Public scoping : removal of the trout stream season in Georgia

Public Scoping: Removal of the Trout Stream Season in Georgia
About: Georgia is the only state in the Southeast that maintains a closed season for a significant portion of its designated trout waters. Georgia DNR fisheries biologists recently evaluated the effects of removing the "trout season" and opening all trout waters to year-round fishing. Background and summary of results is offered below and indicate that a closed season is not necessary to protect Georgia's wild trout populations from a biological standpoint. However, there may be social reasons why Georgia anglers prefer to either keep seasonal trout streams closed in the winter, or to open them all to year-around fishing. Take some time to review the results below and let us know what you think about opening all trout streams to year round fishing.
Background: This effort and proposal was spawned by regular requests from Georgia anglers to provide more yearround trout fishing opportunities. These are not new requests and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) has created year-round trout fishing opportunities in 1995, 1998
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and 2002. After evaluating our data, scientific literature and reviewing the rules and regulations of neighboring states, we have decided to ask Georgia trout anglers if they prefer year-round angling on all trout streams.
Some facts about Georgia trout, streams and regulations Georgia has approximately 4000 miles of trout streams. 40% of Georgia's trout streams are currently designated as seasonal and
closed from November 1st thru late March each year. Georgia is the only state among its neighbors (Tennessee, South Carolina, and
North Carolina) which still has a closed season for a significant part of its trout waters. Georgia has naturally reproducing populations of rainbow, brook, and brown trout in hundreds of streams.
Will opening all streams to year-round angling harm trout populations? Our data analysis, literature review and examination of surrounding States
indicate that wild trout populations in the southern Appalachian region are NOT limited by trout anglers. The primary limiting factors on wild trout in the Southeast are water temperature, flow extremes, and food availability. Temperature: GA trout waters are limited to those sites with water temperatures below 72 degrees. Acceptable stream temperatures are found in the north GA mountains, in some northwest GA streams with cold spring flows, and below three large reservoirs with enough winter-stored waters to provide cold water temperatures through the summer. Food availability: In the north Georgia mountains food resources are naturally limited by geology; which is dominated by granite and results in extremely low concentrations of dissolved minerals (e.g. calcium and magnesium). Low mineral content and heavy shade naturally limit the amount of aquatic plant and insect production available to trout as food.
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Flow extremes: Floods can have a large impact on the number of trout in Southeastern streams. Winter and spring floods wash trout eggs and sac fry out of their gravel nests.

Ramey Creek Example: Extreme Flows

During the fall of 2011 and winter of 2012, north Georgia trout streams experienced significant rain events and extremely heavy flooding. To the right is a picture captured on the Soque River during a major runoff event. Many other trout streams in north Georgia experienced the same floods, including Ramey Creek in Rabun County, which is home to one of Georgia's naturally reproducing brook trout populations.

Trout Density (no./ha)

1400 1200 1000
800 600
397
400 200
0 2009

570
2010

FLOOD IMPACT

1191

279

325

72

2011 2012 2013 2014

The graph above shows the results of GDNR brook trout monitoring efforts at Ramey Creek between 2009 and 2014. Notice the depressed brook trout densities after winter floods of 2011/2012. Also notice how quickly the population rebounded when steady flows follow a naturally limiting event;

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demonstrating that mountain trout populations can fluctuate widely from year to year due to natural conditions.
Charlies Creek Example: Regulation change from seasonal to year-round
Charlies Creek, a historic seasonal trout stream in Towns County that was opened to year round trout fishing in 1984.

1000

Mean Adult Rainbow Trout Density in Charlies Creek

Density (no./ha)

0

483

545

Seasonal (1959-1983) Year Round (1991-2014)

As you can see in the graph above, trout in Charlies Creek remain as abundant today under a year-round season as they were 50 years ago.
Summary: WRD has determined that a year-around season would not adversely affect the ability of our wild trout populations to sustain themselves. Biologically, there does not appear to be justification for a fivemonth closed season, though there may be social aspects to consider among anglers, landowners, the business community, and other interested Georgians.

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30-Day Comment Period:
All comments must be provided by February 28, 2015.
Email Jeff Durniak at jeff.durniak@dnr.state.ga.us ; or
Call the Gainesville Office at: 770-535-5498; or
Mail written comments to:
GADNR Fisheries 2150 Dawsonville Highway Gainesville, GA 30501
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are you proposing this change?
A: Over the years, Georgia anglers have regularly asked for specific streams to be converted from seasonal to year-round. We added streams to the year-round list in 1995, 1998, and 2002. After evaluating our data and reviewing scientific literature, we decided to ask Georgia anglers whether they preferred year-round regulations on all streams.
Q: How many miles of trout streams would this affect?
A: Georgia currently has approximately 4,000 miles of trout streams. Of these, around 40% are under a seasonal designation, so this change would result in approximately 1,600 miles of trout streams being opened to fishing from November through March.
Q: How does Georgia currently compare to other states in the Southeast?
A: Georgia is the only state among its neighbors that still maintains a months-long closed season on a significant portion of its trout streams. Tennessee, South Carolina, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park all permit year-round fishing on all of their streams. Some streams in North Carolina are open 11 months, but most are open to year-round fishing.
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Q: Won't this decimate the wild trout populations in Georgia?
A: Research on Southeastern wild trout populations has repeatedly shown that angling regulations have no significant effect on wild trout population numbers. Flow extremes, such as droughts and floods, have a much larger impact on population numbers than anglers can.
Q: Don't trout need a rest from fishing to spawn?
A: No, floods have a much bigger negative impact on spawning success than anglers walking in the stream or fishing do. All of our neighboring states have transitioned to year-round seasons and have not seen decreases in trout reproduction as a result.
Q: Will this affect special regulations on streams such as Delayed Harvest or Artificial Only designations?
A: No, all other designations other than the "seasonal" restriction would remain unchanged.
Q: Are you proposing any other changes to trout fishing regulations, such as reduced creel limits or bait restrictions?
A: At this time, we are only considering changes to the trout season. Other regulations can be addressed in the future if there is a biological need and/or angler demand.
Q: Does this mean you would start stocking my favorite stream regularly in the winter?
A: At this time, we do not plan to significantly change the timing of trout stocking schedules.
Q: Does this mean there would be no more opening day?
A: Technically, yes, though our stocking efforts will still be focused on having all streams stocked for the traditional date of opening day (last weekend of March).
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Q: Won't this stress my county Ranger since you'd be opening streams to fishing during hunting season?
A: Workload for our law enforcement staff is certainly a concern, and we have discussed this issue with staff from the Law Enforcement Division of Georgia DNR. They are comfortable enforcing this regulation change should it occur. Additionally, our Rangers still must patrol these streams during closed seasons to make sure no one is fishing them, so poaching has always been a concern for them.
Q: Will you provide more access to trout streams in the winter if they are opened to fishing?
A: There will be no changes in road access. Roads that are currently closed seasonally will continue to close to prevent erosion and protect streams from excess sedimentation during wet winter months. Anglers may still park in suitable locations and walk on roads that are behind locked gates to access the newlyopened streams.
You can view maps of the Forest Service road system to find out which roads are closed seasonally and when on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests webpage here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/conf/mapspubs/?cid=fsm9_029112&width=full.
Q: When would these streams be open to year-round fishing if this proposal is approved?
A: We expect the change would take place in the fall of 2015. We are currently in a public scoping period to solicit opinions on this proposal. If it is determined during this scoping process that the public would like to move forward with the proposal, we will work thru the rule making process this winter/spring. The rule making process will include a 30-day comment period, public hearings and require Board of Natural Resources approval. If approved, all streams would remain open following the traditional close of trout fishing season in late October 2015.
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