976 0.0 4.7 3.6 1.7 2.7 0.4 0. 1 0.0 0.0 l.l 0.0 14.9 8.2 2.3 60.4 aT= less than 0.1 11 Overall recovery of fish marked and released in four rotenone samples was 61.2% (Appendix, Table A-7). The percent recovery improved with each sample, 40.0% in 1973 to 82.1% in 1975. HovJever, due to the low number marked of most species represented, adjustments to the standing crop estimates were not made. Suwannee River Creel Sport fishery estimates of pressure, catch, and catch rate are presented in Table 5. The period 17 ~1arch 1973 to 6 July 1973 from Swanson and Holder (l974a) are included for presentation of creel estimates by calendar year. The estimates in 1976 represented only four months of the year. Fishing pressure was 54,952 man-hours ! 4,966 Sx in 1973, 31,616 man-hours ! 2,883 S~ in 1974, 49,105 man-hours 3,145 S~ in 1975, and 20,206 man-hours ~ 3,929 S~ in 1976. Catch ranged from 121,460 fish ! 12,471 Sx weighing 64,991 lb ~ 7,194 s~ in 1973 to 25,641 fish: 4,111 s~ weighing 16,664 lb! 3,056 s~ in 1976. Catch rates were highly variable for the respective years surveyed. The numerical catch rate ranged from 2.21 fish per hour in 1973 to 1.27 fish per hour in 1976. The catch rate by weight varied from 1.27 lb/hr in 1975 to 0.82 lb/hr in 1976 (Table 5). Total harvest, average weight, and catch rates for individual species are presented in Table 6. In all years, bullheads were the primary species caught by number. Bullheads and bowfin were the main species harvested by weight and generally made up 55% of the total catch. vlarmouth made up 24% of the total harvest by number and weight in 1973 but declined in the later years. Since 1973, spotted sunfish, Lepomis p_~~t~tu~ (Valenciennes), catches have exceeded those of warmouth. Channel catfish increased in the catch during the years surveyed. The catch of other species in the creel was low. 13 ~ WI 4-> ............... NMmmmq~mN~oo ~mNOOOOOOO~ MN~m~~~N~No qNOOOoo~oo~ 0~ :: n __J oooooooooo~ oooooooooo~ E 0 ~ u ~ ~MNqMq~qM~~ 0 q q N M ~ ~ ~ ('J M M 4- +-' :r: OMm~ooooooN Nm~NOOOOOOM ~ w u~o z o~ooooooooN oooooooooo~ > 0:: w w Mo~m~m~mm~q OqmM~~~Nmqm o~m~m~mmooOOM ~qqqMO~~mmoo c c NOOON~o~ooo N O O O N r - - O r - - 0 0 0 ~ 3 ::l U1 w +-' w c MNmm~~mNm~o OON~~~CO~OOMmO +-' u OmqqqMOqr--00 ooo~oo~moo.-.-o ~ ~qN c w 0 MN 0 0 0... Vl ClJ Nq~~mqm~m~q m~mMqOOOmqMm u ~OMr-MMMmNmm ~mO.-OOMmmM~q w N~r-~Mr-NOOm.-~ N~m~OOq~qNM~ 0.. Nqm ~ N~ N Vl NOMO~MmqMLD. 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Vl ~ ~~ ~ .-- Vl w ~+-'""000..~~~ c W .,.... _c ::s WE 0 +-' w c W ~ Wrc O'l ~ .-- ~+-'""0 0 0..~.-.- c W .,.... _c ::s 0 W -1-> E w c W ~ W c r- O'l ~ .-- +-':::::5 O'J +-' 0 4- +-' u w 4- ~ E +-> O'l.- n c w w ~ o o 3.-- ~ 0 ~ ~-o ~ ::l..C+-' ::s ~ o..~..c w..c~ +-> 4- ~ E +-> n O'l.- c w w ~ o o +-> 3.-- ~ 0 ~ ~-o ~ ::l..C+J ::s ~ o..~..c w..c~ (/) COC0:3:V)__JUC:::UCOOI- COC0:3:V)__JUC:::UCOOI- ~ 0 4- 0 M wVl ~ m +-' .-- Vl ~ ~ M ::l .m..... ~ mVJ ~~ :::::5 ~ -1-> ~ -o ~ .,.E... . .uC +-' ~ Vl ~ W::E m~0 ..c ~ w u .- co ~_c 'J~ rW r- _c u +-' ~ u . w o cO'l ~ ~ qO'l ~c m~ wVl -o N w ..c m .n w um +-' ~q ~ _c ~ u~ ~~ .:-:l u c ~ ~ ~m 1- 0 :E..._.. ~M :E..._.. 16 Table 5. Estimates of fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates by period on the Suwannee River from 17 March 1973 to 2 July 1976. Period Angler Total Catch Catch Rates Hours No. Wgt.(lb) No/Hr Lb/Hr 1 17 March - 23 March 648 906 907 1.40 1.40 2 31 March - 5 April 824 1329 1348 l. 61 l. 64 3 14 April - 20 April 687 1058 597 l. 54 0.87 4 28 April - 4 May 3960 9539 5845 2.41 1.48 5 12 May - 18 May 3886 7594 4869 l. 95 l. 25 6 26 May - 1 June 6065 8179 4206 l. 35 0.69 7 9 June - 15 June 1806 3038 1451 l. 68 0.80 8 23 June - 29 June 2480 4569 2933 1.84 l. 18 9 7 July - 11 July 3460 10638 5090 3.07 1.47 10 21 July - 27 July 4098 11444 5023 2.79 1.23 11 4 August - 9 August 4610 5947 3166 l. 29 0.69 12 18 August - 22 August 3108 10058 4208 3.24 1.35 13 1 September - 7 September 3420 9075 4095 2.65 1.20 14 15 September- 21 September 4617 14281 8627 3.09 1.87 15 29 September - 4 October 3960 7474 3997 1.89 l. 01 16 13 October - 18 October 3744 7767 3409 2.07 0. 91 17 27 October - 2 November 1379 3809 2210 2.76 1.60 18 10 November - 16 November 879 1424 874 l. 62 0.99 19 24 November - 30 November 1047 3012 1944 2.88 1. 86 20 8 December - 13 December 274 319 192 l. 17 0.70 Total 17 f1arch 197321 December 1973 sx 54952 121460 64991 4966 12471 7194 2.21 1. 18 1 2 March - 8 March 2535 1988 1804 .78 0.71 2 16 March - 21 March 849 849 928 l. 00 1.09 3 30 March - 4 April 881 1510 1190 l. 71 1. 35 4 13 April - 18 April 1903 3513 2437 1.85 1.28 5 27 April - 2 May 1295 2554 2192 l. 97 1.69 6 11 t1ay - 15 May 2317 2407 1915 1.04 0.83 7 25 May - 31 t~ay 2904 4469 2872 l. 54 0.99 8 8 June - 14 June 2754 4688 3232 l. 70 l. 17 9 22 June - 27 June 2432 2342 1611 .96 0.66 10 6 July - 12 July 910 832 1367 . 91 1.50 11 20 July - 24 July 1720 2248 2412 l. 3. 1.40 12 3 August - 9 August 1741 1994 1369 l. 15 0.79 13 17 August - 23 August 846 314 823 .37 0.97 14 31 August - 4 September 1206 1560 1686 1.29 1.40 15 14 September - 20 September 679 1030 1519 l. 52 2.24 16 28 September - 3 October 2027 1971 1604 .97 0. 79 17 12 October- 16 October 351 586 518 1.67 1.48 18 26 October - 1 November 924 1047 642 1.13 0.69 19 9 November- 15 November 1339 2397 1599 l. 79 1.19 20 23 November - 28 November 1022 1842 1612 1.80 1.58 21 7 December - 13 December 295 352 422 l. 19 1.43 22 21 December - 25 December 686 1410 1015 2.05 1.48 Total s:x 2 March 1974 3 January 1975 14 31616 41903 2883 4219 35769 2649 l. 33 1.10 Overall recovery of fish marked and released in four rotenone samples was 61.2% (Appendix, Table A-7). The percent recovery improved with each sample, 40.0% in 1973 to 82.1% in 1975. HovJever, due to the low number marked of most species represented, adjustments to the standing crop estimates were not made. Suwannee River Creel Sport fishery estimates of pressure, catch, and catch rate are presented in Table 5. The period 17 t1arch 1973 to 6 July 1973 from Swanson and Holder (1974a) are included for presentation of creel estimates by calendar year. The estimates in 1976 represented only four months of the year. Fishing pressure was 54,952 man-hours ! 4,966 Sx in 1973, 31,616 man-hours +- 2,883 Sx- in 1974, 49,105 man-hours +- 3,145 Si in 1975, and 20,206 man-hours ~ 3,929 Si in 1976. Catch ranged from 121,460 fish ! 12,471 Sx weighing 64,991 lb ~ 7,194 Sx in 1973 to 25,641 fish~ 4,111 Sx weighing 16,664 lb! 3,056 Sx in 1976. Catch rates were highly variable for the respective years surveyed. The numerical catch rate ranged from 2.21 fish per hour in 1973 to 1.27 fish per hour in 1976. The catch rate by weight varied from 1.27 lb/hr in 1975 to 0.82 lb/hr in 1976 (Table 5). Total harvest, average weight, and catch rates fol individual species are presented in Table 6. In all years, bullheads were the primary species caught by number. Bullheads and bowfin were the main species harvested by weight and generally made up 55% of.the total catch. Warmouth made up 24% of the total harvest by number and weight in 1973 but declined in the later years. Since 1973, spotted sunfish, ~om~ ~nctjtu~ (Valenciennes), catches have exceeded those of warmouth. Channel catfish increased in the catch during the years surveyed. The catch of other species in the creel was low. l3 Table 5. Continued Period 1 15 March - 21 March 1239 2059 2 29 March - 4 April 1349 2838 3 12 April - 18 April 2783 4091 4 26 April - 2 r~ay 2508 4095 5 l 0 May - 16 May 2486 5210 6 24 May - 29 May 2464 6325 7 7 June - 12 June 2990 6040 8 21 June - 27 June 5377 16378 9 5 July - ll July 4087 7744 10 19 July - 24 July 3249 6674 11 2 August - 8 August 1388 2086 12 16 August - 21 August 1971 3398 13 30 August - 5 September 2732 4644 14 13 September - 19 September 2278 7095 15 27 September - 2 October 2247 5481 16 ll October- 17 October 1535 2777 17 25 October - 30 October 2613 6950 18 8 November - 14 November 1652 3075 19 22 November - 28 November 2113 2995 20 6 December - 12 December 1279 1790 21 20 December - 26 December 765 1318 Total sx 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 15 t1arch 1975 2 January 1976 6 March - 10 March 20 March - 25 March 3 April - 7 April 17 April - 23 April 1 May - 7 May 15 May - 19 May 29 May - 4 June 12 June - 18 June 26 June - 2 July 49105 103063 3145 11721 2319 2234 2021 2222 1723 2209 5554 5754 2637 1850 1073 1488 1618 2717 1112 3410 2149 3757 Total Sx 6 March 1976 9 July 1976 20206 25641 3929 4111 1174 3021 2581 3544 3487 3430 3427 6578 4954 4933 1576 2348 2828 3907 3018 1446 3676 2229 2226 1186 622 62191 4701 1408 1278 1148 4043 1366 1257 2233 2001 1930 16664 3056 1.66 2. l 0 1.47 1. 63 2.06 2. 57 2.02 3.05 1.89 2.05 1.50 1. 75 1. 70 3.12 2.44 1.81 2.66 1.86 1.42 1.40 1.72 0.95 2.24 0.93 1.41 1.40 1.39 1.15 1.22 l. 21 l. 52 1.14 1.19 l. 03 1.72 1.34 0.94 1.41 l. 35 l. 05 0.93 0.82 2. l 0 1.27 0.96 1.10 1.28 l. 04 0.70 1.39 1.68 3.07 l. 75 0. 61 0.63 0.67 0.73 0.52 1.17 1.38 1.80 0.90 1.27 0.82 15 During 1973-1976, the total effort applied specifically to a partic- ular species decreased yearly (Table 7). In 1973, approximately 50% of the total pressure was for a particular species. Only 9% of the total pressure on the Suwannee River for the periods surveyed in 1976 was applied to a particular species. Effort for bullheads and warmouth decreased each year. Effort for channel catfish, however, increased each year except for 1976. Bullheads tended to have the highest fished-for catch rates. Holder (l973b) reported the surface area of the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp dike to the Georgia-Florida state line during within bank flows to be 337 acres (measurements from aerial photographs). Using his value, the total pressure in man-hours per acre ranged from 163.1 in 1973 to 93.8 in 1974 (Table 8). The 1976 values were not included because the survey period consisted of only four months. The total harvest per acre fluctuated from 360.6 fish weighing 192.8 lb in 1973 to 124.3 fish weighing 103.3 lb in 1974. The highest game fish harvest per acre by number was in 1973 (132.0). The highest game fish harvest per acre by weight occurred in 1973 (84.8lb). Tabulated data on weekend versus weekday pressure and catch and on methods of fishing are included in the Appendix (Tables A-8 and A-9). Okefenokee Swamp Creel t Estimates of fishing pressure, catch, catch rate, and trip length are presented in Table 9. The period 10 March 1973 to 29 June 1973 from Swanson and Holder (l974b) was also included to treat the data by calendar years. Fishing pressure ranged from a high of 79,186 man-hours ~ 7,097 Sx in 1974 to a low of 54,156 man-hours~ 5,096 Sx in 1975. Estimated number of fishing trips for the corresponding years was 20,455 ~ 2,363 Sx and 16,263 ~ 1,520 Sx respectively. Average trip length varied from 3.33 hr in 1975 to 3.87 hr in 1974. 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Species Game Fish Harmouth Spotted sunfish Largemouth bass Chain pickerel Redbreast Channel catfish Bluegill Sub-total Non-game fish Bowfin Bullheads Other Sub-total Total Angler hours 973 No. Wgt. ( l b) 85. l 47.3 22.6 8.7 4. l 8.9 6.0 7. l 2.3 1.8 6.5 8. l 5.4 2.9 132.0 84.8 9.8 216.8 2.0 228.6 360.6 163. 1 19.9 87.2 0.9 108.0 192.8 1974 No. ~Jgt. ( l b) 1975 No. Wgt.0b) 12.8 6.3 20.3 8.4 3.0 7.0 5.6 6.0 l.l 0.8 6.7 ll. 1 2.3 1.3 51.8 40.9 25.5 14.6 42.0 17.0 l .8 3.5 9.5 10.0 5.3 3.8 19.4 29.2 10.8 6.2 114.3 84.3 19.0 50.9 2.6 72.5 124.3 93.8 40.0 20.9 1.5 62.4 103.3 t 15.1 174.0 2.5 191.6 305.9 33.1 65.5 1.6 100.2 184.5 145.7 20 During 1973-1976, the total effort applied specifically to a particular species decreased yearly (Table 7). In 1973, approximately 50% of the total pressure was for a particular species. Only 9% of the total pressure on the Suwannee River for the periods surveyed in 1976 was applied to a particular species. Effort for bullheads and warmouth decreased each year. Effort for channel catfish, however, increased each year except for 1976. Bullheads tended to have the highest fished-for catch rates. Holder (l973b) reported the surface area of the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp dike to the Georgia-Florida state line during within bank flows to be 337 acres (measurements from aerial photographs). Using his value, the total pressure in man-hours per acre ranged from 163.1 in 1973 to 93.8 in 1974 (Table 8). The 1976 values were not included because the survey period consisted of only four months. The total harvest per acre fluctuated from 360.6 fish weighing 192.8 lb in 1973 to 124.3 fish weighing 103.3 lb in 1974. The highest game fish harvest per acre by number was in 1973 (132.0). The highest game fish harvest per acre by weight occurred in 1973 (84.8lb). Tabulated data on weekend versus weekday pressure and catch and on methods of fishing are included in the Appendix (Tables A-8 and A-9). Okefenokee Swamp Creel Estimates of fishing pressure, catch, catch rate, and trip length are presented in Table 9. The period 10 March 1973 to 29 June 1973 from Swanson and Holder (l974b) was also included to treat the data by calendar years. Fishing pressure ranged from a high of 79,186 man-hours ~ 7,097 Sx in 1974 to a low of 54,156 man-hours~ 5,096 Sx in 1975. Estimated number of fishing trips for the corresponding years was 20,455: 2,363 Sx and 16,263 ~ 1,520 Sx respectively. Average trip length varied from 3.33 hr in 1975 to 3.87 hr in 1974. Most of the 18 Table 6. Continued T o t a 1 Harvest Average Catch Rate Date Species No. Sx No. Percent Wgt.(lb) Sx Wgt. Percent \~gt.(lb) No./Hr Lb/Hr March 1975- Jan.l976 Bowfin 5077 1597 4.9 11155 3658 17.9 2.20 (4910S angler hours) Bull heads 58636 l 0527 56.9 22078 3445 35.5 0.38 Warmouth 8600 2363 8.3 4917 1433 7.9 0.57 Spotted sunfish 14139 5290 13.7 5742 2148 9.2 0.41 Largemouth bass 601 167 0.6 1182 350 1.9 1. 97 Chain pickerel 3208 971 3.1 3379 999 5.4 1. 05 Redbreast 1774 590 1.7 1294 436 2. 1 0.73 Channel catfish 6540 1158 6.3 9833 1565 15.8 1.50 Bluegill 3650 1482 3.5 2082 866 3.3 0.57 Other 838 421 1. 0 528 334 1.0 0.63 Total 103063 11721 l 00.0 62191 4701 100.0 0. 70 March - July 1976 Bowfin -...,J (20206 angler hours) Bullheads 1996 359 7.8 10314 1273 40.2 4184 731 25. 1 2.10 3888 496 23.3 0.38 Warmouth 3816 1459 14.9 2148 889 12.9 0.56 Spotted sunfish 5683 1235 22.2 2442 546 14.7 0.43 Largemouth bass 566 308 2.2 915 457 5.5 1.62 Chain pickerel 1386 576 5.4 1294 572 7.8 0.93 Redbreast 79 42 0.3 24 12 0. 1 0. 30 Channel catfish l 070 223 4.2 1438 275 8.6 1.34 Bluegill 594 359 2.3 297 18 1.8 0.50 Other Total 137 78 0.5 34 19 0.2 0.25 - 25641 4111 100.0 16664 3056 100.0 0.65 bT=less than 0.01 0.10 0.23 l. 19 0.45 0. 18 0.10 0.29 0. 12 0. 01 0.02 0.07 0.07 0.04 0.03 0.13 0.20 0.07 0.04 0.02 0.01 2.10 l. 27 o. l 0 0.21 0.51 o. 19 o. 19 0.11 0.28 o. 12 0.03 0.05 0.07 0.06 Tb T 0.05 0.07 0.03 0.01 0.01 T 1. 27 0.82 {~~-": " ' s:u z ['T'1 II -g ro Vl r...t... 3s:u rt ro s3:u: -lVlr::;:-; 0 -o s:u s:u () rtO -; -; ::J s:u rt (.Q 3 --'rtro 0 I ro 3 0.0 c rt c... 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OWU"'l'-JW 0\.0NCO--' __, . . . . . 0 .P. N N QQ").P.-....JO O.P.<.O<.OCO -0 w U"1 . . . . . 00-....JWCO OW-....JCON Vl -; [~ rt 0 Vl N"'O c... c r(..o.)... __, ro '< Vl . 0 z __, z ['T'1 (J"1 ['T'1 . 0 zwz ['T'1 .p. ['T'1 . . . DOW ZN-....JO ['T'1 (j) (j) (j) Ill . . .000 z (J"1 U"1 <.0 rT'1 N--' CO . . . . 0000 U"1 __, N -....J <.0 w .p. .p. . . . . --'000 N U"1 W (J"1 --' .p. W w . . . . NO--'N OW.P.-....J 0 U"1 N Q") . . . . NOD--' W-....J-....JO U"'l.P.CO-....J -z 0 ::r: (/') -;c () () ro r Vl O"'Vl ~~ <__.0, ."."."."..' .-...,J Vl (j) ::J ro 0.. I 0-"";""' 0 ~ rt ::J ro Table 9. Continued Period Fishing Angler Total Tri(2S Hours No. Catch Catch Rates Wgt{lb} NoLHr Lb/Hr No/Tri(2 LbLTri R 5 4 May - 9 May 2907 13494 27214 13748 2.02 1.02 9.36 4.73 6 18 May - 24 May 1582 8335 7534 4008 0.90 0.48 4.76 2.53 7 1 June - 6 June 1878 8132 16188 9412 l. 99 l. 16 8.62 5. 01 8 15 June - 20 June 796 2743 1950 1340 0.71 0.49 2.45 1.68 9 29 June - 4 July 750 2265 2695 1807 l. 19 0.80 3.59 2.41 10 13 July- 19 July 640 1814 605 718 0.33 0.40 0.94 l. 12 11 27 July - 1 August 527 2266 912 677 0.40 0.30 l. 73 l. 28 12 10 August - 16 August 486 1316 1117 1136 0.85 0.86 2.30 2.34 13 24 August - 29 August 265 1107 699 597 0.63 0.54 2.64 2.25 14 7 September - 11 September 440 1730 1385 1213 0.80 0.70 3.15 2.76 15 22 September - 27 September 430 902 207 168 0.23 0.19 0.48 0.39 N 16 5 October- 10 October 333 967 644 388 0.67 0.40 l. 93 1. 16 N 17 19 October - 24 October 478 1319 2439 1534 1.85 l. 16 5.10 3.21 18 2 November - 8 November 339 1167 1497 871 1. 28 0.75 4.42 2.57 19 16 November - 22 November 412 1166 1576 1319 1.35 l. 13 3.82 3.20 20 30 November - 6 December 527 1274 936 936 0.74 0.74 l. 78 l. 78 21 14 December - 20 December 294 788 1457 1007 1.85 1.28 4.95 3.44 Total sx 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9 March 1974 27 December 1974 ,. 8 March - 14 March 22 March - 28 March 5 April - 11 April 19 April - 24 April 3 May - 9 May 17 May - 22 May 31 May - 6 June 14 June - 20 June 28 June - 4 July 12 July - 18 July 20445 79186 108572 63077 1.37 0.80 5.31 3.08 2363 7097 20967 11433 425 1107 519 391 0.47 0.35 1.22 0.92 1210 2964 849 587 0.29 0.20 0.70 0.48 1002 3383 1310 817 0.39 0.24 l. 31 0.82 1462 6034 4906 2903 0.81 0.48 3.36 1. 98 1922 8684 8502 4989 0.98 0.57 4.42 2.60 1184 3525 6096 2580 l. 73 0.73 5.15 2.18 1334 4543 6479 4286 1.43 0.94 4.86 3.21 1182 3736 2594 1283 0.69 0.34 2.19 1.08 978 3480 4710 2683 1.35 0.77 4.82 2.74 712 2247 2611 2034 1.16 Oo 91 3.67 2.86 .. > c:_.:ol. r-os -1 0 rt _OJ. 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NOONOOOOOr-OOq~ O'>qOOO'>~r-NO~OO qN~r-Nr-r-NNNOr-MNMr-M M 000.--NNM..--NN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~~N~O'>qMQq~OOMONNOO~ M~~q~O'>~M~r-q0'>.-q00~0'> . . . . . . . . . . . NOr-~N~~O'>N~ N~MMqr--OOr--00~ O'>qOONMOr-NNMO.-~qM.-q ~ ..c z0 u +-' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . <0~ UI .............. NOO~O'>OOO~qOO'>O~~MqOO Oq,-qOOqMOO~~r-q,-~,-~N .c0o ~OqOO~Mqq~, MNNq~~O'>M~O'> 0 ..o . - o . - o o o o o o o o o . - o . - o . - 0 oooooocooo _~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ NOO'>r-O'>MO~MOM~~OO~q~ OO'>O'>~r-MqOO~OON~OONM~OO NO..--Or-0000000.-.-.-0.- . . . . . . . . . . OOOOOr-r-Or-r- OOOONO~OO~~~MOOOOq..--0'>~~ q0.-q0.-~MO'>r-~00M~r-MO ~OqMOO~~r-~Nr-M~OOMO'>O MqO'>.-.- mr-r~o~.M - oOr'o>rOo~rMoMro o:r: o: Mt M~OOO'>O'>~NN~O NqNq.-NN roo +-' z 0 f- ~ Vl Q) ~ r- :::::l eno !::I c:l: qqOOO~~N~O'>~~qO'>~~~~ r-MOO~O'>Or-r-O'>OOOqMO'>~M~ N~.-O'>~~O'>r-~MN~qq~O'>q ~~~r-N Nr-r- N q~NM~q~~~ON~O'>~~qOO O'>MMq~r--~r--OM0~..--~~~00 qM.-~NOONMr-~O'>O'>Mr-r-N~ MCOOONNr--Nr-r-r- r-r-r-r- en !:: Vl ..c.,.... Vl ~ .,.... f- LJ._ ~NOO~OO~~~OOMOOO'>N~q OOO~O'>~qNOO~qMM~Mr-NO'> O'>~OO~~~~qNqqMqMq~N N ..-- ..-- ~ ""' ~ ~ r~o0o'> ON O'>O'>O~N~O'>qO. r-q.-OOO'>~O'>r-r ~OOMO'>~Oq~~~ .-qOO~~NqN ~qMqq~M~O~ O~OOMOONqMOOq r-O'>MO~~~~qN r-NM~OOMqMMN ~M q~ qM ON N ~ONNNqqNOON N.-O~NOOMOO~r- qNOqO'>r--Mr--0'>~ r-- r- r- r- r-- r-- r-- ~ ~ Q) Q)..O ~ ~ ..OE QJ~QJ EQJ ~~..OQJ..O QJ+-'~QJQJE..OE +-' +-' +-' o.. QJ ..o ..o QJ E QJ ' VlVlCLQJ..OoE>QJU :::::l:::::lQJVlO+-'QJOUQJ Q) +-' en en Vl +-' u > z >,Vl:::::l:::::l ~uoo oQJ o ~ Q) ..0 ...c. .u.c r- .- .,..... u ~ .,.... ~ Q) >, !:: >,..-- :::::l c:l: c:l: r- N 0 ZN 0 >,QJ:::::lr-:::::len q N~N EQ) ~ro~o.. ro :::E o.. c:l: c>,.>, QJ :::::l ..-- :::::l -a Q) :::::l >,:::E :::::l 'J c:l:.- N <0 r:>O 0'> :::Eq Nq.-.- I I N~ tONOO I I I I ~ I I ~Q) I ~~~ QJ..O ~~Q)Q)Q) I U Q) q Cl ~ 0'> ~ :::E ro c:l: q <0 !:: 'J :::::l 'J >, :::E :::::l r:> qN.-N I I I I +-'+-'..0 E ~ Q) QJ..O..O..O ..-- N 0'> I I I I I VlVlEQJQJ..O..OEEE ..c ..-- I I +-' !:: QJQJ>,>,:::::l:::::lQJ+-'..OOEQJQJQJ >, QJ c c ..-- ..-- en en +-' o.. o +-' QJ > > u ..c u ..C U r- r- I Q) Q) >, u ~ .,.... ~ >, >, !:: !:: r- u 0 >,OOQJ ~ ,M~Oq N 0'> ~Oq ~r-r-r-Nr-Nr-N~N~r-Nr-Mr- 0'> N 0'> ~.-qOON OON~r-Mr-Mr-Nr- 0'> -a Q) 0 r- ~ <0 ..0 ~ +-' <0 Q) ~ ~ ~ 00 0'> 0 r- N M q ~ ~ ~ 00 0'> 0 r- 0 IX r- N M q ~ ~ ~ 00 0'> 0 f- ~ r--r-r-r-r--r-r-r--r--r-NN ~ ~ 22 Table 9. Estimates of fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates by period on the Okefenokee Swamp from 10 March 1973 to 26 December 1975. Period Fishing Angler Total Catch Catch Rates Trips Hours No Wgt(lb) No/Hr Lb/Hr No/Trip Lb/Tri p N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 10 March - 16 March 24 March - 29 March 7 April - 12 April 21 April - 27 April 5 May - 11 May 19 May - 25 May 2 June - 6 June 16 June - 22 June 30 June - 6 July 14 July - 20 July 28 July - 3 August 11 August - 16 August 25 August - 29 August 8 September - 14 September 22 September - 27 September 6 October - 11 October 20 October - 26 October 3 November - 8 November 17 November - 23 November . 1 December - 7 December 15 December - 21 December 527 1865 1497 1330 3230 805 938 2686 5348 1152 2937 2409 2530 12684 14485 1331 6309 16930 1975 7200 7782 927 2618 4776 515 1621 2084 993 3624 7844 914 3199 6162 786 2237 2475 406 1101 561 681 2164 1891 539 1742 4940 414 1798 3706 640 1780 2561 551 1734 4636 1388 4248 10068 448 1443 3180 66 255 617 1147 694 3080 1569 9435 9128 4140 2478 1088 4280 2887 1278 463 1451 3014 2318 1692 2473 6682 2043 375 0.80 0. 61 0.25 0.21 2.84 o. 61 1. 99 1.15 5.70 0.82 0.53 2.09 1. 14 0.74 5.73 2.68 1. 45 12.72 1.08 0.57 3.94 1.82 0.95 5.15 1.29 0.67 4.05 2.16 1. 18 7.90 1. 93 0.90 6.74 1.11 0.57 3.15 0. 51 0.42 1. 38 0.87 0.67 2.78 2.84 1. 73 9.16 2.06 1.29 8.95 1.44 0.95 4.00 2.67 1.43 8.41 2.37 1. 57 7.25 2.20 1. 42 7.1 0 2.4?. 1.46 9.35 2.18 0.52 3.28 1.36 3.73 6.86 2.10 2.67 2.11 4.31 3.16 1. 63 1. 14 2.13 5.59 5.60 2.64 4.49 4.81 4o56 5.65 Total sx 1 2 3 4 10 March 197328 December 1973 9 March - 14 March 23 March - 29 March 6 April - 12 April 20 April - 26 April 19051 66475 104751 61715 1. 58 0.93 5.50 3.24 2761 9828 15138 9232 1117 5317 10542 5879 1. 98 1.11 9.44 5.26 1639 4969 7748 4914 1. 56 0.99 4.73 3.00 1559 6177 7056 3832 1.14 0.62 4.53 2.46 3046 11938 14171 7573 1.19 0.63 4.65 2.49 .> ; ~ . Table 9. Continued Period Fishing Angler Total Catch CatcFi Rates Tri~s Hours No. Wgt(lb) No/Hr Lb/Hr No/Trip Lb/Tri p 11 26 July - 31 July 623 1899 1318 685 0.69 0.36 2. 12 1.10 12 9 August - 13 August 660 1816 1281 906 0. 71 0.50 1. 94 1. 37 13 23 August - 28 August 512 1314 953 644 0.73 0.49 1.86 1. 26 14 6 September - 12 September 422 1472 1242 878 0.84 0.60 2.94 2.08 15 20 September - 26 September 469 1376 1525 1001 1.11 0.73 3.25 2. 13 16 4 October - 10 October 516 1280 1807 1126 1. 41 0.88 3.50 2.18 17 18 October - 23 October 433 1595 1822 1507 1.14 0.94 4.21 3.48 18 1 November - 5 November 601 1723 1601 920 0.93 0.53 2.66 1. 53 N w 19 15 November - 21 November 20 29 November - 5 December 186 650 597 498 0.92 0. 77 3.21 2.68 243 686 669 578 0.97 0.84 2.75 2.38 21 13 December - 19 December 187 642 800 1024 1. 24 1. 59 4.28 5.46 Total 2 March 1975 26 December 1975 sx 16263 54156 52191 32320 0.96 0.60 3.21 1. 99 1520 5096 5575 4086 S.... +Q->) -:.r...:.. ro..o 0::: __J ..C. US.... +ro- ' :. .I. . .:. . uo :z:: N .-- .- =- .-- .-- 1..0.--C::O.--N<.DOOOO 0 0 0 0 0 0 <.0 oooooooooo l.() N .-MNCON.--LC>OOO<.D O M N O O O O OOm 0000000000 QJ...:::::. ~8 s.... Q)+-' c>::r:::::: . . . . . . . . . . M<.DN<::tCOCOCO<.DMN C) ('V) '.!) ('V) <.0 .-- ('V) l.() <::t <.0 NOOO.--.--OONO +c-' Q) u ql.()(J).--<::t<::t-0000 s.... .-- <. '-.1 (Y) .-- 0 Q) .0... +-' ('V)r--.(J).--('V)<::t<::t<.D<.D<.D <::tLC>(J)CO.--O<::t.--MCO .--NLC>.--('V)(J) 0 .-- .-- N <::t :r: +-' c Q) .-- u s.... ro OJ 0... +-' 0 0 1-Z lx (/) . .SZI (/) OJ u OJ (/) . . . . . . . . . . q('V)(J)N.--r--.0000 <::t ('V) 0 <::tLC>(J)Nr--.N.--<.D<::tU'") (J)<::tMGO<.D.--<::t.--r--. <::tLC>(J)LC>N<.D.-- l.() ('V) ('V) l.() mLC>r--.CO.--<::tr---r---<::t.-- LC>.--LC>mNr---<::to.--m N(J)LC>NCOCOM.-- .-- NNO.-- ('V) N N N LC> Vl ..c. Vl .-- Vl ro QJ.- ..os....4Q) c ..c.~ ::I Vl +-'UVl "0 ..c. ro +-' ::I o rCL -o ..---- c OJ ::I E QJ.- r- ..c. 0 s.... Q) c +-' O'l s.... .-- 4- .-- E OJ cn.- +-' OJ OJ ro 3: .-- s.... .- s.... ro o :::::1 ..c. +-' o :::::1 ro . - ro ..c. CL.-- +-' o C:OC:03:l.J....__lUV)C:001- Vl s.... l.() ::I r- r--.o +-' (J) ..c. t: u 0 s.... Q) . u .-Q)O'l 0 c 0 ro <.0 Q) ..c. l.() .-- Q) u .-- ..0 +-' S....<::t ro 1- ro 0 I'Ql.() ~ .......... 26 fishing pressure occurred between March and late June. Year 1974 had the highest catch (108,572 fish weighing 63,077 lb), although the 1973 catch was comparable (Table 9). The 1975 harvest figures were roughly half of the previous year's total. The yearly catch rates decreased over the three year period. The per hour catch rate in 1973 was 1.58 fish weighing 0.93 lb; in 1975 it was 0.96 fish weighing 0.60 lb. The catch rate per trip decreased from 5.5 fish weighing 3.24 lb in 1973 to 3.21 fish weighing 1.99 lb in 1975 (Table 9). The harvest, average weight, and catch rates for individual fish species are presented in Table 10. Warmouth and bullheads were the primary species caught. They accounted for over 83% of the number and 65% of the weight harvested each year. Bowfin represented 4% by number and 14% by weight each year. The catch of other species was low and varied yearly. The fishing effort applied specifically to a particular species was 64% of the estimated total fishing pressure on the Okefenokee Swamp in 1973 and 1974 (Table 11). Specific fishing pressure dropped to 44% of total effort in 1975. The fished-for catch rate in 1975 was about one-half the overall values recorded the two previous years. The fished-for catch rate of largemouth bass and warmouth decreased in 1975 while that of chain pickerel increased. Pressure and catch data by methods of fishing are included in the Appendix (Tables A-10 and A-11). Bowfin Population Estimates The estimated bowfin population decreased each year from 20,966 fish in 1973 to 17,832 in 1975 (Table 12). Proportional standard errors of the estimates were 8.5%, 6.4%, and 6.9% for 1973, 1974, and 1975, respectively. 24 Table 9. Continued Period Fishing Angler Total Catch Catcn Rates Tri~s Hours No. Wgt(lb) No/Hr Lb/Hr No/Trip Lb/Tri p 11 26 July - 31 July 623 1899 1318 685 0.69 0.36 2.12 1.10 12 9 August - 13 August 660 1816 1281 906 0.71 0.50 1. 94 1. 37 13 23 August - 28 August 512 1314 953 644 0.73 0.49 1.86 1. 26 14 6 September - 12 September 422 1472 1242 878 0.84 0.60 2.94 2.08 15 20 September - 26 September 469 1376 1525 1001 1.11 0.73 3.25 2.13 16 4 October- 10 October 516 1280 1807 1126 1. 41 0.88 3.50 2.18 17 18 October - 23 October 433 1595 1822 1507 1.14 0.94 4. 21 3.48 18 1 November - 5 November 601 1723 1601 920 0.93 0.53 2.66 1. 53 N w 19 15 November - 21 November 20 29 November - 5 December 186 650 597 498 0.92 0. 77 3. 21 2.68 243 686 669 578 0.97 0.84 2.75 2.38 21 13 December - 19 December 187 642 800 1024 1. 24 1. 59 4.28 5.46 Total 2 March 1975 26 December 1975 sx 16263 54156 52191 32320 0.96 0.60 3.21 1. 99 1520 5096 5575 4086 - Table 10. Estimates of total harvest, average weight and catch rates by species on the Okefenokee Swamp from March 1973 to December 1975. T o t a 1 Ha r v e s t Average Catch Rate Date Species No. Sx t1o. Percent vJgt.(lb) Sx vJgt. Percent Wgt.(lb) No/Hr Lb/Hr March - Dec. 1973 Bowfin 4393 1162 4.2 8746 2231 14.2 1. 99 0.07 0.13 (66475 angler hours) Bullheads 32898 8928 31.4 13279 4086 21.5 0.40 0.49 0.20 Harmouth 54403 11886 51.9 29442 6493 47.7 0.54 0.82 0.44 Flier 6097 2817 5.8 1982 926 3. 1 0.32 0.09 0.03 Largemouth bass 1470 492 1.4 2475 831 4.0 1.68 0.02 0.04 Chain pickerel 4784 1568 4.6 5321 1603 8.6 1.11 0.07 0.08 Spotted sunfish 226 138 0.2 58 33 0. 1 0.26 0.003 0. 001 Bluegill 346 214 0.3 231 128 0.4 0.67 0.005 0.004 Other 136 112 0.2 181 164 0.4 1.33 0.003 0.004 N Total 104751 15138 100.0 61715 9232 100.0 0.59 l. 58 0.93 (J1 March- Dec. 1974 Bowfin (79186 angler hours) Bullheads 5150 861 26331 6892 4.7 24.2 9254 1691 10489 2864 14.7 16.7 1.80 0.40 0.06 0.12 0.33 o. 13 Wa rmouth 62409 14176 57.5 32264 6904 51.2 0.52 0.79 0.41 Flier 3809 950 3.5 1344 365 2. 1 0.35 0.05 0.02 Largemouth bass 1152 294 1.1 2442 615 3.9 2.12 o. 01 0.03 Chain pickerel 4978 1089 4.6 5207 1219 8.3 1. 05 0.06 0.06 Spotted sunfish 4173 1026 3.8 1428 368 2.3 0.34 0.05 o. 18 Bluegill 372 106 0.3 284 98 0.4 0.76 0.005 0.004 Other 198 109 0.3 365 187 0.4 1.83 0.005 0.004 Total 108572 20967 100.0 63077 11433 100.0 0.58 1. 37 0.80 Table 12. Summary of bowfin population estimates on the Suwannee River from 1973 to 1975 using the adjusted Petersen method. Year Dates Number t~a rked Number - - - - tfum-5er Sampled t1arked Fish for t1arks Recaptured Percent Recaptured Bowfin Estimate Standard Error 1973 29 Oct. - 16 Nov. 1942 1337 123 6.3 20966 1786 1974 14 Nov. - 11 Dec. 2202 1836 214 9.7 18823 1203 ~ (X) 1975 4 Nov. - 5 Dec. 1702 1978 188 11.0 17832 1230 Table 10. Continued To t a 1 Ha r v e s t Average Catch Rate Date Species No. sx tlo. Percent ~Jgt 0 ( 1b) Sx ~~gt. Percent ~Jgt. Ub) No/Hr Lb/Hr March - Dec. 1975 (54156 angler hours) Bowfin Bullheads ~Jarmouth Flier 2259 494 22915 3545 20557 3939 1298 502 4.3 43.9 39.4 2.5 4577 1143 8255 1257 12847 2599 448 181 14 0 2 25.5 39.8 1.4 2.03 0.36 0.62 0.34 0.03 OJJ6 0.32 o. 11 0.28 o. 18 0.02 o. 01 Largemouth bass 821 207 1.6 1381 313 4.3 1.68 0.01 0.02 Chain pickerel 3874 662 7.4 4588 904 14 0 l l. 18 0.05 0.06 Spotted sunfish 347 111 0.7 130 44 0.4 Bluegill Other Total 107 14 52191 46 14 5575 0.2 0.03 100.03 60 34 32320 16 36 4086 0.2 o. 1 1oo. r 0.38 0.56 2.43 0.62 0.005 0.002 0.002 o. 001 0.001 0.001 0.96 0.60 N 0"1 Table 10. Estimates of total harvest, average weight and catch rates by species on the Okefenokee Swamp from March 1973 to December 1975. T o t a l Ha r v e s t Average Catch Rate Date Species No. sx No. Percent vJgt. (l b) Sx \Jgt. Percent Wgt.(lb) No/Hr Lb/Hr March - Dec. 1973 Bowfin 4393 1162 4.2 8746 2231 14.2 l. 99 0.07 0.13 (66475 angler hours) Bull heads 32898 8928 31.4 13279 4086 21.5 0.40 0.49 0.20 \~armouth 54403 11886 51.9 29442 6493 47.7 0.54 0.82 0.44 Flier 6097 2817 5.8 1982 926 3. l 0.32 0.09 0.03 Largemouth bass 1470 492 1.4 2475 831 4.0 1.68 0.02 0.04 Chain pickerel 4784 1568 4.6 5321 1603 8.6 l.ll 0.07 0.08 Spotted sunfish 226 138 0.2 58 33 0. l 0.26 0.003 0.001 Bluegill 346 214 0.3 231 128 0.4 0.67 0.005 0.004 Other 136 112 0.2 181 164 0.4 1.33 0.003 0.004 N Total 1047 51 15138 100.0 61715 9232 100.0 0.59 1. 58 0.93 (J1 March - Dec. 1974 Bowfin (79186 angler hours) Bullheads 5150 861 26331 6892 4.7 24.2 9254 1691 10489 2864 14.7 16.7 1.80 0.40 0.06 0.12 0.33 o. 13 Warmouth 62409 14176 57.5 32264 6904 51.2 0.52 0.79 0.41 Flier 3809 950 3.5 1344 365 2. l 0.35 0.05 0.02 Largemouth bass 1152 294 l.l 2442 615 3.9 2.12 0. 01 0.03 Chain pickerel 4978 l 089 4.6 5207 1219 8.3 l. 05 0.06 0.06 Spotted sunfish 4173 l 026 3.8 1428 368 2.3 0.34 0.05 o. 18 Bluegill 372 106 0.3 284 98 0.4 0.76 0.005 0.004 Other Total . 198 l 09 0.3 108572 20967 100.0 365 187 0.4 63077 11433 l 00.0 l. 83 0.58 0.005 0.004 1.37 0.80 .,::. :d~~.: .,:o-,:'1.. -l~~~~nr> Q::=J:= oc~uOJ~OJn rt ~ --' o , OJ > ~ OJ ~ ~ ~ >ro rrtt 3 o -::-l'<.rOo 1 ro OJ ro c o. rtu 3 o o o. ~ --' c ro (/1 (/1 n r t n c::l r"o ~ -+> >rr~ -(/-1' r~o (O/J 1<~.0 ~ (11CJ1 NNW~~"' -l~~~~nr> Q::sJ:: oc~OJ~~OJn rt ~ --' > c OJ > ~ OJ ~ ~ ~ r>o 3 o ro <.0 :-:-l'<.rOo 1 ro OJ c --' 3 rt ~u o o o. ~ ~ --' c ro (/1 nrtn r"o ~ >rr~ r~o (O/J 1"~' (11~ N N ~(Jl~~oo~ ~ I -lw~~~~nr> Q::sJ:: ro ooc~OJ~~OJn n rt :::E ~ --' > c OJ > ~ --' OJ ~ -+> --' ~ ~ >ro o 3 ro <.0 :-:-l'<.rOo 1 ro (/1 ::l ro OJ c --' rt ~-o 3 o o o. ~ ~ --' c ro (/1 nrtn r"o ~ >rr~ r~o(O/J 1"~' (flW N ~ ~ ~"'(Jl~~ooo -o ro >--' 0 O.:Z: (flC 3 :_::_E,. rror lrl") ~ 0 rrl-t, -+> QJ -r rj ~ ro or"o(r/r1nt r-+o> 3--' ::lQJ Ori" "roroo. ro ro ~-+> :::E-+> QJO 3> u rl" -+> OJ ) ::l oo. 3 (/1 ~ c ~ N 1 !->o+> rl" o nn Q3:J(/ro1 ) (/1 ::=:= n N w ~ oo ~ o CJ1 ~ ~ o ~~ ~ w N w w OJ ~ ::l ~rr ~ ~~ ~~CJ1~ ~~W~OCJ10 N~~OOCJ1~00 WNW~ CJ1CJ1 (.00000~~w~ ~N~~WON 00 CJ1~~ \.OW ~~~\.ON~CJ10 W~OOW\.0000\.0 ~ I ~ e0 rn >(/1 --++>> o ~ (.0(11 w~rUo n rl" --'. oro 0 ~ ~ 0 00 ~ 0 ~ ~ ) (/1 ONOO~N~ ONOOOWN OOOO~OOONO ~rl" N 0"\ -+> 0 0 ~~~W W 0 CJ1 00 ~ ~ 0 \.0 0 ~W N 0 ~N ~ Cl(-f-l' ro~ n ro roo. 3 I :z: rrro o-+> 0 ) ) o.w~ . o . o . ~ o CJ10NO~~o ~W~CJ10CJ100 ~w N ~ o o ~o~N 00~ ~0000~0~~ ~~ N ~ ~ o o N O N W N ~~ N~W~NOOCJ1 ~:-r : n )QJ rnl" ~ rrr :;o --'O \.O::l . ~ CJ1 rt ~ ro o~ooo~o o~~o o o ow~~o o o 1..(../...1....... rOJt w~\.Ooww~ OOW~~OOCJ1~ ~NO~ oow W~~CJ10N~ ~~o~~ ~N ~~~N~O~OO Iro )(11 F/C ."..T...l. (.Q s..:.:.:, 0 . 0 . 0 __. N . 0 w . . . . . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 +:> (J1 0"'> -....J co 1.0 0 ro . N __. 1.0 ...., ("") 3 "0 ("') rooOJO::Y 3 ::::l --'"0 QJ 0 0. ::::l s::: ::::l :J ~> < ........ t/) __. <.0 .QJrl-rtQJro __. ....... ...., oro ::::l QJ r...l..-.. 0 Vl ....... c0"o'> 3 ::::l ::::l 0 -t,VlO "Tl QJ-t, ......... 0"'> rl-3 ("') 1.0 ::y "0 rl- ro_.::y..., ro ro QJ -....J w 0 "0 rl- 0 ::E: VJ ....... "OOJS:::O S__:.::Vl::EQJ: QJ 0 -< ~ -....J QJ -'::::l ::::l r--l-':("::":)l:::r:ol 0. >;;o o_.ro::t:- :::IS:: rl-:::: -....J 0. :::0 N roo - r o - - ' < 0. < QJ -t, ro_. 0 r..o.., -t,...., 0 ...., . sr:o:: Vl w-....J QJ ::::l 0. 0ro . "..0..... --l- r:o:y -' ::::l rl- 0. ("") __. ::y S:::rt<.Oro ...., ....... 0"'> -'::::l ::::l (.Q CO-.+...>... (.Q ...., Vl rl-0 ::y C' ::y rl- ororo ::E: ::::l .-..t...,. ::::l 0 r::o::l .. -....J +:> -....J (J1 -....J 0"'> 0 __. 0 N 0 w 0 +:> (J1 0 c AH t Table 12. Summary of bowfin population estimates on the Suwannee River from 1973 to 1975 using the adjusted Petersen method. Year Dates Number Number Number Sampled t1arked Fish Percent t~a rked for t1arks Recaptured Recaptured Bowfin Estimate Standard Error 1973 29 Oct. - 16 Nov. 1942 1337 123 6.3 20966 1786 1974 14 Nov. - 11 Dec. 2202 1836 214 9.7 18823 1203 cN o 1975 4 Nov. - 5 Dec. 1702 1978 188 11.0 17832 1230 Table ll. Estimated effort and success by species fished-for on the Okefenokee Swamp from 10 March 1973 to 26 December 1975. Species Number of Effort Periods with Effort ~~an-hours % Catch Rates No/Hr Lbs/Hr March - Dec. 1973 Largemouth bass Chain pickerel Bluegill Warmouth Flier Bullheads Bowfin Total 18 4309 l 0. l 0.15 0.28 10 958 2.2 0.60 0. 77 l 40 0. l 0 0 21 33429 78.0 l. 22 0.67 5 493 1.2 4. 31 1.42 9 3568 8.3 2.23 l.Ol l 46 0. l 1.07 3.17 42843 l 00.0 1.22 0.67 March - Dec. 1974 Largemouth bass Chain pickerel Bluegill Warmouth Flier Bullheads Total 21 6512 12.9 0.14 0. 31 8 1530 3.0 0.81 0.82 l 43 0. l 0 0 21 40646 80.7 1.24 0.65 5 381 0.8 2.68 1.07 6 1282 2.5 3.08 1.24 50394 l 00.0 l . 14 0.63 ~~arch - Dec. 1975 Largemouth bass Chain pickerel Warmouth Spotted sunfish Flier Bullheads Total 19 4108 17.3 0.08 o. 14 6 556 2.3 l. 15 1.35 17 18405 77.6 0.60 0.38 3 168 0.7 0.05 0.04 2 34 0. l 4.26 0.94 2 471 2.0 3.03 l. 13 23742 l 00.0 0.57 0.38 27 :. ' . . .; -~- ~ :.~.- .'::. "\ ' ANALYSIS Several parameters were examined for detecting changes in the fish population in relation to changes in bowfin abundance. Spring and summer rotenone data from Mud Lake slough were used for reflecting population changes since they were collected before and after removal and included data from ~Jyatt et al. (1966) and (1967), Holder (l970a) and (l973c), and Germann (1973). Before removal F/C ratios were low (Figure 2). They increased in 1970 and declined in 1971. From 1971 to 1976 F/C ratios continued to decline. The A~ values showed a decline in the quality of the game fish population in 1972 after an increase in 1970 and 1971. Both of these parameters show that a change occurred in the fish population between 1967 and 1970 and that after 1971 the fish population reverted back to the original level. The spring samples in 1966 and 1967 had bowfin E values of 76.7 and 70.0%, respectively; the game fish E values were 13.4 and 16.2%, respectively (Table 13). The bowfin E values in the 1974-1976 Mud Lake samples exceeded the values reported before removal. The game fish values were either less than or equivalent to those recorded prior to removal To determine the fish species that may be causing these changes, %weight composition (E value) of key species in the spring and summer rotenone samples from Mud Lake slough from 1970 to 1976 were regressed against year. The hypothesis tested was B = 0 at P ~.05 where B is the slope of the regression (Snedecor and Cochran 1968). Warmouth and largemouth bass were the only game species to show a significant relationship and they were both decreases through time (Y = 14.5214- 1.2696X and Y = 25.3857 - 2.5671X, respectively). Bowfin and spotted suckers were 29 the only non-game species with significant changes and they were both increases (Y = 1.6243 + 7.5782X andY = 2.0343 + 0.5261X, respectively). Spotted suckers, even with the significant increase in E values, made up less than 4% of the standing crop estimates and are not an abundant species in the Suwannee River. Analysis of the standing crop values of bowfin and game fish showed somewhat different results than suggested by the E values (Table 13). The weight per acre of bowfin from 1972 to 1976 is lower than the standing crop estimates in 1966 and 1967. Though the bowfin E values from 1974 to 1976 exceeded the levels of 1966-1967, the weight per acre did not reflect increases of the same magnitude. The game fish weight per acre was about the same from 1966 to 1972 and then declined. However, the E values increased in 1970-1971. The difference in the game fish E values between 1966-1967 and 1970-1971 appears to be the result of the decrease in bowfin abundance. Also, the decrease in the game fish weight, principally warmouth and largemouth bass, from 1972 to 1976 accounts for part of the increase in bowfin E values during the same period. Analysis of bowfin population estimates (Figure 3) tended to agree with the standing crop estimates of bowfin in the Mud Lake rotenone samples (Table 13) and to a lessor extent with the E values. The 1967-68 estimate showed an initial high bowfin population. The 1969 estimate showed a lower population. Then from 1970 to 1975 the bowfin increased to around 20,000. The increase was considerable lower than the level indicated in 1967-68. Visual analysis of the confidence intervals in Figure 3 shows that the bowfin population from 1973 to 1975 is significantly higher than in 1969 (year of lowest estimate) and that the population has stabilized. Though the bowfin population estimates in Figure 3 correspond to the standing crop estimates in Table 13, they do not follow in the same 32 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 -u 0.5 LL 0.4 0.3 0.2 0. 1 7 \...... F/C "' \ \ \ \ A~ \ \ \ l ....... ......... ........ 50 40 30 :::::::-!-) < 20 10 0 0 1966 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 YE/\R Figure 2. Changes in F/C ratio and A~ values in the fish population of the Suwannee River. The 1968 rotenone mainstream sample was included for depicting the condition of the population before and during bowfin removal. 30 ANALYSIS Several parameters were examined for detecting changes in the fish population in relation to changes in bowfin abundance. Spring and summer rotenone data from Mud Lake slough were used for reflecting population changes since they were collected before and after removal and included data from ~Jyatt et al. (1966) and (1967), Holder (1970a) and (1973c), and Germann (1973). Before removal F/C ratios were low (Figure 2). They increased in 1970 and declined in 1971. From 1971 to 1976 F/C ratios continued to decline. The A~ values showed a decline in the quality of the game fish population in 1972 after an increase in 1970 and 1971. Both of ._.,.; these parameters show that a change occurred in the fish population between 1967 and 1970 and that after 1971 the fish population reverted back to the original level. The spring samples in 1966 and 1967 had bowfin E values of 76.7 and 70.0%, respectively; the game fish E values were 13.4 and 16.2%, respectively (Table 13). The bowfin E values in the 1974-1976 Mud Lake samples exceeded the values reported before removal. The game fish values were either less than or equivalent to those recorded prior to removal. t To determine the fish species that may be causing these changes, %weight composition (E value) of key species in the spring and summer rotenone samples from Mud Lake slough from 1970 to 1976 were regressed against year. The hypothesis tested was B = 0 at P 5.05 where B is the slope of the regression (Snedecor and Cochran 1968). vJarmouth and largemouth bass were the only game species to show a significant relation- ship and they were both decreases through time (Y = 14.5214- 1.2696X and Y = 25.3857 - 2.5671X, respectively). Bowfin and spotted suckers were 29 aJ c 0 c aJ +--> 0 1- 1a.J E E ::l l/1 -o c rd cO'l I- D.. l/1 E 0 1- 4- \,!) r--- rdO'l +--> .-- -rdo o +-) 0.. 0\.D 1-I.D u .O-'-l 0'1 c E -ro-s.0.. C4- rd +-)S... l/1 aJ _J:: > r- l/10::: r- 4-a.J aJ aJ c E c rd rd 0'13: -o (:/:)l c rd " l/1 c aJ r- .-- 4- 0.. 3: E Ord CCl l/1 . (Y) .-- .0 rd f-- aJ ::l . 7 N . . . . . f"-. 0 N (Y) (Y) I.D rd (Y) \,!) ~ \,!) r--- r--- 0 (Y) > (Y) (Y) w . 7 .-- f"-. <;;t- . . . . . . N O'l ~ f"-. ~ f"-. f"-. N 1.D (Y) (Y) N c sa..J. r--- r- r-- u "c"O+r-d).e...l..:.:.. O'l r--- rdO+-) +-) (/) f-- ::O::'l . . . . . . . O'l N I.D O'l O'l co ,...... ~ r--- O'l ,...... (Y) cN o r--.. (Y) co 7 r--- (Y) _J::a.J l/1 .-- .,.... .0 aJ LL.. rd 1- N +-) U N a.Jlflel:: Ea.J-....... rd>O t.!JI-:Z: rd I N ~ N 7 \,!) ~ ..-s.a.J. ~ \,!) 0 O'l 0 0 \,!) ~ \,!) 7 ,...... ~ 7 O'l O'l r--- rdU (Y) f"-. '<:t- N N 0 f"-. +o--).C...l.:.:. " " " f - -z0: aJ ::l ,...- >rd . . . . . . r--- 0 .co 0 . N I.D 7 \,!) r--.. 0 f"-. r--- N co ~ O'l \,!) O'l r--- c0 o c0 o w .-,c.o... c aJ ~ u ct: .O'l co ,...... ~ ~ . . . . . . ~ 0 0 \,!) c0 o N ,...... (Y) (Y) (Y) O'l (Y) \,!) O'l ,...... rd -.......7 \,!) N (Y) (Y) (Y) N +-) .0 (/) _J .,c.... 43: as.J.. (Y) 7 ~ N 0 u 7 7 (Y) 0 CCl ct: N (Y) ......... :0z: fc"o-. ,0...... ~ 0 ~ N N .,.... .,.... s... 0.. aJ ct: +-) rd O'l ,...... O'l ,...... 0 N N N 31 proportion. It is likely that the original estimate is an over-estimate. Only 250 bowfin were marked when the first estimate was made (\lyatt et al. l968b). Also the estimate was over a six month period. ~~arked bowfin could have moved downstream out of the area during the period of the estimate and, if so, would have resulted in an overestimate. If we assume that the rotenone standing crop estimates in Mud Lake slough are an index of bowfin abundance in the river, we can get another measure of the bowfin population level in 1968 by comparing differences in the bowfin weight per acre from 1972-76 to those in 1966-67. The mean weight per acre in the Mud Lake rotenone samples from 1972-1976 (327.2 lb/acre) was 41% lower than the 1966-67 mean weight per acre '. -,. (555.0lb/acre)o Applying this value to the bowfin population estimates, the original bowfin population would be 1.69 times the mean of the estimates from 1972 to 1975. This becomes 33,710 bowfin. Regardless of which estimate is used (original or adjusted) for reflecting bowfin abundance, the bowfin population from 1973 to 1975 is less than the level indicated in 1967-68. Data on changes in catch per unit effort (CPUE) of bowfin by electrofishing during the period of the population estimates were also examined (Table 14). The CPUE in 1967-68 at the time of the i~tial population estimate was 121 fish/hr weighing 231.3 lb. It dropped to around 27 fish/hr in 1969 and 1970 and then gradually increased, except for the high increase in 1974 that approached the 1967-68 CPUE values. The CPUE values generally corresponded with the other parameters for reflecting bowfin abundance. Sampling efficiency improved in 1973 from modifications in electrofishing assembly and replacement of the voltage booster. One other variable affecting the CPUE values was water level. The 1974 CPUE reflects this influence since water flows during that period were lower 34 the only non-game species with significant changes and they were both increases (Y = 1.6243 + 7.5782X andY = 2.0343 + 0.5261X, respectively). Spotted suckers, even with the significant increase in E values, made up less than 4% of the standing crop estimates and are not an abundant species in the Suwannee River. Analysis of the standing crop values of bowfin and game fish showed somewhat different results than suggested by the E values (Table 13). The weight per acre of bowfin from 1972 to 1976 is lower than the standing crop estimates in 1966 and 1967. Though the bowfin E values from 1974 to 1976 exceeded the levels of 1966-1967, the weight per acre did not reflect increases of the same magnitude. The game fish weight per acre was about the same from 1966 to 1972 and then declined. However, the E values increased in 1970-1971. The difference in the game fish E values between 1966-1967 and 1970-1971 appears to be the result of the decrease in bowfin abundance. Also, the decrease in the game fish weight, principally warmouth and largemouth bass, from 1972 to 1976 accounts for part of the increase in bowfin E values during the same period. Analysis of bowfin population estimates (Figure 3) tended to agree with the standing crop estimates of bowfin in the Mud Lake rotenone samples (Table 13) and to a lessor extent with the E values. The 1967-68 estimate showed an initial high bowfin population. The 1969 estimate showed a lower population. Then from 1970 to 1975 the bowfin increased to around 20,000. The increase was considerable lower than the level indicated in 1967-68. Visual analysis of the confidence intervals in Figure 3 shows that the bowfin population from 1973 to 1975 is significantly higher than in 1969 (year of lowest estimate) and that the population has stabilized. Though the bowfin population estimates in Figure 3 correspond to the standing crop estimates in Table 13, they do not follow in the same 32 Table 13. Bowfin and game fish standing crop data from spring and summer Mud Lake slough rotenone samples, Suwannee River from 1966 to 1976. Bowfin Standing Crop _____ Game Fish Standing CroQ Total Harvestable Total Harvestab-le Date No/Acre Lb/Acre E Value No/Acre No/Acre LJgt/ Acre vJgt/ Acre E Value 11 t1ay 1966 243 458.9 76.7 365 122 79.7 74.3 13.4 9 May 1967 344 651 . 1 70.0 790 174 151.9 141 4 16.2 21 t~ay 1970 35 80.5 27.8 1,400 199 97.2 72.2 35.7 w__. 29 Apri 1 1971 102 212. 1 58.0 256 152 131 6 129.3 36.0 10 May 1972 187 333.1 69.2 1 '245 142 82.9 65.6 17. 2 23 May 1974 210 393.0 79.6 96 65 37.9 37.1 7.3 2 July 1975 205 363.0 80.1 1 ,094 111 48.8 35.6 10.3 21 April 1976 . 115 219.6 80.4 771 52 37.3 27.2 13.6 70 60 50 (V') .0-- w w X 30 ~ QJ ..0 E :::::l z: I 20 -1 T I I I f I I f f 10 t 0 1967-68 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 YEAR Figure 3. Plot of yearly bowfin population estimates ~ 2 standard errors in the Suwannee River including data for 1967-68-1972 from Holder(l973a) with current data. than when the estimates were made in 1973 and 1975. The data on the fish population (F/C ratios, A~ values, E values, standing crop estimates, bowfin population estimates, and CPUE values) show that changes occurred in the Suwannee River fish population following removal. The analysis further shows that the bowfin population has increased substantially following removal; however, the various parameters of bowfin abundance do not show the same level of increase. The analysis of the fish population shows that a decline has occurred in the game fish population, principally in warmouth and largemouth bass. Though this decline seems to be inversely related to bowfin abundance, the data on game fish standing crop suggest that the game fish population did not improve following removal and that the game fish decline is not the result of bowfin increases. Creel data on the Suwannee River and the Okefenokee Swamp for years 1969-75 were examined to determine changes in the sport fishery that would be related to bowfin abundance. Data from Swanson and Holder (l974a and b) were included in this analysis. The Suwannee River sport fishery fluctuated yearly (Table 15). The total number and total weight caught in the Suwannee River were regressed against fishermen effort to determine if fishing e-rt"ort was causing the yearly fluctuations (Table 16). The relationships were significant (B = oat p s.05). As fishing pressure increased, the number and pounds of fish caught increased. This shows that the fluctuations in the creel were not from the fishery being depleted from increased fishing pressure. Anglerhours regressed against years was not a significant relationship, indicating no trend in fishing pressure through time. The 1975 catch rate of 2.1 fish/hr weighing 1.27 lb (Table 15) was comparable to the 2.29 fish/hr weighing 1.16 lb in 1970. The only 36 proportion. It is likely that the original estimate is an over-estimate. Only 250 bowfin were marked when the first estimate was made (lJyatt et al. 1968b). Also the estimate was over a six month period. Marked bowfin could have moved downstream out of the area during the period of the estimate and, if so, would have resulted in an overestimate. If we assume that the rotenone standing crop estimates in Mud Lake slough are an index of bowfin abundance in the river, we can get another measure of the bowfin population level in 1968 by comparing differences in the bowfin weight per acre from 1972-76 to those in 1966-67. The mean weight per acre in the Mud Lake rotenone samples from 1972-1976 (327.2 lb/acre) was 41% lower than the 1966-67 mean weight per acre (555.0lb/acre)o Applying this value to the bowfin population estimates, the original bowfin population would be 1.69 times the mean of the estimates from 1972 to 1975. This becomes 33,710 bowfin. Regardless of which estimate is used (original or adjusted) for reflecting bowfin abundance, the bowfin population from 1973 to 1975 is less than the level indicated in 1967-68. Data on changes in catch per unit effort (CPUE) of bowfin by electrofishing during the period of the population estimates were also examined (Table 14). The CPUE in 1967-68 at the time of the initial population estimate was 121 fish/hr weighing 231.3 lb. It dropped to around 27 fish/hr in 1969 and 1970 and then gradually increased, except for the high increase in 1974 that approached the 1967-68 CPUE valueso The CPUE values generally corresponded with the other parameters for reflecting bowfin abundance. Sampling efficiency improved in 1973 from modifications in electrofishing assembly and replacement of the voltage booster. One other variable affecting the CPUE values was water level. The 1974 CPUE reflects this influence since water flows during that period were lower 34 70 60 50 (V') 0 r- w w >< s... 30 Q) .0 E ::l z: I 20 -1 f -t T I I I I I f 10 t 0 1967-68 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 YEAR Figure 3. Plot of yearly bowfin population estimates ~ 2 standard errors in the Suwannee River including data for 1967-68-1972 from Holder(l973a) with current data. Table 14. Dates Bowfin catch per unit effort by electrofishing in the Suwannee River during the period of the population estimates from November 1967 to December l975.a Hrs/Effort ----- Number vJgt (1b) C PUE No/hr Lb/hr 2 Nov. 67 - May 68 94.5 ll '392 21,859.4 120.6 231.3 22 Jan. 69 - 13 Feb. 69 18.5 508 1,117.6 27.4 60.4 9 Nov. 70 - 29 Nov. 70 33.9 935 2,131.8 27.6 62.9 ll Dec. 72 - 9 Jan. 73 21.2 764 l ,680.8 36.0 79.3 29 Oct. 73 - 16 Nov. 73 29.0 l '337 3,315.8 46. l 114. 3 2 Dec. 74 - ll Dec. 74 18.6 1,836 4,333.0 w ()1 2 Dec. 75 - 5 Dec. 75 34.3 l '978 4,905.4 98.7 233.0 57.7 143.0 a The 1971 estimates are not included since they were made with gill net sampling. l.Cl 0 VI II co .-- (1) o:::. ttl 3:+.> ::::J Vl+J c a c uttl .-- '"04- (1).,...- 0.c ..0..-0.1- .- ttl-o ::::JC CJ.-- (1) .::. CVl 0.-- .-- S- Vl 0 c .-- .ttl u ....- .-- (1)4S-4- s... < >< .>..<.- >< >< 00 "M'" l.Cl "'" 0 M N N N N 0'1 ....- + + - >- >- >- >- Vl Vl S- S- ::::J ::::J :0r: :0r: S- S- (1) - - >- 0 0 0 +> +> 0 +> +> +> +> +> ..c:: ..c:: Vl ..c:: 01 01 S- 01 c ::::J ::::J ::::J ::::J 0 ttl ttl 0 ttl u u :r: u Vl Vl S- +> S- S- < >< M <:::1" ,....... 0 0 0 >< >< . . . . 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 0,...'.1... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + + 0'1 M .0'1 0'1 0 ,....... 0 0 0'1 ~ 0'1 II II II II >- >- >- >- S- o 4- ,..<..l..J. ..0 ttl .-- Vl Vl S- S- ::::J ::::J 0 0 :r: :r: S- S- ,..(.1...). ,..<..l..J. S- S- 01 01 ttl ttl c c::t: c c::t: - - +0 > +0 > 0 +> 0 +> S- -::::J 0 :r: S ..c:: S- -::::J 0 :r: S(1) -S- ::::J 0 :r: +> ..c:: .E.0 01 .- ..0 E 01 II ::::J :z: -w......! -......! N -......! ---' -......! 0 0"1 1..0 OJ """l -0'" (./') CD :::::5 0 rl- )::> .CJ1 () 0 I +::> w CJ1 w ---' +::> ---' :::::5 (.Q ---' CD 1..0 ---' +::> 0"1 1..0 CJ1 ---' """l CD () rlCD 0.. I ---' 0"1 1..0 N 0"1 CJ1 N 0 ---' CJ1 ---' ---' 0"1 1..0 CJ1 0"1 N CJ1 0"1 -......! N ::c c0:: """l (./') O.."""i OJOJ (./) c:: rl-rl-3 OJCD 3 (./') OJ -;, """l O ' <"""l 0 :::::5 3 0 rl- -;, 0 w 0 0w"1 +::> ---' 1..0 0 w N ---' +::> 0"1 0 CJ1 CJ1 c0"o1 N w 1..0 -......! +::> 1..0 0 +w::> CJ1 -......! ---' co-......! 0 tJ1 I? d rlOJ ---' (./) ::::; ::E: coco OJ (./') :::::5 (./) rl- V'>C:: -' 0 ::E: 3 :::::5 OJ OJ :::::5 rl- OJ :::::5 CD :::::5 CD (./') o..ro w -......! I ~~~ .a """l ::c :;:o 0 :::::5 0 -' ---' < -;, 0"1 w 0"1 +::> N CJ1 N +::> +::> N 0 N ---' 1..0 -......! 0"1 1..0 1..0 1..0 ---' N 0"1 1..0 -w......! 0 0"1 -w......! I I I I I rl-< ~ O..CD -' CD """l (./') """l ::::; -;, -' .......... """l :::::5 ---' 0 (.Q OJ 1..03 -......! "0 . N ---' 0 .---' w w . N N ---' .---' CJ1 +::> . N 0 w . N N 1..0 .---' CcJo1 10:z n = nOJ - rl"""l ::::; +==>---'"""l .OJ <..OCD ___.. 0"1 Vl :: ---'"""i <..OCD -......! .. 0 () -'OJ :::::5 rl- () () ---' ::::; c:: .. . . . . ---' ---' ---' N ---' ---' ---' 0 ---' -......! 0 co -......! 0"1 0"1 I I I I I'O'"OJ -:::::: Cr:;Dl:o- OJ """l 0.. -'OJ :::::5 :::::5 (.Q 0.. () OJ rl- () ::::; ... ~- ' Table 17. Summary of pounds creeled in the Suwannee River from 1970 to 1975a. Species 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 Bowfin Bullheads 4846 5982 13646 6692 13478 9971 7639 9167 29390 7028 Warmouth 23952 2371 7062 15933 2123 Spotted sunfish 4470 319 3644 2940 2821 Largemouth bass 3420 1411 3271 3016 2343 Chain pickerel 3193 Redbreast sunfish 996 Channel catfish 244 Bluegill 808 Other 773 Total 52673 2076 252 328 316 36 20730 2569 1391 566 513 440 42269 2403 595 2734 973 315 64991 2012 258 3747 449 510 34769 t a 1969 is not included since no weight data were collected. 11155 22079 4917 5742 1182 3379 1294 9833 2082 528 62191 40 .----.. LCl 0 VI II co r-(1) (1) s.... u r-1 0'> \.0 0'> s.... (1) > c::. (1) QJ:::::s QJ...- C C r>o rtl 3:+-> :::::s (/)+-' c cro ou -o4= (1).,0..c 00) r- r- (1)!11 > QJro ""0 V1 Vl(l) C+-' or-ruo +-' rrti""' :::::sc O"r(1) .::.L. CV1 0.r- s.... Vl(l) Vl+-' QJ!/1 s....ro 0) (l)C C::c::( . \.0 (1) - +-' 0 \.0 +c-' (1) ""0 r- . .N 0'> :::::s +-' co N q LCl . N 0'> 0 (/) C+-' 0 c r- (1) +-' ....... rtl u r - ....... (1)4-S-4-s.... (1) u 0 u0 co LCl LCl LCl q q r--. (V) . . . . . LCl 0'> co r- LCl 0'> 0'> L.Cl q (V) 0 0 0 .0 0 >< >< >< r- q >< 0 >< LCl 0 0 ..q- (V) (V) N N N N 0'> r- q LCl N + co + N r--. (V) q + (V) + 0'> (V) 0'> 0 \.0 N N \.0 r--. co + co \.0 (V) q ...0 .\.0 r--. r--. r--. q 0'> 0 r- \.0 N LCl N II II II II II >- >- >- >- >- V1 V1 s.... s.... :::::s :::::s :0r: :0r: s.... s.... (1) (1) r- s.... s.... O'l O'l s.... rtl rtl c c c::t: c::t: rtl (1) (1) (1) >- >- >- 0 0 0 +-' +-' 0 +-' +-' .+s::-:'. .+s::-:'. V1 .+s::-:.' O'l O'l s.... O'l c :::::s :::::s :::::s :::::s 0 rtl u rtl u :0r: rtl u V1 V1 (1) s.... (1) .+s::-:.' s.... (1) s.... (1) s.... c(1::) ..0 E z:::::s O'l rO'l ..0 E (1) 3 c c::t: z:::::s (1) 3 LCl q LCl q +: r-- co 0 N . . LCl q r--. N 0 r--. (V) co co N (V) \.0 N . . . . \.0 0 (V) 0 LCl co 0 LCl 0 0 0 0 >< >< (V) .q- r- 0 0 0 >< >< 0 0 \.0 0'> . . . . 0 0 0 r-- 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + + 0'> (V) .0'> 0'> 0'> 0'> r-- 0 0 II II II II >- >- >- >- V1 V1 s.... s.... :::::s :::::s 0 0 :r: :r: s.... s.... (1) (1) r- s.... s.... O'l O'l rtl rtl c c::t: c c::t: (1) >- (1) >- 0 +-' -s.... :::::s :0r: s.... (1) ..E0 :::::s z 0 +-' -s.... :::::s :0r: .+s::-:'. O.-'l (1) 3 0 +-' -s.... :::::s :0r: s.... (1) ..0 E z::J 0 +-' s.... -::J :0r: .+s::-:'. O'l r(1) 3: . 0'> \.0 0'> s.... 0 4-- (1) r-..0 rtl r- rtl > rtl +-' 0 c (1) s.... (1) 3: rtl +-' -rotl .+s::-:'. O'l r(1) 3: II rtl 38 ~\1;",' . ... :: Table 15. Summary of estimates on fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates on the Suwannee River from 1969-1970 including data from Swanson and Holder (l974a). Year Angler Hours Total Harvest No. ~Jgt. {lb} Catch No/llr Rate Lb/Hr 1969 11292 17805 a l. 58 a ., ~! 1970 45567 l 04357 52673 2.29 l. 16 1971 19616 39749 20730 2.03 1.06 1972 36215 55682 42269 1.54 1.17 1973 54952 121460 64991 2. 21 1.18 1974 31616 41903 34769 l. 33 l. l 0 1975 49105 103063 62191 2. l 0 1.27 a Was not collected 37 significant catch rate relationship in the Suwannee River was weight per hour regressed on angler hours. Bass and Hitt (1973) reported a catch rate of 1.77 fish/hr for the lower Santa Fe River in Florida. Holder and Ruebsamen (1976) cited per hour catch rates for the upper and lower Satilla River in Georgia as 0.71 fish weighing 0.28 lb and 0.72 fish weighing 0.42 lb, respectively. Ober (1977) found that the per hour catch rates in the upper Flint River, Georgia was 0.60 fish weighing 0.63 lb. Pasch and McSwain (1974) reported a catch rate of 1.01 fish/hr weighing 0.38 lb in the lower Flint River. The catch rates for the Suwannee River have exceeded all these values. Visual observations of changes in the catch by weight through time show that species catches varied yearly (Table 17). Warmouth appeared to be less dominant in the creel. Bullheads are now the dominant species and spotted sunfish and channel catfish are becoming more prominent. The only species to exhibit a significant change from 1970 to 1975 is channel catfish (Figure 4). The relationship Y = 10,026.95 + l724.77X was a trend of increase through time and was significant (B = 0 at P s.05). It is apparent that several of the more abundant species in the creel were not abundant in the rotenone slough samples. Since 1973 channel catfish and spotted sunfish have never comprised more than 3% of the game species weight in rotenone samples at Mud Lake (Table 4.) Yellow bullhead never exceeded 2.8% of the population weight. During this same interval these three species have collectively averaged 70% by number and 53% by weight of the river creel estimates. The slough samples apparently are not representative of the abundance of these species in the Suwannee River. Graphical analysis of the pounds of game fish, bullheads, and bowfin was made to compare yearly changes between these categories (Figure 5). 39 70 - 60 50 40 30 + 20 -t 10 t GA~1E FISH t AND BULLHEADS 40 30 0 0 0 20 >< 10 .....C.-l t +> ~ en 60 r- Q) :2: 50 f BULLHEADS t + GM1E FISH 40 30 20 t t t t + 10 + 20 f 10 + +t + +BOWFIN 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 YEAR Figure 5. Mean estimates ~ 2 approximate standard errors of Suwannee River creel catch data. 42 :-;:. . .. ~ . Table 17. Summary of pounds creeled in the Suwannee River from 1970 to 1975a. Species 1970 Bowfin 4846 Bull heads 9971 Warmouth 23952 Spotted sunfish 4470 Largemouth bass 3420 Chain pickerel 3193 Redbreast sunfish 996 Channel catfish 244 Bl uegi 11 808 Other 773 Total 52673 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 5982 7639 2371 319 1411 2076 252 328 316 36 20730 13646 9167 7062 3644 3271 2569 1391 566 513 440 42269 6692 29390 15933 2940 3016 2403 595 2734 973 315 64991 13478 7028 2123 2821 2343 2012 258 3747 449 510 34769 11155 22079 4917 5742 1182 3379 1294 9833 2082 528 62191 a 1969 is not included since no weight data were collected. 40 significant catch rate relationship in the Suwannee River was weight per hour regressed on angler hours. Bass and Hitt (1973) reported a catch rate of 1.77 fish/hr for the lower Santa Fe River in Florida. Holder and Ruebsamen (1976) cited per hour catch rates for the upper and lower Satilla River in Georgia as 0.71 fish weighing 0.28 lb and 0.72 fish weighing 0.42 lb, respectively. Ober (1977) found that the per hour catch rates in the upper Flint River, Georgia was 0.60 fish weighing 0.63 lb. Pasch and McSwain (1974) reported a catch rate of 1.01 fish/hr weighing 0.38 lb in the lower Flint River. The catch rates for the Suwannee River have exceeded all these values. Visual observations of changes in the catch by weight through time show that species catches varied yearly (Table 17). Warmouth appeared to be less dominant in the creel. Bullheads are now the dominant species and spotted sunfish and channel catfish are becoming more prominent. The only species to exhibit a significant change from 1970 to 1975 is channel catfish (Figure 4). The relationship Y = 10,026.95 + 1724.77X was a trend of increase through time and was significant (B = 0 at P ~.05). It is apparent that several of the more abundant species in the creel were not abundant in the rotenone slough samples. Since 1973 channel catfish and spotted sunfish have never compris~d more than 3% of the game species weight in rotenone samples at Mud Lake (Table 4.) Yellow bullhead never exceeded 2.8% of the population weight. During this same interval these three species have collectively averaged 70% by number and 53% by weight of the river creel estimates. The slough samples apparently are not representative of the abundance of these species in the Suwannee River. Graphical analysis of the pounds of game fish, bullheads, and bowfin was made to compare yearly changes between these categories (Figure 5). 39 15 0 0 0 10 >< Y - - 10026.95 + 1724.77 X (0.8755) f t t + + + 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 Figure 4. YEAR Mean estimate 2 approximate standard errors of channel catfish pounds harvested from the Suwannee River, 1~70-1975. (The regression equation and correlat1on coefficient is given since the slope was significant at P~ 0.05). 41 winter and early spring (Figure 6). A linear regression equation developed for the relationship of pounds harvested to the mean winter flow (Jan - , .. April) in Figure 6 was Y = 22,434.7 + ll.52X. The correlation coefficient was 0.83 and was significant at P.-s..05. Holder (l970c) noted that high water during the late fall and winter resulted in fish movements into the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp. Winter high water inter- vals occurred prior to the 1970, 1972, 1973, and 1975 fishing seasons. Catches of game fish and bullheads were higher in these years (Figure 5). One area of concern about the Suwannee River fishery is the indi- cation of a declining largemouth bass population. We earlier showed a significant decline in the largemouth bass E values. Few young and yearling bass were collected in the 1973-1975 rotenone samples (Appendix Tables A-1 to A-6). The estimated number of largemouth bass harvested in the creel since the high of 2,525 in 1970 was 928- 1971, 1,535- 1972, 1,380- 1973, 996- 1974 and 661 - 1975. The four month period surveyed in 1976 had a bass harvest of 566. The regression equation of largemouth bass number to years from 1970 to 1975 was Y = 3,324.14- 264.88X and was a significant decline ( P = .05). Fished-for data on largemouth bass showed a similar pattern and included data from Holder (l970b) and (l973b) and Swanson and Holder (l974a). The fished-for catch ~ates were 0.47 - 1970, 0.30- 1971, 0.41 - 1972, 0.35- 1973, 0.13- 1974, 0.26- 1975 and 0.15- March-June 1976. A linear regression of these values to year (Y = 0.6671 - 0.04628X) showed a significant decline. Pounds harvested yearly showed a less definite trend and was non-significanto Largemouth bass are one of the more popular species sought by fishermen. They also are one of the top carnivores in the food chain. A continuing trend of decline could pose some serious problems in the well being of this species in the Suwannee River. 44 70 60 50 t 40 30 20 GA~1E FISH + t .l\ND BULLHEADS -t 10 40 30 0 0 0 20 >< 10 .0 t f BULLHEADS t + +-' 60 ..s::: 01 ClJ 3 50 40 30 20 t t GAt-1E FISH t 10 + 20 f 10 t + t + +BOWFIN 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 YEAR Figure 5. Mean estimates ~ 2 approximate standard errors of Suwannee River creel catch data. 42 15 0 0 0 10 >< ..0 Y - - 10026.95 + 1724.77 X (0.8755) f .+.c-:' 5 .,0...". \ < _Q 50 40 ..s::::: u +r>o u 30 ,...- ro +> 0 I- 20 10- /)\ CFS / \ / r / \ \ \ \ \ I I I I POUNDS /_ \ I \ I 'w \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ' I I I I I I I \ I 40 35 0 0 30 >< (/) I.J... 25 u QJ 20 es..n. ro ..s::::: u 15 Vl 0 s... 10 QJ .jJ ttl 3 5 80 0 0 0 70 >< 60 Vs...l :::::l :0c 50 I c ro ~ 4 0 - ""-- ~ +s.>.. 0 '+- 30 'w+- ,...- 20- ro +> 0 I- 10- /""/ \ CFS / \ / f \ I \ I 7 I I I I I I I MAN-HOURS I I I \ I '.I 40 35 0 0 >< 30-- (/) 25 uI.J... QJ 20 esr.o.n. ..s::::: u Vl 15 r0 s... 10 QJ -_+r.,>o... 5 19 0 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 YEAR Figure 6. Relationship of fishing pressure and catch to mean winter (Jan.-April) water discharge in the Suwannee River. Water flows were taken from U.S. Geological Survey (197lb-1976). 45 .L.Cl 0 '<'I CL +-' tO 0 II C) ..Q) Q) s... u L.Cl r-- (J) ..- 1 0 r-- (J) 0.. E tO 3 Vl Q) Q)Q) ~ :::::5 Or- e ro Q) > 4Q.J+-' ~ 0 +-' s:: os:: utO "'04- Q)r- .... o..s:: .O .- O'l Q)Vl >Q)tO "'0 (/) VlQ) s::+-' ..o... r ou +' .... ro-o c:::::5r.s:-: Q.J~ ..so.:.:V.s-..l. Vl Q) Vl+' Q)Vl s...tO 0"> Q)S:: ~c:( . (J) Q) ..- ..0 rtO- +' s:: Q) "'0 :::::5 +' Vl S::+' 0 s:: ..... Q) +' ..... .t.O- ..u... Q)4- Ss.... . . 4- Q) u0u 0 s:: 0 Vl Vl Q) s... Q) ~ L.Cl (J) N 0 . 0 0 (V) (J) N co (J) (J) co CV'l <:::1" N ..- . . . . CO r-- 0 r-- CV'l (V) (J) <:::1" 0 0 N N co (V) (V) <:::1" 0 . . . . . . .L..-C-l L.Cl 0 0 0 0 0 0 >< r-- >< >< . <:::1" 0 . .>< c0 o rr- co r- .1..0 1..0 1c.o.0 N + + ..0..-- N ..- N (J) L.Cl r-- . . N N 0 1..0 0 L.Cl N + . . . . N 1..0 N (J) 0 L.Cl (V) (V) r- 0 0 L.Cl L.Cl N <:::1" (J) r-- N 0 (V) 1..0 .c.o- 1..0 L.Cl N II II II II II II >- >- >- >- >- >- s... tO Vs..l. Vs..l. Q) >- :::::5 :::::5 :0r: :0r: 0 +' s... s... Vl Q) ..- 0"> s:: Q) 0"> s:: s... tO ..0.... . rs.-.. s... tO Q) s... tO Q) < c:( Q) >- >- >- 0"> 0 0 s:: 0 0 +-' +-' 0 +' _s:::: +' +' +' +' _s:::: _s:::: 0"> 0"> Vs..l. Vl LL +' _s:::: +' _s:::: 0"> 0"> :::::5 :::::5 :::::5 :::::5 :::::5 utO tO u :0r: 40 utO utO s... +' Q) _s:::: s... Q) sQ..). s... Q) +' _s:::: ..0 0"> r- ..0 ..0 0"> E :::::5 :z: Q) 3 0"> E cs:::r:: :::::5 :z: E :::::5 :z: Q) 3 -!< -!< N ..- (J) <:::1" ..- . . (J) 0 (V) N . 0 0 . . . L.Cl 0 L.Cl 0 0 L.Cl (V) 1..0 1..0 N (J) .(V) N (J) co .1..0 0 0 1..0 ...- (J) (V) <:::1" .Nco (cJo) . N (J) ..- 1..0 . M (J) 0 0 0 0 0 0 c>o< 0 .>.<- 0 >< >< >< (V) >< 1..0 <:::1" 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 . N N 0 .(J) 0 0 ..- 0 + + ..r-- r-- . .<:::1" r-- . 1..0 <:::1" L.Cl <:::1" c0 o 0 0 (V) 1..0 II II II II II II >- >- >- >- >- >- t Vs..l. (/) s... :::::5 :::::5 :0r: :0r: s... Q) sQ..). r- ..- s... s... s... s... 0"> cs:::r:: 0"> cs:::r:: tO Q) >- tO Q) >- tO Q) >- tO Q) >- 0 0 0 0 0 0 +' +' +' +-' +-' +-' -s... :::::5 :0r: s... Q) -s... :::::5 :0r: +-' _s:::: s... -:::::5 0 :r: s... Q) -s... ::s 0 :r: +-' _s:::: 0.. -rs~.-.. sQ..). 0.. -rs~.-.. +-' _s:::: ..0 E 0"> ..0 E ..0..".> .E.0 ..0..".> :::::5 :z: Q) 3 :::::5 ~ Q) 3 :::::5 :z: Q) 3 48 In contrast to the generally healthy condition of the river fishery, the quality of the fishery in the Okefenokee Swamp appears to be deteriorating (Table 18). Catch in 1970 was 195,178 fish weighing 93,451 lb. The annual catch declined to 52,191 fish weighing 32,320 lb by 1975 As in the river, the total number and pounds of fish creeled in the Okefenokee Swamp showed positive relationships with angler hours; however, the regressions were not significant (Table 19). The regression of angler hours to year and fishing trips to year were also non-significant. Total number and total pounds caught to time were both significant relationships and the slopes were negative. Although fishing pressure has not changed, fewer numbers and pounds of fish have been harvested from the Okefenokee Swamp through the years. Catch rates in the Okefenokee Swamp have also decreased even though fishermen pressure did not increase significantly. The catch per hour in 1970 was 2.07 fish weighing 0.99 lb (Swanson and Holder l974b). In 1973, the catch rate had decreased to 1.58 fish/hr weighing 0.93 lb (Table 18). By 1975 the per hour catch rate had dropped to 0.96 fish weighing 0.60 lb. Regression equations of catch per hour and catch per trip by number and weight against year were significant. In all cases, the regression slopes were negative indicating trends of decrease with time. A summary of changes in weight harvested by species from 1970 to 1975 are presented in Table 20. Graphical analysis of warmouth, flier, and largemouth bass illustrate the decline in the sport fishery (Figure 7). In 1970 warmouth pounds harvested in this portion of the swamp was 64,149 fish. By 1975 warmouth catch had declined to 12,847 lb. This was an 80% reduction since 1970. A regression equation of pounds warmouth caught against year was Y = 8~80.81 - 7~03.89X and was 46 Total Effort U1an-Hours) X 1000 .,., ...... lO c __. N w .p. (Jl Q) '-1 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 __ I I I r I I I r 'CD .Q) 1..0 0 ~ ~ cV > :..:..:..o...:..:..E... : :(:0o ><::I--' O __. -1) "0 -1) __. ......... ....... ....... '1-..10 0__. .'..... -1) 1..0 '-1 .p. (Jl .Q) ::E __. ...... '-"" (/) ..__. l/) :::::> N -< ::E ::E ...... rT1 CO OJ :::::I l::> 3: zl::> I :::c "' \ \ 0 c \ c' ocrot lO :::0 __. :::0 (/) )"0 ' rt QJ 0.. CD ;A' ...... Vl 1..0 w'-1 \ - _). ...- CD Vl Vl :::::I(')C -t)Q::J:C::>O' ' ' 0 lO QJ 3 CD ::I __. 1..0 0.. C-' . ::I (') (/) QJ . rt rt .'-p1. :::::> (') G> CD :::::> CD __. OV>rt 1..0 --'CO '-1 0 ::E (Jl lOOJ3 -'::I CD (') ::I QJ QJCO:::::I --'CD - - ...- < -- ...._ --- -- (.,".), (/) ....... ....._ ............. ........ ........ ~ __. __. N (Jl 0 (Jl 0 N w w .p. (Jl 0 (Jl 0 ~Jater Discharge (CFS) X 100 Total Catch (1b) X 1000 __. N w .p. (Jl Q) '-1 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I I I I I I I __j _,.. / / / / / / <........ ......:: :--... ....... ........ ......... ....... ""0 0cz 0 ~ \ \ (/) \ - -- - - -----/ eo(" ....... ....... ....... ......... ........ ....... ........ ....... ........ -\ _;. .(,".), (/) __. __. N (Jl 0 (Jl 0 N w (Jl 0 w .p. (Jl 0 ~Jater Discharge (CFS) X 100 ...., -;:,,3~fi.Y Table 18. Summary of estimates of fishing pressure, catch, and catch rate in the southeast corner of the Okefenokee Swamp from 1970 to 1975 including data from Swanson and Holder (l974b). Year Angler Hours Fishing Trips Total Harvest No. Ugt.(lb) Catch Rate No/Hr Lb/Hr Catch Rate No/Trip Lb/Tri p 1970 94174 19457 195178 93451 2.07 0.99 10.03 4.80 1971 53857 13233 92216 49970 l. 73 0.93 6.96 3. 77 1972 71671 17267 99584 55771 l. 50 0.84 5.76 3.22 1973 66475 19051 104751 61715 l. 58 0.93 5.48 3o23 1974 79186 20445 108572 63077 1.37 0.80 5.31 3.08 1975 54156 16263 52191 32320 0.96 0.60 3.20 l. 98 .p. '-1 ., -' LCI s:::: -s (J) .'-I \.0 '-I 0 (J1 0 VlC'DO::: -'.D 7' (J) LCIS::::C'DOJ :::::l OJ -t, :::::l -' rt (J) -t, -' :::::l (J) -'0 0 Vl ():::::l7'rt OJ Vl (J) -' :::::l (J) 3 \.0 '-I I I I rt OJ OJ :::::l (/) rt VlO..:EC'D U"1 __, OJVl 0 () 3 __, "(J')0-0s "'01+ ~~ I I I 0 V l) (J) (-s) N OJ __, (J) OJ -< N rt OJ (J) "'0 !T1 rt __, "'0 :X::. -o -' -s ;:o '" g 0 ~ rt ~ -' nn3 0 0 ::::T"OJ I ~4 I I w U"1 (J) rt --t,O..C'D -t, OJ -' rt Vl ()0Jrt __, -' s:u (J) :::::l :::::l ......... 0.. rt Vl : :o (J) O-Js ~1 + +:> LCI 0.. O -s (J) LO J) (J) Vl V_l , (-Js) ,-os -' 0 -s ~~+ -< II __, .'cc-ooI w U"1 '-I .......... __. 0 cc co +:> \.0 (J1 \_._0, +w:> ...__.. >< ., m I...... ;:o <:::::SVl U"1 (J) :::::l 0 -t, -t, -0 s Weight (lb) X 1000 __, U"1 (J1 0 N w +:> (J1 0'> '-I cc \.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~ ~ ~ I I I t--f-4-< II I +:> :X::. cN o ;:o G') 0 !T1 +~ 3: 0 c ::;:j ...-...N o:J o+:> :X::. (J1 (/) .J_, '-I U10 (/) ...,..... WO'> 0>< t---f---4 -< II co 0'> .cNo 0 _c_o, ::::: :X::. ;o 3: I 0 c -I .-'-~ 0 __, '-I 0w ~ \.0 0 co \.0 \.0 ->< Table 19. Regression equations developed on Okefenokee Swamp 1970-1975 creel (El = 0 at P ~.05). An asterisk indicates a significant t value. Regression Corre 1ati on Coefficient Student ''t 11 df Number Caught to Angler Hours Y = - 70056.02 + 2.47X 0.7075 2.0025 4 Weight Caught to Angler Hours Y =- 15520.12 + l.04X 0.6945 1 . 9309 4 Angler Hours to Year Y = 81253.95 - ll08.97X 0.1548 0.3838 4 Number of Fishing Trips to Year Y = 16023.67 + 212.80X 0.1513 0.3749 4 +c:o> Number Caught to Year Weight Caught to Year Y = 253412.62- 19lll.l7X 0.7643 2.9029 4 Y = 116909.43 - 7586.66X 0.7103 2.4718 4 Number/Hour to Angler Hours Weight/Hour to Angler Hours Number/Hour to Year Weight/Hour to Year Number/Trip to Year Weight/Trip to Year Y = 0.91 +.000008X Y = 0.74 +.OOOOOlX Y = 3.14- 0.22X Y = 1.46- 0.09X Y = 14.57- l.l3X Y = 6.8071 - 0.46X 0.2392 0.3942 4 0.0689 0.2011 4 0.9160 5.5916* 4 0.8243 3.5673* 4 0.9289 6.1501* 4 0.9361 6.5009* 4 40 . ~ QJ c _...._. ~..0 Oo:::t Ur--. (j) +-'.- (/) ~ rO QJ ~ .S::::.QJ +-' -o :::l ....-- 00 1./l:::C .sQ::::.J"cO +-'tO c c .-- 0 (/) QJ c +-'tO tO 3 ~(/) .S::::.E u 0 +-'~ 104u tO -o +-' c tO tO-o .-~ .1...-..-... QJ..O +-' _J tO 0::: .s::::. u +-' .-- tO ~ Ul.-....-.... z 0 ~ :::r:: ......... QJ..O +-' _J tO 0::: .s::::. u +-'~ utO-....::.:.r.::. z 0 . . . c0o r--. r--. N N (V) N 0 <:::t (V) (V) (V) .co co 0 (j) (V) . . . . . . (V) \.0 \.0 co .- 0 0 (j) r--. <:::t (V) N 0 \.0 U"l U"l U"l (V) . . . . . . (j) (j) (V) (j) c<:o::t (V) (j) c0 o 0 \.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .r--. (V) 0 r--. 0 U"l co U"l . . r--. \.0 (V) (j) N 0 .s:":O ::.c"l Ur+-' -o rO :::l u .u Q"JC r- ~ r- 0 r- U"l r--. 0 U"l r--. r--. r- r--. N <:::t (j) r--. r--. 0 (V) (V) (j) U"l r- (V) N (j) <:::t U"l \.0 \.0 (V) :::lU"l (/) r--. (/) (j) QJ r- ~ r- Cl.O tO +-' CJ) co . +-' 0 co 1-- r--. \.0 U"l <:::t (V) \.0 EVl .s::::. .-- <:::t N N 0 <:::t N (/) ~ (j) (V) r--. (j) 0 \.0 +-'QJ .-- 1-- N (/) QJ l.L. QJ~ 0 4-C OQJ (/) 4- ~ >,OJ :::l ~~ 0 tOO :::r:: EE - 47 .. Table 20. Summary of pounds creeled in the Okefenokee Swamp from 1970 to 1975. Species Bowfin Bullheads Warmouth Flier Largemouth bass Chain pickerel Spotted sunfish Bluegill Other Total 1970 3120 6215 64149 11426 3086 5381 74 93451 1971 4758 5940 29530 3485 2290 3764 203 49970 1972 9552 4985 27130 5174 2750 5346 127 626 81 55771 1973 8746 13279 29442 1982 2475 5321 58 231 181 61715 1974 9254 10489 32264 1344 2442 5207 1428 284 365 63077 1975 4577 8255 12847 448 1381 4588 130 60 34 32320 49 Table 21. Changes in fished-for catch rates of warmouth and largemouth bass in the Okefenokee Swamp. Warmouth Year No/Hr Largemouth bass No/Hr 1970 1.72 0.22 1971 1.43 0.26 1972 1.16 0.15 1973 1.22 0.15 1974 1.24 0.14 1975 0.60 0.08 52 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 0 >< ........ ..0 10 .+.s:-::' 5 01 r- :O:;J: t f 15 UARMOUTH y = 86280.81 - 7103.89X (0.7909) t t LARGEMOUTH BASS y = 4280.10- 245.06X t t + + (0.7530) 10 FLIER y = 17883.57 - l849.34X 5 t (0.8591) t + + 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 Figure 7. YEAR 11ean estimates ~ 2 approximate standard errors of Okefenokee Swamp creel catch data. (Regression equations and correlation coefficients are given for significant slopes at P~ 0.05). 50 Table 20. Summary of pounds creeled in the Okefenokee Swamp from 1970 to 1975. Species Bowfin Bullheads Warmouth Flier Largemouth bass Chain pickerel Spotted sunfish Bluegill Other Total 1970 3120 6215 64149 11426 3086 5381 74 93451 1971 4758 5940 29530 3485 2290 3764 203 49970 1972 9552 4985 27130 5174 2750 5346 127 626 81 55771 1973 8746 13279 29442 1982 2475 5321 58 231 181 61715 1974 9254 10489 32264 1344 2442 5207 1428 284 365 63077 1975 4577 8255 12847 448 1381 4588 130 60 34 32320 49 significant. Largemouth bass exhibited less of a decline than warmouth and flier. Although bass are not an abundant species in the swamp creel, a regression equation was developed of pounds caught to year. The relationship Y = 4,280.10- 245.06X was significant forB= 0 at P 5.05. Fished-for catch rates were examined for warmouth and largemouth bass in the Okefenokee Swamp to determine if they exhibited similar trends and included data from Holder (l973b) and Swanson and Holder (l974b) (Table 21). Warmouth and largemouth bass fished-for catch rates regressed against year showed a significant decline (Y = 2.5376- O.l746X and Y = 0.3938 - 0.0303X, respectively). Fished-for catch rates were not analyzed for flier since so little fishing effort was applied toward this species. The decline in the Okefenokee Swamp cannot be related to bowfin abundance in the creel since bowfin harvest demonstrated no definable pattern (Figure 8). Confidence intervals applied to bowfin pounds harvested showed a significant increase in 1972 and a significant decrease in 1975. The regression equation of bowfin pounds harvested against years was non-significant (B = 0 at P 5.05). The decline of catches in the Okefenokee Swamp may be related to the phenomena of water level conditions and habitat space. Holder (1970c) noted that the Okefenokee Swamp was dependent upon local rainfall because of its small watershed of 1,100 square miles. Holder stated that during wet seasons, most of the swamp may be covered with water, and during a severe drought only the open areas may contain water. Since most of the swamp drainage flows into the Suwannee River (Cypert 1961), water discharge records for the Suwannee River (Table 22) would identify the wet years in the Okefenokee Swamp. The period from 1964 to mid 1967 was almost a continuous high water interval. Such a high water period would cause the 51 Table 22. Mean monthly water discharge in cubic feet per second at Fargo, Ga. on the Suwannee River from October 1960 to September 1976 (from U. S. Geological Survey records 1961-1976). Water Year Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Mean 1961 2878 561 239 555 1616 1157 3569 1817 525 742 746 2443 1398 1962 310 94 104 304 238 802 2902 322 87 224 414 607 532 1963 353 109 233 428 2179 2928 669 131 143 470 156 64 647 1964 74 16 140 2839 2913 3674 1026 2344 301 1483 5101 6471 2197 1965 4151 2041 2584 2127 2204 4769 3216 929 809 969 1203 445 2125 1966 697 235 388 1346 3204 5631 1490 1138 2835 1945 2233 618 1808 (.)1 .f:> 1967 955 431 256 2257 2571 1098 213 74 89 398 1168 536 828 1968 62 36 128 259 135 110 38 27 40 37 180 265 110 1969 37 58 185 280 389 1452 906 709 1315 626 1409 1549 743 1970 1663 2896 1464 1799 2105 1952 3359 739 557 352 3020 1488 1777 1971 268 189 121. 557 1031 797 563 1174 214 942 3181 3301 1028 1972 635 245 1184 3384 4387 1834 1526 467 678 1221 242 392 1340 1973 131 123 422 828 3062 2379 8330 2606 4258 2132 1817 909 2231 1974 346 140 181 320 551 384 557 273 219 519 552 2048 505 1975 899 151 252 1658 2673 1920 3874 1894 745 909 2018 1506 1532 1976 845 349 218 533 919 661 384 917 1729 1609 573 1098 818 --' --' <..0 <..0 <..0 <..0 <..0 <..0 -ro< -.....! -.....! -.....! -.....! -.....! -.....! OJ -I OJ o- U1 +::> W N --' 0 ""'5 --' ro . N --' ::0::: OJ -'On ::::s-+,;;; . . . 0 --' O'l N N 0 +::> N . . . --' --' --' +::> -.....! O'l W N Z""'S 0 3 -0 :I:C ""'Sri" ;::; OJ rt::E:::::S =>OJ!..C t'D""'St'D 3 (/) 0 7' 0 c ...... (.)1 r,;, rort::::s -+>;::; r::o::s OJ .-.+..>.. 0 ::::s (/) 7' 0.;::; ro ro . . . . . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0co --' +::> --' (.)1 --' U1 N O'l N N I OJ ""'5 !..C ro Z3 0 0 -c :I: rt ""'5 ;::; ('0--'0. OJI Vl""'S-+, ::E: !..C 0 OJt'D""'S -3o3o n c OJ rt rt ;::; () ;::; oOJ""'S (/)OJ o- OJ Vlrlro (/) (/) (/) significant. Largemouth bass exhibited less of a decline than warmouth and flier. Although bass are not an abundant species in the swamp creel, a regression equation was developed of pounds caught to year. The relationship Y = 4,280.10- 245.06X was significant forB= 0 at P $.05. Fished-for catch rates were examined for warmouth and largemouth bass in the Okefenokee Swamp to determine if they exhibited similar trends and included data from Holder (1973b) and Swanson and Holder (l974b) (Table 21). Warmouth and largemouth bass fished-for catch rates regressed against year showed a significant decline (Y = 2.5376- O.l746X and Y = 0.3938- 0.0303X, respectively). Fished-for catch rates were not analyzed for flier since so little fishing effort was applied toward this species. The decline in the Okefenokee Swamp cannot be related to bowfin abundance in the creel since bowfin harvest demonstrated no definable pattern (Figure 8). Confidence intervals applied to bowfin pounds harvested showed a significant increase in 1972 and a significant decrease in 1975. The regression equation of bowfin pounds harvested against years was non-significant (B = 0 at P $.05). The decline of catches in the Okefenokee Swamp may be related to the phenomena of water level conditions and habitat space. t Holder (1970c) noted that the Okefenokee Swamp was dependent upon local rainfall because of its small watershed of 1,100 square miles. Holder stated that during wet seasons, most of the swamp may be covered with water, and during a severe drought only the open areas may contain water. Since most of the swamp drainage flows into the Suwannee River (Cypert 1961), water discharge records for the Suwannee River (Table 22) would identify the wet years in the Okefenokee Swamp. The period from 1964 to mid 1967 was almost a continuous high water interval. Such a high water period would cause the 51 20 10 130 120 110 100 90 ccc 80 _o 70 60 +-' .s:::. Ol .-- 0::: QQ)JI.r.-Oce m . - <01 3:.- (:/:':):11m..0 Q) ..s::::: Vl +-' -o ~ .oc u0 Q) ~ n:l <.!:'>, Q) .. > 0~ O'l ::I ~ (/') n:l l.L. . - <0 +-' u ,~ .-G) ..s::::: ..0 +-'0 C0 +u-' EO c E n:l 0 Q) ~ :::E4- N N Q) .- ..0 n:l 1- L.{) CX) CX) 0 N 0 N CX) CX) (V') r-- CX) 0 .- L.{) N CX) r:-~-" rr---- N 0 :~" (V') 0 (V') .- (V') N L.{) L.{) CX) N L.{) :~" CX) .- 1..0 (V') L.{) 1..0 m :~" CX) CX) .0 N m :~" 1..0 L.{) N L.{) :~" (V') (V') (V') CX) :~" 1..0 0 mCX) 0 L.{) 0 N 1..0 :~" r-- :~" r:~" 1..0 L.{) .0 .- L.{) (V') 0 N .- (V') (V') N N CX) 1..0 0 CX) m 0 :~" 0 N 0 (V') rCX) r(V') N :~" N r-- rCX) .- N L.{) L.{) CX) r- 0 N (V') r-- L.{) m 1m..0 L.{) m:1" mCX) (V') r-- (V') 1..0 N 1..0 N L.{) (V') N m:1" .N N N (V') .- .m- L.{) N Q) L.{) r-- (V') .- c N CX) :1" 0 ::I L.{) .- (V') r-:l r-- L.{) L.{) :~" r- N Cr-X-) 1..0 CX) L.{) N .- N L.{) r:-1-" m rN-- :~" r-- rCX) N N (V') ,....... (V') :~" :~" (""') m N m CX) . -(V') :~" r-- r-- N m 0 r-- (V') r-- N N m N m 1..0 1..0 L.{) 0 m 1..0 1..0 N 0 r- N < (V') N ,....- (V') .- N CX) (V') 1..0 0 m m L.{) (V') (V') 1..0 L.{) 1..0 N L.{) 0 (V') (V') r-- L.{) L.{) :~" r-- CX) :~" CX) (V') (V') CX) (V') r-- N CX) L.{) c0 o N m N . CX) m ..0 Q) .- 1..0 (V') N r-- .- mr - l.L. N N . c L.{) :~" CX) m n:l L.{) 0 N (V') r-:l L.{) (V') :~" CX) N . u m :~" (V') Q) (V') 0 (V') 0 N N . > .- z 0 1..0 L.{) .1.-.0 . +u-' CX) 0 (V') 0 r-- .- L.{) CX) (V') (V') ~ N n:l Q) >- ~ Q) .- N (V') +-' ::ns::l 1m..0 1m..0 .1m.-.0 .- (V') CX) m 0 1..0 0 L.{) N N L.{) L.{) . -:~" m m :~" r-- CX) (V') (V') N :~" 0 N :~" 0 N r- r-- L.{) L.{) (V') m CX) (V') L.{) 0 .- (V') 0 r-- CX) (V') N 1..0 0 .- L.{) L.{) N (V') N N :~" (V') r-- r-- m 0 r-- :~" CX) 0 N L.{) L.{) CX) L.{) CX) N N r- N N N L.{) (V') CX) (V') N N (V') :~" CX) 1..0 CX) L.{) CX) L.{) CX) (V') L.{) N .N- .CX-) N r- :~" N .- N CX) N CX) :~" .- L.{) :~" (V') 0 N N 1..0 (V') CX) L.{) 1m..0 CX) m CX) L.{) :~" N (V') .N - N L.{) N r-- (V') CX) L.{) .- L.{) 1..0 (V') 1..0 1..0 (V') ("") m .1.-.0 N 1..0 L.{) 1..0 1..0 m 1m..0 CX) m 1m..0 1m..0 ,....- .- N r-- r-m .m- 0 .- .Nm- 1..0 1..0 (V') r-- 1..0 mr - N CX) (V') L.{) (V') .1.-.0 L.{) N L.{) CX) .- N N .- L.{) .- L.{) 1..0 .mr--- mr-- ,.....- 54 20 10 130 120 110 100 90 ccc 80 _o 70 +> _c 60 CJ) ClJ 3 50 40 30 20 10 + + t t BULLHEADS + GAME FISH (0.7958) y 112475.4- 9013.0X t t 20 10 + BO\~FI N 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 YEAR Figure 8. Mean estimates 2 approximate standard errors of Okefenokee Swamp creel catch data. (Regression equations correlation coefficients are given for significant slopes at P~0.05). 53 Okefenokee Swamp to become a large shallow lake through several growing seasons. In addition, a spillway dike was completed in 1960 which raised the water table of the swamp by an undetermined alllount and acted as a water retention dam during drought periods (Holder 1970c). The dike separated the Suwannee River from the swamp during most flows. The high catches of warmouth in the creel in 1970 and 1971 may have resulted from the high water periods of 1964 to mid 1967. Germann et al. (1974) described warmouth age frequencies through 1972 from the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp which contained substantial numbers of fish age V and older in the 1964 to 1968 year classes. Since then warmouth recruitment apparently has not been able to maintain the yearly catch level. It is also possible that this period of high water in the midsixties created habitat conditions that led to the build up of bowfin in the Suwannee River before removal. Bowfin reproduction has been reported in the swamp during high water years (Holder 1971). Following the removal of bowfin in 1968, Holder (l973a) postulated that bowfin would attain population levels similar to those before removal and that the sport fishery would decline in quality. From the analysis of the fish population we saw that bowfin increased in abundance but not to the levels indicated before removal. A significant decline was indicated in standing crop and E values of largemouth bass and warmouth. \-Jhen we examined the sport fishery data from the Suwannee River and the Okefenokee Swamp, we found that the Su\vannee River fishery was variable with no significant pattern of increase or decrease except for the increase in channel catfish. Largemouth bass and warmouth harvest in pounds appeared to be declining; however, the trend was not a significant one. Yearly fluctuations in the Suwannee River sport fishery could not be related to bowfin abundance in the river or in the creel. The 55 Snedecor, G. W. and W. G. Cochran. 1968. Statistical methods. Iowa St. Univ. Press. Ames, Iowa. 593pp. Surber, E. W. 1959. Suggested standard methods of reporting fish population data from reservoirs. Proc. 13th Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 13: 313-324. Swanson, C. D. and D. R. Holder l974a. Stream creel census-warmwater Suwannee River. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project. F-21-5, Study XV, Job 3: 31-53. ----~~-1974b. Stream creel census-warmwater, Okefenokee Swamp. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-5, Study XV, Job 3: 54-73. Swingle, H. s. 1950. Relationships and dynamics of balanced and unbal- anced fish population. Auburn, Ala. Polytech Inst., Agr. Exper. Sta. Bul. 274: 1-73. u. s. Geological Survey. 1961. Surface water records of Georgia, 1961. u. s. Dept. Int. 1962. Surface water records of Georgia, 1962. u. s. Dept. Int. 1963. Surface water records of Georgia, 1963. u. s. Dept. Int. 1964. Surface water records of Georgia, 1964. u. s. Dept. Int. 1965. Water resources data for Georgia, 1965-Part 1: Surface water records. u. s. Dept. Int. water19re6c6o. rdWs. ateur. resources s. Dept. data Int. for Georgia, 1966-Part 1: Surface water19re6c7o. rdWs. ateur. resources s. Dept. data Int. for Georgia, 1967-Part 1: Surface 1968. Water resources data for Georgi a, 1968-Part 1: Surface water records. u. S. Dept. Int. t 197la. Water resources data for Georgi a, 1969. u. s. Dept. Int. 197lb. Water resources data for Georgia, 1970. u. s. Dept. Int. 1972. Water resources data for Georgia, 1971. u. s. Dept. Int. 1973. Water resources data for Georgi a, 1972. u. s. Dept. Int. 1974. vJater resources data for Georgia, 1973. u. s. Dept. Int. 1975. Water resources data for Georgia, 1974. u. s. Dept. Int. 1976. Water resources data for Georgi a, 1975. u. s. Dept. Int. 1977. Water resources data for Georgia, 1976. u. s. Dept. Int. "i 58 .. :. :, -:~1-i::'~.:-: -~. ~ ~ \;rl:f,f -./.: . .;-> .. ';:,;. .::\ixl~;- yearly fluctuations, however, could be related to high water in the winter. Unlike the Suwannee River, the Okefenokee Swamp sport fishery seemed to be deteriorating in its quality with the most notable declines being in catch rates and in harvest of warmouth, flier, and largemouth bass. Water levels in the swamp were thought to cause these changes in the fishery of the Okefenokee Swamp. Changes in the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp fishery seemed to be influenced to a great degree by factors other than bowfin abundance. RECOf-1f1ENDATI ONS Bowfin population estimates should be performed periodically in the Suwannee River to monitor the population level for major changes. Future removal efforts should be based on these estimates. Consideration should be given to evaluating the status of the largemouth bass in the Suwannee River in light of the indicated population decline. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service should be made aware of the deteriorating status of the Okefenokee Swamp fishery. Consideration should be given toward determining the causes of the apparent decline in the Okefenokee sport fishery. LITERATURE CITED Bass, D. G. Jr. and V. G. Hitt. 1973. Creel census of the lower Santa Fe River. Sport fishery ecology of the Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers, Florida. Fla. Game and Freshwater Fish Comm. Rept 1, Study 4: 169-184. Cypert, E. 1961. The effects of fires in the Okefenokee Swamp in 1954 and 1955. Amer. f1idl. Nat. 66 (2): 485-503. Dahlberg, M. D. and D. C. Scott. 1971. The freshwater fishes of Georgia. Ga. Acad. Sci. Bull. 29: 1-64. Germann, J. F. 1973. Population studies, streJms-Suwannee River. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-4, Study XVI, Job 2: 29-42. 56 Okefenokee Swamp to become a large shallow lake through several growing seasons. In addition, a spillway dike was completed in 1960 which raised the water table of the swamp by an undetermined a~ount and acted as a water retention dam during drought periods (Holder l970c). The dike separated the Suwannee River fro~ the swamp during most flows. The nigh catches of warmouth in the creel in 1970 and 1971 may have resulted from the high water periods of 1964 to mid 1967. Germann et al. (1974) described warmouth age frequencies through 1972 from the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp which contained substantial numbers of fish age V and older in the 1964 to 1968 year classes. Since then warmouth recruitment apparently has not been able to maintain the yearly catch level. It is also possible that this period of high water in the midsixties created habitat conditions that led to the build up of bowfin in the Suwannee River before removal. Bowfin reproduction has been reported in the swamp during high water years (Holder 1971). Following the removal of bowfin in 1968, Holder (l973a) postulated that bowfin would attain population levels si~ilar to those before removal and that the sport fishery would decline in quality. From the analysis of the fish population we saw that bowfin increased in abundance but not to the levels indicated before removal. A s~nificant decline was indicated in standing crop and E values of largemouth bass and warmouth. \Jhen we examined the sport fishery data from the Suwannee River and the Okefenokee Swamp, we found that the Suwannee River fishery was variable with no significant pattern of increase or decrease except for the increase in channel catfish. Large~outh bass and warmouth harvest in pounds appeared to be declining; however, the trend was not a significant one. Yearly fluctuations in the Suwannee River sport fishery could not be related to bowfin abundance in the river or in the creel. The 55 Germann, J. F., L. E. McSwain, D. R. Holder, C. D. Swanson. 1974. Life history of warmouth in the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia. Proc. 28th Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 28: 259-278. Holder, D. R. l969a. Applied management in warmwater streams. Ga. Game and Fish Comm. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed Aid Project F-21-l, Study VI, Job l. 43pp. ----~---l970a. Population studies-streams. Ga. Dept. of Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-2, Study XVI, Job 2. 66pp. ----~---l970b. Stream creel census-warmwater. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-2, Study XV, Job 3. 24pp. ----~--_l970c. A study of fish movements from the Okefenokee Swamp into the Suwannee River. Proc. 24th Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 24: 591-608. _________1971. Life history studies of stream fish. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-3, Study XII, Job l. 45pp. _________l973a. Applied management in warmwater streams. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-4, Study VI, Job 1: l-8. ----~---l973b. Stream creel census-warmwater. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-3, Study XV, Job 3. 34pp. ----~---l973c. Population studies-streams (Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp). Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-3, Study XVI, Job 2. 42pp. Holder, D. R. and R. Ruebsamen. 1976. A comparison of the fisheries of the Upper and Lower Satilla River. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-29. 68pp. Ober, R. D. 1977. Upper Flint River creel and recreational use survey. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-28. 40pp. Pasch, R. and L. E. McSwain. 1974. Stream creel census-warmwater (Flint River). Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-5, Study XV, Job 3: 96-116. Ricker, W. E. 1975. Computation and interpretation of biological statistics of fish populations. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. No. 191. Robson, D. S. and H. A. Regier. 1964. Sample size in Petersen markrecapture experiments. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 93: 215-226. 57 APPENDIX 60 Snedecor, G. W. and W. G. Cochran. 1968. Statistical methods. Iowa St. Univ. Press. Ames, Iowa. 593pp. Surber, E. W. 1959. Suggested standard methods of reporting fish population data from reservoirs. Proc. 13th Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. B: 313-324. Swanson, C. D. and D. R. Holder l974a. Stream creel census-warmwater Suwannee River. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project. F-21-5, Study XV, Job 3: 31-53. ----~---l974b. Stream creel census-warmwater, Okefenokee Swamp. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-5, Study XV, Job 3: 54-73. Swingle, H. S. 1950. Relationships and dynamics of balanced and unbalanced fish population. Auburn, Ala. Polytech Inst., Agr. Exper. Sta. Bul. 274: 1-73. u. S. Geological Survey. 1961. Surface water records of Georgia, 1961. u. s. Dept. Int. 1962. Surface water records of Georgia, 1962. u. s. Dept. Int. 1963. Surface water records of Georgia, 1963. u. s. Dept. Int. 1964. Surface water records of Georgia, 1964. u. s. Dept. Int. 1965. Water resources data for Georgia, 1965-Part 1: Surface water records. U. S. Dept. Int. 1966. Water resources data for Georgia, 1966-Part 1: Surface water records. U. S. Dept. Int. water19re6c7o. rdWs. ateur. resources s. Dept. data Int. for Georgia, 1967-Part 1: Surface 1968. Water resources data for Georgia, 1968-Part 1: Surface water records. U. S. Dept. Int. 197la. Water resources data for Georgia, 1969. u. s. Dept. Int. 197lb. Water resources data for Georgia, 1970. u. s. Dept. Int. 1972. Water resources data for Georgia, 1971. u. s. Dept. Int. 1973. Water resources data for Georgi a, 1972. u. s. Dept. Int. 1974. vJater resources data for Georgi a, 1973. u. s. Dept. Int. 1975. Water resources data for Georgia, 1974. u. s. Dept. Int. 1976. Water resources data for Georgia, 1975. u. s. Dept. Int. 1977. Water resources data for Georgia, 1976. u. s. Dept. Int. I 58 Germann, J. F., L. E. McSwain, D. R. Holder, C. D. Swanson. 1974. Life history of warmouth in the Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia. Proc. 28th Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 28: 259-278. Holder, D. R. 1969a. Applied management in warmwater streams. Ga. Game and Fish Comm. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed Aid Project F-21-1, Study VI, Job 1. 43pp. _________1970a. Population studies-streams. Ga. Dept. of Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-2, Study XVI, Job 2. 66pp. 1970b. Stream creel census-warmwater. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and ----~--- Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-2, Study XV, Job 3. 24pp. _________1970c. A study of fish movements from the Okefenokee Swamp into the Suwannee River. Proc. 24th Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game and Fish Comm. 24: 591-608. ----~---1971. Life history studies of stream fish. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-3, Study XII, Job 1. 45pp. ----~---1973a. Applied management in warmwater streams. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-4, Study VI, Job 1: 1-8. ----~---1973b. Stream creel census-warmwater. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-3, Study XV, Job 3. 34pp. 1973c. Population studies-streams (Suwannee River and Okefenokee ----~S~w-a-m-p). Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Ann. Prog. Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-3, Study XVI, Job 2. 42pp. Holder, D. R. and R. Ruebsamen. 1976. A comparison of the fisheries of the Upper and Lower Satilla River. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-29. 68pp. Ober, R. D. 1977. Upper Flint River creel and recreational use survey. Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-28. 40pp. Pasch, R. and L. E. McSwain. 1974. Stream creel census-warmwater (Flint River). Ga. Dept. Nat. Res., Game and Fish Div. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project F-21-5, Study XV, Job 3: 96-116. Ricker, W. E. 1975. Computation and interpretation of biological statistics of fish populations. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. No. 191. Robson, D. S. and H. A. Regier. 1964. Sample size in Petersen markrecapture experiments. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 93: 215-226. 57 Wyatt, H. N., W. Godwin and M. B. Norton. 1966. Fish population studiesstreams. Ga. Game and Fish Comm. Ann. Rept., Fed. Aid Project. F-19-R-1, Work plan II, Job 1: 71-96. 1-Jyatt, H. N., C. B. O'Neal, Jr., t~. B. Norton and P. M. Laska. 1967. Fish population studies-streams. Ga. Game and Fish Comm. Ann. Rept., Fed. Aid Project. F-19-R-2, Work plan II, Job 1: 29-42. Wyatt, H. N., D. R. Holder and P. M. Laska. 1968a. Fish population studies-streams. Ga. Game and Fish Comm. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project. F-19-R-3, Work plan II, Job 1: 44-68. ----~---1968b. Life history studies. Ga. Game and Fish Comm. Final Rept., Fed. Aid Project. F-19-R-3, Work plan II, Job 3: 74-130. Prepared by: }_\., --.:._~ 1c hlo-t.~~ .__. Daniel R. Holder Regional Fisheries. Supervisor and . ,,; l' fo,C l :1 C2/ .1-'l' //,A J ,.-;11 Jerome Germann (_ Fisheries Biologist III ~[M~- Approved by: awrence E. McSwain OJ Coordinator Ji: ~ (._ _;.') ///A / I ' j Date r; / } I ; 59 Table A-1. Continued Species Fingerling No. Wgt. %Hgt. Intermediate Harvestable No. Wgt. %Hgt. No. Wgt. %\Jgt. No. Total Wgt. %Wgt. % of Wgt. - Forage 0'1 N Mosquito fish 7 trace 0.0 Lined topminnow 33 0. 1 100.0 Banded sunfish 115 0.4 100.0 Pygmy sunfish 13 trace 0.0 Bl uespotted sunfish 62 Oo3 1OOo 0 Swamp darter 89 Oo 1 lOOoO Tadpole madtom 166 Oo7 87o5 Pirate perceh 448 2o9 93o5 Speckled madtom 2 trace OoO Mud sunfish 2 trace OoO Do11 ar sunfish 9 trace 0.0 Total 946 4o5 9lo8 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 OoO 0.0 0 OoO OoO 0 0.0 OoO 7 0. 1 l2o5 7 Oo2 6o5 0 OoO OoO 0 OoO OoO 2 Ool lOOoO 16 Oo4 8o2 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 OoO 0 OoO 0 OoO 0 OoO 0 0.0 0 OoO 0 0.0 0 OoO 0 OoO 0.0 7 trace 0.0 0.0 33 0. 1 2.0 0.0 115 0.4 8.2 OoO 13 trace OoO OoO 62 Oo3 6 0 l OoO 89 0 0 1 2o0 0.0 173 0.8 16o3 OoO 455 3 0 l 63o3 OoO 2 trace OoO 0.0 2 trace 0.0 OoO 11 0.1 2o0 OoO 962 4o9 lOOoO 0.0 0.1 0.3 OoO Oo2 0. 1 0.6 2o4 OoO OoO 00 1 3o8 Grand Total 1242 6o9 5o3 - 327 23o3 17.9 258 99o9 76o8 1827 l30o 1 1OOo 0 lOOoO )::o -a -a :f'Tz1 0'1 0 .0..... >< )::> ""0 ::E: ~ ::E: -o -s '< '< '< -o ro s:u s:u s:u -s -o rt rt rt 0 s:u rt rt rt < -s ;o ""11Vl .. )::>-o .. ""T'l Vl .. ro 0. ..cr '< ). ro 0. ~.. ;o 0 ros:u ;;} c.o :::::5 ~/ -' ....J. 0 ro ..ro -o rt __. \.0 .., O"l . .roco o. cr )::> -'I _I_. rs::t :r: \.0 0.. I --' :;oro :z: .. wI Vl I . Vl rt 0 . ::E:-s oro -s s:u ;o A3. --'0 0. -o :r: s:: ""0 __. -s s:u z 0 ~ rt ......... "' roo () :::::5 (} . rt . Vl rt co .s:: I rt -'""'S:I: \.0 ro I s:u . . . ;o3:z: _I_. Vl ::E: ::E: G'l 0 s:u -s G) A 0 --' ~ :::::5 __. I 0. --' Vl .., 0. G'l 0. U1 \.0 roG'l ' --' :::::5 .., "' Vlro -s s:u C03 rt --'S:U o::s:: -sn Vl '-"\ ::E: 0__::.::::::5::5 0 c.o <'\.., s:u :::::5 0. ~ s:u --' :::::5 --' Vl rt ' .. \ \ 'f ........ "' ....... ........ ~~"' ~ ""' .., .s_:_u. ;o I r r --' :r: -.--; VlO ::3" __. (">.,; ro 0. -sro --' -s <> ro ;....._ Vl Vl s:: -o t,,. c ro -s < --' Vl 0 -s -t) ""Oro -s 0::3" ~---' roV> .( ) r t rtO -s '< .., Vl I rt --'S:: \.00. I --' ;oro ..I Vl w :.:::G'l os:u -s A G'l "_0_. s:u :r: 0__. :::::5G'l0. .................s. :ur-os G'lS:U s:u :::::5 C.....3 0. oro cr ""0 S:U __. :::::5 .. .., .0.3: +::> --' I +:>Vl 0 I ::3" Vl .O"l A cons:u 0 . 3 3 __, - I --' 0 _.ro \.OV'l :z: I I ro ;oV'l s:u . I rt __, N ""'S" ro s:u c..... . .. ::E:3 -s 0 Vl -s A 3: . -_o_. G'l s:u S:U co :::::5 G'l ....... s:u :z ......3 0 ro -s rt c.....s:uo 0 :::::5 :::::5 cr o. -os:u::E: --'3 --' s:u ro :::::5 :::::5 s:u s:u ........ :::::5:::::5 ........ 0. 0. .., 3: C....., ....lo . OV'l cr ::3" co ..__. (} o:z 3 0 3 -s -_..._..J. rt 0 I )::>:::::5 . .\.0 :::::5 O"l:::::l __. :;o \.0 roO"l r ~~r ~ 0 ~,. s:u rt ro \. -1.;--..-. ""'.,:--, ~ ~-~ ""- ', . , .". ' \ '-~ \ l?~ ~~ .. ~ ~ -" "- (~ '-.[ I -os:u --'3 s:uro :::::5 s:u . .., ....... :::::5 ........ 0. c.....--' OV'l cr ::3" w (} .. o 3 3 .., -.....J +::> _I_. --' .W:::::l os:_u_, \.0 .., O"l --' co :::::5 s:u s_:_u . ;o .., ro --' ...-o Vl rt ::3" -o 0 -n-o .ros:: 0. __, s:u rt )::> --' --'0 0.:::::5 ""0 -s c0...... ro .. s:u __. ""T'l :::::5 --' 0. .Vl ::3" ""0 N \.0 (} I 0 3: . .~ 3. N3 I 0 )::>Vl . .:::::5 A :::::5 s:u ;o ro __, .. .-o \.0 rt O"l -.....J ..., ro .., 0. --' Vl -o O"l rt. ...., ..,--' .roV> 0. ::3" -o )::>0 --'"0 - o.s:: ""0 s:u -se-t0 --' '-'0 ro :::::5 .() rtV'l rt s:: 0. --' ro Vl I .() rt ::3" Table A-1. Red Bluff slough 0.55 acre rotenone sample expanded to one acre, Suwannee River, 3 October 1973. Species Fingerling Intermediate Harvestable 1-fo. Wgt. %~Jgt. No. \tJgt. %\tJgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt. Total r~o. Wgt. %Wgt. % of Wgt. Predatory Game Fish Chain pickerel 60 0.6 1.7 98 7.9 22.3 25 26.9 76.0 183 35.4 81.0 27.2 Redfin pickerel 44 0.6 7.2 75 6.8 81.9 4 0.9 10.8 123 8.3 19.0 6.4 Total 104 1.2 2.7 173 14.7 33.6 29 27.8 63.6 306 43.7 100.0 33.6 Non-Predatory Game Fish O"l Bluegill 0 0.0 0.0 4 0. 1 50.0 2 0. 1 50.0 6 0.2 0.6 0.2 Flier 40 0.3 2.3 80 1.0 7.7 69 11.7 90.0 189 13.0 40.9 10.0 ~~armouth 86 0.4 3.4 2 0.2 1.7 36 11.1 94.9 124 11.7 36.8 9.0 Spotted Sunfish 4 T 0.0 4 0.2 2.9 36 6.7 97.1 44 6.9 21.7 5.3 Total 130 0.7 2.2 90 1.5 4.7 143 29.6 93.1 363 3-1.8 100.0 24.4 Non-Predatory Food Fish Lake chubsucker 44 0.2 2.7 24 4.3 57.3 7 3.0 40.0 75 7.5 28.0 5.8 Yellow bullhead 18 0.3 1.6 22 1.9 9.8 66 17. 1 88.6 106 19.3 72.0 14.8 Total 62 0.5 1.9 46 6.2 23.1 73 20. 1 75.0 181 26.8 100.0 20.6 Predatory Food Fish Bowfin Total 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 2 0.5 2.2 13 22.4 97.8 15 22.9 100.0 17.6 2 0.5 2.2 13 22.4 97.8 15 22. 9 100. 0 17.6 Table A-2. Continued Species Fingerling No. Wgt. %Wgt. Intermediate No. Wgt. %~~gt. Harvestable Total No. ~~gt. %Wgt. No. Hgt. %Wgt. % of Wgt. Forage Fish Do ll ar sunf i sh 130 0.4 100.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 130 0.4 6.6 0.3 Tadpole madtom 641 1.5 100.0 Speckled madtom 1 trace 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 5 o. l 100.0 0 0.0 0.0 641 0 0.0 0.0 6 1.5 24.6 0. l l . 6 l.O . 0. l Brook silverside 90 trace 0.0 l trace 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 91 trace 0.0 0.0 Swamp darter 310 0.3 100.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 310 0.3 4.9 0.2 Lined topminnow 39 0. l 100.0 l T 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 40 0. l 1.6 0. l 0'\ ~ Mosquitofi sh l 04 0. 1 100.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 104 0. l 1.6 0. l Pirate perch 680 2.9 80.6 23 0.7 19.4 0 0.0 0.0 703 3.6 59.0 2.4 Total 1995 5.3 86.9 30 0.8 13.1 0 0.0 0.0 2025 6.1 100.0 4. l Grand Total 2718 11.3 7.6 456 12.8 8.6 217 124.4 83.8 2291 148.5 100.0 100.0 .. ~~ ~-- U1 Warmouth Flier Bluegill Spotted sunfish Total 6 0 0 0 6 T 0 0 0 T T 3 0 9 0 7 0 1 T 20 1 1.2 . 1 2.9 .2 9.5 1 33.3 .5 3.5 16 8.4 98.5 20 3.4 97.1 17 1.9 90.5 1 .2 66.7 54 13.9 96.3 25 8.5 59. 1 29 3.5 24.3 24 2. 1 14.6 2 .3 2.0 80 14.4 100.0 L7 07 .4 1 2.9 Non-Predatory Food Fish Lake chubsucker Spotted sucker Brown bullhead Yellow bullhead Total 4 T 0 0 a0 0 0 4 T T 0 0 0 T 4 0 0 0 4 1.6 0 0 0 1.6 3.4 0 0 0 2.6 63 45.0 96.6 7 12.6 100.0 1 1.6 1OOoO 1 .4 100.0 72 59.6 97.4 71 46.6 76.2 7 12.6 20.6 1 1.6 2.6 1 .4 .6 80 61.2 100.0 9.4 2.6 .3 1 12.4 j, .!;,. Table A-4. Mud Lake slough 0.75 acre rotenone sample expanded to one acre, Suwannee River, 2 July 1975. Group Fingerling No. Wgt. %Wgt. Intermediate No. Wgt. %Wgt. Harvestable No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Total Wgt. %Wgt. ~~ of Pop. Hgt. Predatory Game Fish Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Black crappie Largemouth bass Total 72 169 " v 1 1.1 4.6 1.9 63.3 0 0 T T 39 24 0 0 2.7 ll. 2 1.1 36.7 0 0 0 0 17 20.3 84.2 128 24.1 84.9 0 0 0 193 3.0 10. 5 1 1.3 100.0 1 1.3 4.6 0 0 0 1 T T 242 3.0 1o. 7 63 3.8 13.4 18 21.6 76.0 321 28o4 100.0 5. 1 .6 .3 T 6.0 Non-Predatory Game Fish 0'> '-I Warmouth Flier Spotted sunfish Bluegill Total 12 414 88 15 529 1 1.1 69 1.3 17.3 7 .5 22.7 35 1 6.3 40 2.0 9.8 151 2.5 27.5 .3 4.0 .5 22.7 1.1 68.7 4.4 21.6 25 6.5 71.4 106 9. 1 44.6 56 5.9 78.7 477 7.5 36.8 7 1.2 54.6 130 2.2 l 0. 8 5 .4 25.0 60 1.6 7.8 93 14o0 68.6 773 20.4 100.0 1.9 1. 6 .5 .3 4.3 Non-Predatory Food Fish Spotted suckers Lake chubsucker Yellow bull head Total 0 7 0 7 0 0 . 1 1.1 0 0 . 1 .3 0 1 1 2 0 0 ll 18.2 100.0 ll 18.2 60.7 1 1.1 9 8.8 97.8 17 9.0 30.0 1 3.6 ll 2.7 96.4 12 2.9 9.3 .2 .6 31 29.7 99.1 40 30.1 100.0 3.8 1.9 .6 6.3 Table A-5. Continued Group ~6 of Pop. No. Wgt. %Wgt. Noo Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %VJgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt Wgt. Forage Fish Pirate perch 283 1.1 100.0 2 T T 0 0 0 283 1.1 33.3 .4 Lined topminnow 411 .9 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 411 .9 27.3 .3 Bluespotted sunfish 270 .4 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 270 .4 12. 1 . 2 Tadpole madtom 87 .3 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 87 ,.3 9.1 1 Mosqu itofi sh 41 .2 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41 .2 6.1 . 1 Brook silverside 139 .2 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 139 .2 6. 1 1 Banded sunfish 37 . 1 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37 . 1 3.0 1 Dollar sunfish 18 1 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 . 1 3.0 T Pygmy sunfish 77 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 77 T T T Swamp darter 88 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 88 T T T Golden topminnow 14 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 T T T Pygmy killifish 5 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 T T T '-1 Total 0 1470 3.3 1.0 2 T T 0 0 0 1470 3.1 100.0 1.3 Grand Total 2069 4.9 1.8 184 1o. 9 4.0 183 257.5 94.2 2436 273.3 100.0 100.0 Table A-4. Continued Fingerlings Intermediate Harvestab1e Total % of Pop. Grou No. ~igt. %~Jgt. __No. ___!'JQt._ %Wgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt. Wgt. Predatory Food Fish Bowfin Spotted gar Channel catfish Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 205 363.2 100.0 205 363.2 98.6 80.1 0 0 0 1 .4 7.7 9 4.8 92.3 11 5.2 14 1.1 0 0 0 1 . 1 100.0 0 0 0 1 1 T T 0 0 0 2 .5 1 214 368.0 99.9 217 368.5 100.0 81.2 Forage Fish Pirate perch 1471 3.5 97.2 7 1 2.8 0 0 0 1478 3.6 57.1 o8 Tadpole madtom 210 1.7 85.0 13 .3 15.0 0 0 0 223 2.0 31.8 .4 Lined topminnow 116 .5 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 116 .5 7.9 1 Bluespot sunfish 32 1 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 1 1.6 T 0"1 Swamp darter 51 1 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 . 1 1.6 T OJ r.bsquitofish 61 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 61 T T T Brook silverside 11 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 T T T Blackbanded sunfish 8 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 T T T Mud sunfish 4 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 T T T Pygmy sunfish 3 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 T T T Speckled madtom 1 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 T T T Blackbanded darter 1 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 T T T Total 1969 5.9 93.7 21 .4 6.3 0 0 0 1993 6.3 100.0 1.3 Grand Tota 1 2747 11.0 2.4 239 9.3 20 1 356 433.4 95.5 3342 453.7 100.0 100.0 Table A-4. Mud Lake slough 0.75 acre rotenone sample expanded to one acre, Suwannee River, 2 July 1975. Group Fingerling Intermediate Harvestable Total 5~ of Pop. No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. ~~Wgt. Hgt. Predatory Game Fish Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Black crappie Largemouth bass Total 72 l.l 4.6 39 2.7 ll. 2 17 20.3 84.2 128 24. l 84.9 5. 1 169 1.9 63.3 24 l.l 36.7 0 0 0 193 3.0 l 0. 5 . 6 " v 0 0 0 0 0 1 l 3 100.0 1 1.3 4.6 3 l T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 T T T 242 3.0 1o. 7 63 3.8 13.4 18 21.6 76.0 321 28o4 100.0 6,0 Non-Predatory Game Fish 0'1 -.....! Warmouth Flier Spotted sunfish Bluegill Total 12 1 1.1 69 2.5 27.5 25 6.5 71.4 106 9.1 44.6 1.9 414 1.3 17.3 7 .3 4.0 56 5.9 78.7 477 7.5 36.8 1.6 88 .5 22.7 35 .5 22.7 7 1.2 54.6 130 2.2 10.8 .5 15 1 6.3 40 1.1 68.7 5 .4 25.0 60 1.6 7.8 3 529 2.0 9.8 151 4.4 21.6 93 14.0 68.6 773 20.4 100.0 4.3 Non-Predatory Food Fish Spotted suckers Lake chubsucker Yellow bull head Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 ll 18.2 100.0 ll 18.2 60.7 3.8 7 .l l.l 1 1 l.l 9 8.8 97.8 17 9.0 30.0 1.9 0 0 0 1 1 3.6 ll 2.7 96.4 12 2.9 9.3 .6 7 1 . 3 2 .2 .6 31 29.7 99.1 40 30.1 100.0 6.3 ... .) , Table A-5. Mud Lake slough 0.55 acre rotenone sample expanded to one acre, Suwannee River, 21 April 1976. Group Fingerling Intermediate Harvestable Total % of Pop. No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %WgL No. Wgt. %vJgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt. vJgt. Predatory Game Fish Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Total 35 1 T 39 5.6 25.7 13 16. l 73.9 87 21.8 92c3 8.0 7 l 1 35 1.7 .9 42 1.8 7.6 . 7 42 .2 .9 74 7.3 30.9 l3 16. l 68.2 129 23.6 100.0 8.6 Non-Predatory Game Fish Warmouth 0'1 Bluegill 1.0 Spotted sunfish Flier Total 280 l.O 12.8 61 l.l 14. l 23 . 5. 7 73. l 364 7.8 56.9 2.8 25 T T l3 .5 l 0. 6 14 4.2 89.4 52 4.7 34.3 1.7 192 .3 42.9 6 .2 28.5 2 .2 28.6 200 .7 . 5 .3 26 . 5 100.0 26 .5 3.6 .2 497 1.3 9.5 106 2.3 16.8 39 10. l 73.7 642 13.7 100.0 5.0 Non-Predatory Food Fish Spotted sucker Lake chubsucker Yellow bullhead Total 0 60 0 , I 0 0 .02 0 0 0 0 10 7.5 l 00.0 10 7.5 57.0 0 6 4.7 98.0 66 4.8 37.0 2.7 1.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .8 100.0 2 .8 6.0 .3 60 . 1 . 01 0 0 0 18 13.0 99.0 78 13. 1 100.0 4.8 Predatory Food Fish Bowfin Total 0 0 0 2 1.3 . 01 113 218.3 99.0 ll5 219.6 l 00.0 80.3 0 0 0 2 1.3 . 01 ll3 218.3 99.0 ll5 219.6 100.0 80.3 Table A-l Rotenone recovery (R) of fish marked (M) and released in the slough sample areas on the Suwannee River, 1973-1975. S~<:>cies Red Bluff 'Jc~. l'J73 MR % Mud Lake Oct. 1973 MR % Mud Lake May 1974 MR % Mud L~ke - July 1975 M R % io~al MR % Bowfin Warmouth 10 5 50.0 45 24 53.3 35 22 62.9 24 18 75.0 114 69 60.5 7 3 42.8 1 1 100.0 12 10 83.3 5 5 100.0 25 19 76.0 Spotted sunfish 5 1 20.0 2 2 100.0 6 0 0 4 4 100.0 17 7 41.2 "'-..1 N Lake chubsucker 3 1 33.3 5 5 100.0 8 6 75.0 Chain pickerel 2 0 0 2 0 0 Largemouth bass 2 1 50.0 2 2 100.0 4 4 100.0 2 2 100.0 10 9 90.0 Channel catfish l 1 100.0 2 1 50.0 3 2 66.7 Yell ow bull head Spotted sucker 10 4 40.0 1 0 0 4 3 75.0 15 7 46.7 1 1 100.0 1 1 100.0 Bluegill 1 0 0 1 0 0 Total 30 12 40.0 62 34 54.8 65 42 64.6 39 32 82.1 196 120 61.2 ,,~:~f:ii Table A-5. Continued Group % of Pop. No. Wgt. %Wgt. Noo Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %~Jgt. No. Wgt. %Wgt Wgt. Forage Fish Pirate perch 283 1.1 100.0 2 T T 0 0 0 283 1.1 33o3 .4 Lined topminnow 411 .9 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 411 .9 27.3 .3 Bluespotted sunfish 270 .4 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 270 .4 12. 1 .2 Tadpole madtom 87 .3 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 87 o3 9. 1 . 1 Mosqu itofi sh 41 .2 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41 .2 6. 1 . l Brook silverside 139 .2 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 139 . 2 6. 1 1 Banded sunfish 37 1 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37 . 1 3.0 . l Do 11 a r sunf i sh 18 . 1 100.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 . 1 3.0 T Pygmy sunfish 77 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 77 T T T Swamp darter 88 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 88 T T T Golden topminnow 14 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 T T T Pygmy killifish 5 T T 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 T T T "'-..1 Total 1470 3.3 1.0 2 T T 0 0 0 1470 3.3 100.0 1.3 0 Grand Total 2069 4.9 1.8 184 1o. 9 4.0 183 257.5 94.2 2436 273o3 100,0 100.0 Table A-5. Mud Lake slough 0.55 acre rotenone sample expanded to one acre, Suwannee River, 21 April 1976. Grou~ Fingerling Intermediate Harvestable Total % of Pop. No. Wgt. %Wgt. No. Wgt. %WgL No. Wgt. %vJgt. No. Wgt. %Hgt. vJgt. Predatory Game Fish Chain pickerel Redfin pickerel Total 35 l T 39 5.6 25.7 l3 16. l 73o9 87 21.8 92,3 8.0 7 .l 1 35 1.7 .9 42 1.8 7.6 . 7 42 .2 .9 74 7.3 30.9 13 16. l 68.2 129 23.6 100.0 8.6 Non-Predatory Game Fish Warmouth 0'1 1.0 Bluegill Spotted sunfish Flier Total 280 l.O 12.8 61 l.l 14. l 23 5.7 73. l 364 7.8 56.9 2.8 25 T T 13 .5 10.6 14 4.2 89.4 52 4.7 34.3 1.7 192 .3 42.9 6 .2 28.5 2 .2 28.6 200 .7 . 5 c3 26 .5 l 00.0 26 .5 3.6 o2 497 1.3 9.5 106 2.3 16.8 39 10. 1 73.7 642 13.7 100.0 5o0 Non-Predatory Food Fish Spotted sucker Lake chubsucker Yellow bullhead Total 0 60 0 , ! 0 0 .02 0 0 0 0 10 7.5 100.0 10 7.5 57.0 0 6 4.7 98.0 66 4.8 37.0 2.7 1.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .8 100.0 2 .8 6.0 .3 60 .,1 . 01 0 0 0 18 13.0 99.0 78 13. 1 l 00.0 4.8 Predatory Food Fish Bowfin Total 0 0 0 2 1.3 .01 ll3 218.3 99.0 ll5 219.6 100.0 80.3 0 0 0 2 1.3 . 01 ll3 218.3 99.0 ll5 219.6 100.0 80.3 -:~:~~~~: Table A-6. Summary of expanded one acre rotenone samples taken on Suwannee River 1973-1976. Red Bluff 1973 ~Jgt. Percent 1973 ~~gt. Percent Mud Lake 1974 1975 1976 VJgt. Percent \~gt. Percent VJgt. Percent Predatory Game Fish 43.7 33.6 30.5 20.5 23.5 4.8 28.4 6.3 23.6 8.6 Non-Predatory Game Fish 31.8 24.4 28.2 19.0 14.4 2.9 20.4 4.5 13. 7 5.0 Non-Predatory Food Fish 26.8 20.6 19.0 12.8 61.2 12.4 30. l 6.6 13. 1 4.8 Predatory Food Fish 22.9 17.6 64.7 43.6 394.7 79.9 368.5 81.2 219.6 80.3 Forage Fish "..... Total 4.9 3.8 6. 1 4. 1 130. l 100.0 148.5 100.0 T T 6.3 1.4 3.3 1.3 493.8 100.0 453.7 l 00.0 273.3 l 00.0 Finglering Intermediate Harvestable Total 6.9 23.3 99.9 130.1 5.3 17.9 76.8 100.0 11.3 12.8 124.4 148.5 7.6 8.6 83.8 100.0 T 2.4 491.4 493.8 T . 5 99.5 100.0 11.0 9.3 433.4 453.7 2.4 2. 1 95.5 100.0 4.9 10.9 257.5 273.3 1.8 4.0 94.2 l 00.0 OJ 3: OJ :::;:: OJ 3: OJ 3: OJ -r-oo -t OJ :z: 0 rt ' ' ' ' ' n n n n ...... :::::r- :::::r- :::::r- :::::r- 0 o_-. ro n 0.. I I I I )::> 0 rn o rro t 0.. I I c... t_: . "< .0rno .rn0o .0rno _. \.0 '-J 0"1 _. \.0 '-J (.)"1 _. \.0 '-J .j:>. _. \.0 '-J w I I \.0 Vl c: 3ro: :::::rt O::J s:o::::r- rr::oo:l 0.. V1 .'-J N (.)"1 .0_0. (.)"1 .'-J \.0 0"1 .\.0 N w I~ I :..:.:.0.. 0-+> r.... '-+> :V.:.:.:1.:r.-. (""') OJ V1 ' :::l 01.0 3 '-J .j:>. I . N (.)"1 N ._. .j:>. 0"1 ._. (.)"1 0 rt . ~'-J 0 :::l OJ _. :::l '-J 0.. 3:rt OJ"< )n"r0 o :::::r- V1 (/) ro -' 1.0 0-+> '-J rt w o- . . . . N w (.)"1 0 w \.0 .j:>. '-J 1: OJ rt ...... Ort ' 0 rt \.0 t: c....rVo1 ,. -I t_:.O . . I l:z:~ OJ ro rt I I I I .00 (.)"1 \.0 . I~ 1w.0 0 _. 0c::o " '\-.0J ...... 0"1 V1 :r::o::r- OJ OJ -' rt '3ro )::> :::l ..j:>. _. I 'r-'t --o . , '-J 1-..+..>.. ro 0 nn -'rD 0 :::l rt r:::o::r- O_J. :r::tl ",_ . -::: ' .; ) ... , Table A-l Rotenone recovery (R) of fish marked (M) and released in the slough sample areas on the Suwannee River, 1973-1975. S~ecies Red BIutt IJc~. 1973 MR % Mud Lake Oct. 1973 MR % Mud Lake May 1974 MR % Mud L~ke July 1975 MR % To:a1 MR % Bowfin 10 5 50.0 45 24 53.3 35 22 62.9 24 18 75.0 114 69 60.5 Warmouth 7 3 42.8 1 1 100.0 12 10 83.3 5 5 100.0 25 19 76.0 Spotted sunfish 5 1 20.0 2 2 100.0 6 0 0 4 4 100.8 17 7 41.2 '-J N Lake chubsucker 3 1 33.3 5 5 100.0 8 6 75.0 Chain pickerel 2 0 0 2 0 0 Largemouth bass 2 1 50.0 2 2 100.0 4 4 100.0 2 2 100.0 10 9 90.0 Channel catfish 1 1 100.0 2 1 50.0 3 2 66.7 Yell ow bull head Spotted sucker 10 4 40.0 1 0 0 1 1 100.0 4 3 75.0 15 7 46.7 1 1 100.0 Bluegill 1 0 0 1 0 0 Total 30 12 40.0 62 34 54.8 65 42 64.6 39 32 82.1 196 120 61.2 !- QJ .,>.... ~ QJ QJ c c rtl 3 ::::5 (/) c 0 c QJ ~ rtl +-' Vl ,.Q....J. 0... E rtl Vl QJ c 0 c QJ +-' 0 !- QJ !- u rtl QJ c 0 -o QJ -o c rtl 0. >< QJ 40 c rtl ~ ::::5 (/) \.0 I c:::( ,..Q...J. ..0 rtl 1- +c-' QJ u \.0!- r--.. QJ mo... ......., 3 \.0 0 co (V) (V) 0 co L() o:::t c0 o 0 0 . . . . . . \.0 r--.. \.0 (V) (V) M M M m M M N r- f""-... N N +-' C CV"l LO \.0 N o:::t 0 QJ u L() !- \.0 o:::t \.0 co,...... 0 0 f'-..QJ mo... QJ ~ . +-' ::::: . co N . 0 N . 0 (V) . co \.0 . \.0 . (V) L() rtl (V) o:::t .....J -o ::::5 +c-' :::E QJ u or--:..: : t!- QJ .co . . . 1- o:::t N N m r--.. . 0 0 0 mo... . +-' . . (V) o:::t 1- co N +c-' L() 0 co \.0 0 Q) u o m N M o:::t o MS... N o:::t 0 f'-..QJ mo... LO N 0 f'-.. r- LO +J o co m o:::t 1.0 co 3: CV"l N \.0 ,o..:.:.:.t. +c-' \.0 o:::t \.0 \.0 co 0 4- Q) 4- u (V) o:::t 0 r--.. (V) 0 ::::lCV"l!- CV"l N N 0 r-f'-..QJ ,...... OJ mo.... -o ea:::;: +J r--.. co co m m CV"l r- \.0 N o:::t 0 3 o:::t CV"l N N ,C..V...".l ..c: ..c: Vl .,V...l. Ll.. Ll.. ..c: ..c: .,V....l QJ E -o 0 .,V....l rtl 0 (.!) Ll.. QJ E rtl c c -o 0 0 (.!) 0 0 Ll.. ..c: c +-' rtl -o +-' -rotl Vl >, !- Ll.. 0 QJ +-' !- -rotl 0.... I QJ 0 !- +-' 0.... rtl I -o QJ O"l ,...... rtl rtl QJ c c QJ !- +-' !0.... z0:: 0 z:: !0.... 0 Ll.. 0 1- . . . . CO 0 N 0 o:::t mo:::t o 0 . . . . o:::t 0 r--.. L() r(-V-.). N N . . . . N N L() 0 m ,o...... 0 ... m (V) (V) (V) L() o:::t o:::t 1- . 0. m 0 0'1 0 . 1- co N . . . . r--.. co co(V) 0 0 . . . N o:::t CO ,...... ,N...... o:::t . . . . M m co o L() r--.. \.0 0 r--.. 0 . . . . 1.0 M N m o m M QJ O"l +-' rtl ,..Q...J. c ..0 -o rtl !- QJ +-' QJ E Vl !- QJ O"l QJ > rtl .,c.... .+.c..-..'. !rtl :::r: +-' 0 1- 71 '' . -.::-~/:. Table A-8. Estimates of fishing pressure, catch, and catch rates by weekdays and weekends on the Suwannee River from 17 March 1973 to 9 July 1976. Total Catch Angler Hours No. Wgt.(lb) March - Dec. 1973 Weekdays Weekends Total 29932 25020 54952 65558 55902 121460 34022 30969 64991 March - Dec. 1974 Weekdays Weekends Total 15973 15643 31616 21435 20468 41903 19507 15262 34769 March - Dec. 1975 Weekdays Weekends Total 27254 21851 49105 57172 45891 103063 36362 25829 62191 March - July 1976 ~~eekdays Weekends Total 9314 10892 20206 12816 12825 25641 8277 8387 16664 Catch Rate No/Hr Lb/Hr 2.19 1.14 2. 23 1. 24 2. 22 1.19 l. 34 1.22 1. 31 0.98 1.33 1.10 2.10 1.33 2.10 1.18 2.10 1.27 1.38 0.89 1.18 0.77 1.27 0.82 73 +c-.'....- .a,r(-J-). -o ,:z: 1- . . . 1.0 (J) 0 1.0 1.0 N CX) CX) CX) c .....0s.... 1- +-"'' 0 +c -'s0.... , +-' .(.Y...".). -o (J) c.....- 1'0 O c l ..uc s.... . . li) 0 li) N CX) , "' 1- +-' Vl 1'0 u .- 1'0 ..c::a: Vl .- 0 . . . (J) 1.0 0 '+- .....- q 1.0 N +-' 00 CX) CX) t '+-E (/) 0 0s.... -Vol'+- 00. .(.Y...".). q ....... li) ....... ..cE +-'1'0 :<::;l:l(3/): (J) (J) (J) . . . u u u ~ OQ.J s.....;,Q.::) _Qo.JsO::: E a.J ::I~ S:::Q) .;,.:: ~o Qs...). Q) :::::I..S::: Ul+-' Ul Q) s::: S.....- 0... Ul sO::'l:s":":0: ....s..::.:. .;Q,.:): UlQ) ...... Q) ~3: ~ ""0 0 s::: tO Ul Q.JUl +->>-> tOtO ..E.... -.;o,.:: +-'a.J .UlQ) W3: .0--- I c::x:: Q) ....- _o tO 1- ..s::: u +-' ...... utO s.... 1......-.._ 0 :z: s.... .:...c...._ Q) _o +' _J tO 0::: ..us:::s.... +-' :c tO........_ uo :z: _o . ..su::: .._.._.-.. +-' utO +-' ....-3 .tO +-' 0 1 - C z s::: Q) Es.... Ul Q).- ..s:::s.... ..<....Ill- LL s.... Q) Ul ..--IO'l ::I cs:::::x::0:c . . . (V') 1.0 o::T 0 (V') N o::T N (V') . . . Nr-.... (V') ....- 0 L!) \.0 o::T L!) \.0 0 . . L!) (V') r-.... (J) 0 0 r-.... ....- co r-.... (V') L!) ....- ,\....0.. (J) (J) L!) ....- \.0 0 .0...- .r.-.....-. o::T N \.0 N o::T .....-.-- (V') L!) r-.... 0 r-.... r-.... r-.... o::T \.0 (V') 0 rc-.o... o::T \.0 ..-- L!) 0 0 (J) co 0 (J) ....- o::T (V') ....- o::T L!) r-.... cN o Nco o::T \.0 (V') N \.0 . . . (J) \.0 (J) (V') r-.... 0 (V') N (V') . . . ccoo 0 r-.... ....- (V') L!) o::T L!) . . rc-.o... N r-.... c0 o 0 0 0 0 L!) . . (V') r-.... N (V') ,..... co (J) r-.... oc:o:T N N r-.... 0 L!) r-.... (V') (V') N \.0 0 N N (V') ....- N o::T o::T \.0 r-.... L!) co \.0 o::T 0 (V') \.0 L!) ccNoo L!) o::T o::T .0.-- (J) 0 N (J) ....- (V') r-.... c\.o0 .c\..-o0- ..-- r-.... (J) o::T (V') r-.... . 0 N r-.... r-.... (J) (J) 0-.: . . . (J) (V') ....- \.0 r-.... N (V') N (V') . . . (J) ....- 0 \.0 L!) \.0 0 0 0 L!) . . (J) \.0 r-.... (J) 0 0 L!) L!) c (V') co N (J) (V') (V') .r.-.....-. o::T N (V') N (J) ..-- N 0 \.0 ..-- (J) ..-- 0 N N (V') N L!) \.0 r-.... (V') (V') ..-- co .N.-- co \.0 N .\..-0- \.0 0 \.0 0 0 \.0 L!) ....co L!) ....- o::T N N L!) (V') r-.... or-:.:.T.. L!) r-.... (J) (J) (J) . . . u u u Q) Ul Ul Q) Ul Ul Q) Ul Ul 0 ..uss.:.:.:. >-> tO "s":0:: ""0 .;,.:: Q) .;,.:: Q) Q) Q) Q) 3 3 ....- tO +-' 0 1- 0 ..s::: us.... >-> tO "s":0:: ".;",.0:: Q) .:>1:. Q) Q) Q) Q) 3 3 ..-- tO +-' 0 1- 0 ..ssu.:.:.:. >-> tO "s":0:: ""0 Q) .:>1:. .:>1:. Q) Q) Q) Q) 3 3 ....- tO +-' 0 1- tO tO tO ::E: ::E: ::E: 75 \., .:;:;~ft\ :~~~;f~t .:_:/: :~~:.. Table A~l. Methods of fishing and type of bait used by fishermen on the Okefenokee Swamp from 10 March 1973 to 26 December 1975. Period Type of Fishing - Percent Type of Bait - Percent Still Cast, S~in, Flt Set, Trot, Trolling Natura1 Artificial March - Dec. 1973 84.9 15. 1 0 86.6 13.4 March - Dec. 1974 86.6 12.5 0.9 86.9 13. 1 March - Dec. 1975 82.0 18.0 -....J 0) 0 82.0 18.0