MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND … · inland commercial fishery for non-game gross...

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MS 413 MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND PADDLEFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY DURING FISCAL YEAR 2009 Report For Project 00109: Freshwater Commercial Fishery Coordination Freshwater Fisheries Report No. 259 Project Leader: Garry Lucas Sections: PADDLEFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY: First Paddlefish Roe Season Harvest COMMERCIAL FISHERY HARVEST SURVEY: First Survey of Commercial Fishers NON-GAME GROSS FISH SURVEY DATA

Transcript of MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND … · inland commercial fishery for non-game gross...

Page 1: MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND … · inland commercial fishery for non-game gross fish (rough fish) and non-native fishes during Fiscal Year 2009 (July 2008 to June

MS 413

MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY

AND PADDLEFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY

DURING FISCAL YEAR 2009

Report For Project 00109:

Freshwater Commercial Fishery Coordination

Freshwater Fisheries Report No. 259

Project Leader: Garry Lucas

Sections:

PADDLEFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY: First Paddlefish Roe Season Harvest

COMMERCIAL FISHERY HARVEST SURVEY: First Survey of Commercial Fishers

NON-GAME GROSS FISH SURVEY DATA

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MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND PADDLEFISH

COMMERCIAL FISHERY DURING FISCAL YEAR 2009

Abstract

This report documents data collected during Fiscal Year 2009 associated with MDWFP Project 109,

Freshwater Commercial Fishery Coordination. The report is presented in 3 components: Summary of

the 2008-2009 season for the paddlefish fishery, Documentation of the harvest reported by

respondents to the Commercial Fishery Harvest Survey., and Summary of the Non-game gross fish

survey.

During Fiscal Year 2009, 680 persons purchased inland commercial fishing licenses, permits or tags.

Statistics on 2008-2009 Commercial Fishery for Paddlefish:

Participants – 3 persons had Harvester Permits ($1,000 each)

One person had a Processor Permit ($2,000 each)

Catch - 55 paddlefish were caught; 26 were harvested and 29 released. Of the 26

harvested paddlefish, 13 were females with 73 lbs. of eggs (raw wt.).

Product - 94% of the processed roe was sold as a product packaged for retail sale

identified as originating from Mississippi. The paddlefish flesh went to

private consumption and none was marketed.

Statistics on Survey of Inland Commercial Fishery for 2008.

Participants (FY2008): 715 – 60% indicated they did not get a license for monetary benefit.

Survey returns 249 33% usable return rate

Harvest by respondents to survey for past year, 2008

Buffalo – ½ million pounds; Blue & channel Catfish – 170,000+ pounds;

Flathead 50,000+ pounds; Common carp -70,000 pounds; Asian carp -

60,000+ pounds Freshwater Drum -11,000 pounds; Gar- 14,000 pounds; Other

species harvested – eel, bowfin, shad, and minnows

Non-Game Gross Fish Survey:

During FY2008 and FY2009 74 stationary gill net sets were set in 14 water bodies, that

caught 206 fish of 24 species. Length Frequency distributions for paddlefish, buffalo (species

combined), and catfish (species combined) are presented

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MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND PADDLEFISH

COMMERCIAL

FISHERY DURING FISCAL YEAR 2009

Table of Contents

FY2009 License Sales Summary ....................................................................................... 1

I. Paddlefish Commercial Fishery ..................................................................................... 2

II. Commercial Fishery Harvest Survey ............................................................................. 7

III. Non-Game Gross Fish Stock Survey Data .................................................................. 13

Literature Cited ................................................................................................................ 16

APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................... 17

A. Commercial Fishing Harvest Survey Packet ............................................................ 19 1. Introductory Flyer .......................................................................................... 19 2. Survey Form ................................................................................................... 21 3. Harvest report Form ...................................................................................... 23 B. Guide to Commercial Paddlefish Harvest ............................................................... 25 C. Paddlefish Harvest Report Guide and Harvest Forms ............................................ 29 1. Paddlefish Sale Transaction Form ................................................................. 39 2. Paddlefish Processor Report Form ................................................................ 40 D. Law Enforcement Information Packets ................................................................... 41 1. Meeting Handout; August 2008 multi-district meetings .............................. 41 2. Paddlefish Enforcement Flow Chart .............................................................. 42 E. Tables of Data Presented as Graphs in Report ......................................................... 45 F. Public Notice F-3798 Paddlefish harvest 2008-2009 Season ................................... 47

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MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND PADDLEFISH

COMMERCIAL

FISHERY DURING FISCAL YEAR 2009

Project Leader: Garry Lucas

During Fiscal Year 2009, 680 persons purchased inland commercial fishing licenses, permits or tags:

MDWFP sold 649 resident inland commercial fishing licenses, 24 nonresident licenses, and 7 of 8

Louisianans who purchased reciprocal gear tags (153 purchased) did not purchase a Mississippi

commercial license. During FY2009, 522 persons purchased 3,712 gear tags while 107 persons

purchased 255 slat box licenses and 3 persons purchased 4 paddlefish permits.

The Fishery Management Plan for the Mississippi Inland Commercial Fishery has a

discussion of commercial fishing license trends related to changes in license structure and

license prices (MDWFP, 2009).

300

500

700

900

1,100

1,300

1,500

1,700

1,900

NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE

COMMERCIAL FISHERY (By Fiscal Year)

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This report documents activities associated with the management of Mississippi’s

inland commercial fishery for non-game gross fish (rough fish) and non-native fishes during

Fiscal Year 2009 (July 2008 to June 2009). The report is organized into 3 parts. The first part

discusses the 2008-2009 season for paddlefish roe harvest. The next section documents

findings from the first harvest survey of commercial fishing license holders. The last section

discusses effort to survey the non-game gross fish populations of northwest Mississippi.

PADDLEFISH COMMERCIAL FISHERY

The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks closed the state to commercial harvest of

paddlefish in April 2007. The fishery was re-opened in December 2008 on border waters

shared with Arkansas. The fishery was opened with strict regulations that possibly make the

Mississippi commercial paddlefish fishery one of the most tightly regulated fisheries,

anywhere. The regulations for the 2008-2009 paddlefish fishery are found in Public Notice

3798 (Appendix F).

Statistics on 2008-2009 Commercial Fishery for Paddlefish:

Participants – 3 persons had Harvester Permits ($1,000 each)

One person had a Processor Permit ($2,000 each)

Catch - 55 paddlefish were caught; 26 were harvested and 29 released. Eight

(8) of the released fish were less than 34”EFL (eye to fork length),

and 18 were legal size. Of the 26 harvested paddlefish, 13 were

females with 73 lbs. of eggs (raw wt.). The length of the harvested

paddlefish (both male & female) were 34 to 45 inches (EFL).

Product - 94% of the processed roe was sold as a product packaged for retail sale

identified as originating from Mississippi, although mostly in 3 or 5

pound lots. The paddlefish flesh went to private consumption and none

was marketed.

Background –

Paddlefish are a valuable commercial species being sought not only for its meat, but the eggs

are processed into caviar. Paddlefish caviar retails for $260 to-$346 per pound (Spring 2009

prices). The 2003 closure by the USFWS of the importation of beluga caviar from the

Caspian Sea caused an increase in demand for paddlefish roe that caused an increase in

dockside prices for paddlefish egg. Paddlefish eggs have even been found substituted for

sturgeon eggs as product labeled as valuable sturgeon caviar (River Crossings, Vol. 9 #3,

May-June 2000, and Vol. 12 #1, Jan-Feb 2003). Mississippi saw an increase in fishing for

paddlefish by out-of-state persons from 2004 to 2007. Prior to 2007, Mississippi played a

role in the caviar market as paddlefish were then harvested in September and October for

their eggs. It is believed that these eggs were accepted as a low-grade caviar for the

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lucrative December holiday trade and cruise ship trade, but there was no mechanism in place

to document the disposition of the eggs .

Paddlefish populations are sensitive to fishing mortality because of their longevity, late age at

first maturity, and relatively low maximum fecundity values (Boreman 1997). Anonymous

information indicated substantial harvest of paddlefish for their eggs by out-of-state persons

in Delta waters such as Lakes George, McIntyre, Wolf, and Six Mile. Fishery researchers

saw many paddlefish when working in Delta lakes, but encountered few to no paddlefish

in those waters after those lakes were targeted for paddlefish by commercial fishermen.

Public Notice F4-2999, effective April 2007, closed the season for the commercial harvest of

paddlefish

History Of Mississippi Paddlefish Regulations

Prior to 1986 – 32 inch length limit (32 inch total length)

1987 – 54 inch length limit (TL)

1988 – closed season, January – April (Nov. – April on Pascagoula River system ) 1994 – closed season Nov. – April; Statewide 2007 – No Open Season for Paddlefish Harvest

2008 – Open Season Dec. 2008 to March 2009 to harvesters with special permits on

border waters with Arkansas. Harvest was restricted to fish greater than 34

inches (EFL) to match length limit eatablised by Arkansas Game & Fish

Commission.

In 2007 Mississippi began the process to open the paddlefish fishery to sustainable harvest.

The aspiration for the fishery –

Give Mississippians opportunity to benefit from lucrative caviar trade, and use that as

a stepping stone to enhance commercial fishing industry

Develop Mississippi product(s) produced from a sustainable paddlefish population

In 2007 MDWFP met with wildlife agency officials with Tennessee and Arkansas to review

those states regulations and to discuss options for equivalent regulations on border waters.

The MDWFP decided to not open the fishery in winter of 2007, as the proposed regulations,

if adopted at that time, would only be class III violations ($25.00-$100.00 fine) that would

not be a suitable deterrent to illegal harvest. The 2008 Legislature changed Statute 49-7-90

to give MDWFP the authority needed to manage paddlefish harvest. The Statute made any

violations of laws or agency regulations, concerning paddlefish a Class I violation

($2,000.00 - $5,000.00 fine, 5 days in jail and loss of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges

for a period of not less than one year) . The components of Statute 49-7-90 established in

2008 –

Violations of laws or regulations concerning paddlefish are Class I offence

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Commission may establish permits concerning harvest of paddlefish

Must have commercial fishing license to sell non-native fish

Persons with commercial fishing license are to report harvest

Public Notice F-3798, that became effective September 2008 opened border waters with

Arkansas to the harvest of paddlefish and paddlefish roe (Appendix F). Key elements of the

regulations in PN F-3798 are –

Harvesters must have special permit to harvest paddlefish; cost of permit

$1,000

Harvesters and processors must attend a mandatory meeting on paddlefish

season.

Season December 2008-March 2009

Harvested paddlefish must be at least 34” EF length. (The MDWFP goal is to have

a 38 inch length limit that research indicates will protect 30% of spawning size females. To

try to have consistent regulations in border waters Mississippi harvesters would abide by the

lesser length length between the two states, which was 34 inches per Arkansas regulations.)

Harvested paddlefish must be tagged

Eggs must remain within fish till fish reach processing facility of permitted

buyer; cost of processor permit $2,000, buyer permit $5,000

Sale of paddlefish must be reported within 24 hours

Once the regulations were assumed, Fisheries Bureau staff took actions to inform the public,

commercial licensed persons, and conservation officers of the regulations. The MDWFP web

page had a link to the Public Notice through an icon in the ‘Hot Topics” recent news section.

Persons holding a commercial fishing license were informed by the flyer included with the

commercial fishing harvest survey packet, and by a link to a “Guide to Commercial

Paddlefish Harvest” as part of the commercial fishing digest link on the MDWFP web page.

The commercial fishing brochure also had an icon in the “Hot Topics” section. (The flyer and

Guide are found in Appendix A and B, respectively). Conservation Officers were notified of

the regulations by a handout included with a “information booklet” given to them at meetings

held on August 22, 2008 for officers in the northern ½ of the state and on August 29 for

officers in the southern half. Also a more precise guide was made for use by officers and

their supervisors, that was distributed to officers who would possibly have a direct

involvement in the enforcement of paddlefish regulations. (The handout and Law

Enforcement Guide are included as Appendix D)

Persons seeking to obtain paddlefish permits had to apply for permits through the POS

license system. The applications were available October 1 to October 15, 2008 at any license

agent; cost for the application was $5.00 plus applicable transaction fees. Those applying for

permits were screened to ascertain if they had any previous violations of paddlefish

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regulations within the last five years. Such violation would preclude them from being

qualified to purchase a paddlefish permit.

Persons seeking to obtain paddlefish permits were required to attend a mandatory meeting.

That meeting was held November 21, 2008 at the North West Mississippi Fish Hatchery. At

that meeting paddlefish harvesters and roe buyers were able to meet. The regulations were

explained to the attendees along with how to fill out the Paddlefish Sale Transaction Form to

document harvest of paddlefish. An instruction manual on filling out the forms was

distributed those attending the meeting. The instruction manual also discussed the rules and

regulations concerning fishing for and harvesting paddlefish.

Three paddlefish harvesters and one buyer (processor) participated in the 2008-2009 fishery.

The fishery got off to a rough start as the buyer could not get his processing facility

operational and permitted (by Health Dept.) till January 10, 2009. The regulations required

harvesters to take their catch to a permitted buyer, so they could not fish till the buyer got

established. Since the buyer’s facility was located in Horn Lake, Mississippi, the paddlefish

were harvested from the Mississippi River and adjacent lakes in DeSoto and Tunica

Counties.

Paddlefish CPUE of Paddlefish Harvester Permit holders for the 2008-2009 paddlefish

season:

Total Catch rate for all paddlefish = 0.64 paddlefish per net set

Catch rate for legal size paddlefish = 0.26

Catch rate for undersize paddlefish= 0.38

Catch rate for harvested paddlefish= 0.16

After the season was over those who participated were sent a letter asking them what changes

they would like to see in the regulations for the upcoming season.

1 – Adopt a resident dealer/processer permit

2 -Reciprocal agreement with Arkansas should only be within the main channel banks of the

Mississippi River.

3 - Limit the harvest of meat

4 -Have an unattended net law

5 - Have mandatory educational programs

6 -Have a shovelnose sturgeon season

7 - Ban the harvest of large catfish by commercial fishermen

8 – Do not let out-of state persons to fish for paddlefish in Mississippi

9 – Adopt Arkansas regulation in regards to removing eggs while on the water

10 – Reduce permit fees

11. – Open interior waters to summer/meat harvest

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Comments were also received concerning paddlefish regulations from 10 persons responding

to the Commercial Fishing Harvest Survey. Additional comments from those respondents -

1. Make paddlefish regulations fair – Fees are expensive and discriminatory (5)

2. Open Mississippi to non-residents: That would increase license sales

3. Reduce length limit to bordering waters limit

4. Allow a 24 inch block out rule

5. Allow more time to apply for permits so persons can prepare nets

6. Eliminate 100 yard rule between nets

7. Go back to paddlefish regulations in effect prior to 2007.

8. Permit harvest of paddlefish caught during the summer that do not survive nets (3)

9. Permit harvest of paddlefish statewide

10. Permit sale of paddlefish outside of range of where season is open

11. Allow person to keep one paddlefish per day for personal consumption

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

EFL Length (1/2 in. increments)

Length Frequency of Paddlefish Harvested during 2008-2009 Season

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COMMERCIAL FISHERY HARVEST SURVEY

During the 2008 Mississippi Legislative session, Statute 49-7-90 was amended to require

that persons with freshwater commercial fishing licenses report their harvest of nongame

gross fish A harvest survey was sent to each of the 715 persons who purchased a

commercial fishing license during FY2008. Each license holder was sent a packet that

contained a notice letter, commercial fishing survey form, harvest report form and an

addressed envelope to return the forms. The notice letter stated the requirement to report

harvest, highlighted recent changes to commercial fishing regulations, and notified recipients

of upcoming paddlefish season and how to apply for paddlefish permits. The survey form

had questions that elicited why a person purchased a commercial fishing license and asked

for recommendations to changes in regulations or things to improve fishing or fish stocks.

The harvest form asked questions on what gear were used and the how many fish were

harvested. The gear use included questions on number of days, number of gear units used,

and preferred fishing location.( Copies of the inclusions in the packet are found in Appendix

A.) The packet was mailed September , 26, 2008, with a deadline for return of January 31,

2009. Two hundred fifty two (252) surveys were returned, of which 23 were returned

undeliverable, including for one person who had deceased.

Statistics on Survey of Inland Commercial Fishery for 2008.

Participants (FY2008): 715

Survey returns 253= 230 sent in surveys + 22 returned as

undeliverable + 1 deceased

33% usable return rate

Harvest by Commercial Fishing License Holders for “Past Year”, 2008

Species

Harvest reported by respondents to survey

(33% of Licence holders responded to

survey)

Estimated harvest by All

Licensed persons

Buffalo 500,000 pounds 1,500,000 pounds

Blue & channel catfish 68,600 fish @ 212,000 pounds 205,800 fish @ 636,000 lbs.

Flathead catfish 6,200 fish @ 53,000 pounds 18,600 fish @ 153,000 lbs.

Common carp 70,000 pounds 210,000 pounds

Asian carp 80,000 pounds 240,000 pounds

Freshwater drum 11,000 pounds 33,000 pounds

Gar 14,000 pounds ( 216 alligator gar reported) 42, 000 lbs.

Other species harvested – eel, bowfin, shad, minnows

65 persons reported they harvested no fish in past year (28% of respondents)

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Commercial fishers are required by law and regulation to report harvest on forms supplied by

MDWFP. Although the response rate was relatively low for a regulatory requirement, the

low response rate may be explained by the dynamic nature of the fishery: Only 348 of the

715 persons who purchased licenses in FY2008, also purchased licenses in FY2009, the

fiscal year during which the surveys were sent.. Many of those who received survey forms

probably threw them away, as they thought that since they did not have a license at the time

they did not need to participate in the survey. And, they were correct. This significant change

in participation in the fishery could also explain the high number of persons (28%) who said

they did not harvest any fish in the past year (see table on page 10), or the 59% of

respondents who did not answer any of the questions on why they participated in the fishery

(see table on page 11).

Fishing effort by respondents to survey (230 respondents – 33% of license holders)

Fishing effort reported by respondents to survey (for 2008)

Gear

Number of persons

who fished gear (% )

Avg. # days

fished in a yr.

by persons

who fished

that gear

Avg. # gear

fished per day

by persons who

fished that gear

(range)

Gill net

(range)

47 (20%) 88

(3-365)

3.7 nets

(1-10)

Hoop nets 83 (36%) 56

(2-250)

6.5 nets

(2-25)

Slat Boxes 19*(8%) 76

(3-300)

2.6 boxes

(1-5)

Trotlines 72 (31%) 71

(5-300)

4.6 lines

(1-18)

No fish

harvested

65 (28%)

Other gears reported fished – rod & reel, special gear ( for Asian carp)

Percentage will not total 100% due to persons fishing multiple gears

* 93 persons purchased slat box licenses in FY2008

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Locations most frequently mentioned as preferred fishing sites

Locations most frequently mentioned

Most freq. mentioned gear for that location

2nd

most mentioned gear

Gear not mentioned or rarely mentioned

#1 - Pearl River Hoop nets (78%) equal response rate for other gears

#2 -MS River & oxbows

Gill net (50%) Hoop nets Slat boxes

#3 - COE reservoirs Trotlines (60%) Gill nets Hoop nets & slat boxes

#4 - Delta rivers Hoop nets (50%) Trotlines Slat boxes & gill nets

Response to Survey Questions on Why a Person purchased a Freshwater Commercial Fishing License:

QUESTION NUMBER RESPONDENTS

Persons who answered NO to all 7 questions 136 (59%)

1. I have a license as a helper to assist another licensed person

16 (7%)

2. I buy and/or sell fish for fish markets or fish houses 39 (17%)

3. I peddle, trade or barter fish to customers on a local route or circuit.

46 (20%)

4. I am a wholesale minnow dealer. 3 (1%)

5. I sell minnows caught from public waters. 0

6. I have a permit to raise nongame wildlife for sale. 2 (1%)

7. I have a permit to harvest common snapping turtles 1 (0.5%)

Similar data on rationale for freshwater fishing license purchase was collected during the sale

of license sold during FY2003 to FY2007. During those years persons purchasing

commercial fishing license were asked a series of questions to ascertain why they purchased

a license. The questions were a facet of the POS system for license sale and were asked at the

time the person purchased their license. In FY2003 to FY2005 the program could record

multiple answers, but that option did not seem to be working for data collected in FY2006

and FY2007. The FY2006 data was not analyzed because the data for FY2006 and FY 2007

could be misleading. It appeared the respondents may have been confused by the two parts

of question #1; “catch fish for personal use” versus “I do not sell my catch”, and they were

answering that question based on the use of catch for “personal use”.

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Survey Questions presented to persons purchasing licenses as part of POS system

Number of persons who responded “yes” to question.

(System only recorded yes answers)

FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2007

respondents 616 665 525 499

non- respondents 125 128 212 253

Question

1-a 255 265 176 222

1 I USE NETS, SLAT BASKETS or other gear to catch fish for personal use& I do not sell my catch

483 522 216 222

2 I use nets, slat boxes or other gear to catch fish for sale

300 336 198 157

3 I buy and sell fish for fish markets or fish houses

108 110 64 58

4 I buy or handle fish obtained from commercial anglers or fish dealers for resale

58 41 28 22

5 I ship fish that I have not caught (other people's fish) out of the state

12 20 22 6

6 I bring fish into the state to sell them to other people

12 15 21 12

7 I am a wholesale minnow dealer

10 18 16 3

8 I sell minnows caught from public waters

7 13 22 7

9 I raise nongame wildlife for sale

18 26 38 13

Question 1a was same as question 1 – the number for 1a is the number of respondents who

listed “yes” to only question #1.

Comparison of POS collected data with 2008 survey data

Percentage response to question

Question 2008 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2007

catch fish for personal use& I do not sell catch

59 41 39 34 44

I buy and/or sell fish for fish markets or fish

houses

17 17 17 12 12

I am a wholesale minnow dealer 1 2 3 3 0.5

I sell minnows caught from public waters 0 2 2 4 1

I raise nongame wildlife for sale 1 1 4 7 3

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Response to “Comments or suggestions concerning ways to improve activities associated

with a commercial fishing license” as part of the Commercial Harvest Survey Form.

Seventy eight (78) persons elected to make comments on regulation changes and/or ways to

enhance the fishery.

Respondents comments on regulation changes Number

Gear Changes Hoop nets – change mesh - 2 ½” MS R – 1 ½”statewide in winter

Slat boxes – lower opening to 1 ¼” or 1”

Gill net mesh size– 3 ½” statewide

Allow slat boxes or 1 ½” hoop nets in Old River WMA

Need cotton rule on trotline

Allow gar gill nets with 3” mesh of No.9 or larger twine

Allow Commercial fishers to have pole to catch skipjack for bait

Allow treble hook for snagging at Reservoirs

4

3

3

3

1

1

1

1

More enforcement More wardens – Pearl & Chickasaway R

Stop people stealing gear, running others gear

Stop the telephoning around Columbia

All people who sell fish need license

4

2

1

1

Approve of not requiring helper to have Commercial fishing license. 6

Regulations OK

Need less regulations

5

1

Change length limit or season Flathead to 18”

No length on Channel catfish

Close season on flatheads Jun-Sep

1

1

1

Fines Increase them 1

Hand Grabbling for Flatheads Either stop it or allow only every other year 2

Turtles Permit sale of turtles

Reduce hoop mesh to 1 ½” so they do not snag & drown

1

1

Respondents comments on Fishery Enhancement Items No

Access Clean off boat ramps, Strider, Big Black Hwy49

More boat ramps – Wilkerson Co., Grand Gulf (Hi water)

5

4

Licenses Need more agents

Allow purchase from Web site

3

3

Asian Carp Get rid of them

Develop market

Reduce mesh size to harvest them

5

2

Reservoir Management Hold more water - Grenada @210, Arkabutla @216

Plant mud flats with winter cover crop

4

1

Dams Fix spillway at Lake Mary

Fix Taylor Lake drain

3

Stocking Stock “white catfish” Grenada Res., Catfish -Pearl R. Columbia 2

Contamination Get information on levels in commercial fish 1

Navigation Clean debris out of rivers 1

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Observations on Mississippi’s commercial fishery based on the harvest survey and license

sales.

A substantial portion (35-60%) of the licensed participants are not relying on fishing as a

significant source of income. Almost 25% of those who made comments on the survey

volunteered the response that they fish for hobby, sell fish to help pay fishing expenses, or

have a license to get fish for meals at social events. This assertion was supported by review

of tag purchases, as 70% of the FY2008 license holders had bought no more than 5

commercial fishing equipment tags (see table that follows)

Many who commented said they either did not fish or fished less in 2008 due to health

problems.

The fishery is dynamic as 325 participants in the FY2009 fishery did not purchase

commercial licenses in FY2008. Conservation officers have commented that they expect

participation to increase as persons seek additional income from fishing during the current

economic downturn.

0

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100

150

200

250

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mb

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s

Number of Tags Purchased

Distribution of Tag purchases

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NON-GAME GROSS FISH STOCK SURVEY DATA

Net gears were used to survey the non-game gross fish in waters of NW Mississippi.

Stationary gill nets targeting paddlefish were the primary method. Other methods that were

being assessed for use were drift nets and seining. Stationary gill net sets consisted of 4 to 8

nets of the following types of nets. Nets were set from 4 to 24 hours.

Base nets that were generally set at each sampling were –

One 200’ monofilament 5” bar mesh sinking gill net, 10 feet deep

One 300’ multifilament 5“sinking gill net, 12 feet deep tied down to 9 feet

One 200‘ multifilament 4” sinking gill tied down gill net

One 150’ monofilament 3” sinking gill net

Other nets used at times

One 300’ monofilament 6” sinking gill net, 16 feet deep tied down to 12 feet

One 300’ multifilament 6” sinking gill net, 16’ deep tied down to 9 feet

One 100’ . monofilament 5” bar mesh floating gill net, 10 feet deep ties down to 8

feet

In some sampling runs a net(s) may be moved to make multiple sets

In 2008, 54 stationary gill net sets were made in 8 water bodies; 163 fish of 24 species were

captured. In 2009, 20 sets were made in 6 water bodies ; 43 fish of 9 species were captured

Comparison of catch rates by gill net sampling in FY2008 and FY2009. CPUE is per 1000

net feet-hours.

CPUE per 1000 net feet-hrs.

Paddlefish All catfish Buffalo All

fish

MS River oxbows 0.2 0.6 1.0 2.9

Delta lakes that were open to commercial fishing,

and the harvest of paddlefish prior to 2007 0.9 0.3 1.8 4.2

Water bodies that were closed to commercial

fishing, both now and prior to 2007 2.7 0.3 0.1 3.0

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16

Comparison of catch rates by gill net sampling in FY2008 and FY2009 between types of

waters and with that of paddlefish harvesters in 2009. CPUE is catch per net set.

CPUE per net set

Paddlefish All catfish Buffalo All

fish

MS River oxbows 0.5 1.1 0.6 4.2

Delta lakes that were open to commercial fishing,

and the harvest of paddlefish prior to 2007 0.7 0.4 1.4 4.0

Water bodies that were closed to commercial

fishing, both now and prior to 2007 3.0 0.2 0.1 3.4

Paddlefish harvesters – 2008-2009 season .64

Demopolis AL. 2003-2005 (O’Keefe & Jackson,

2006) .67

The length of silver and bighead carp caught during the surveys during FY2008 and FY2009

were 14 to 42 inches.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

18

.1

19

.3

20

.5

21

.7

22

.8

24

.0

25

.2

26

.4

27

.6

28

.7

29

.9

31

.1

32

.3

33

.5

34

.6

35

.8

37

.0

38

.2

39

.4

40

.6

41

.7

42

.9

44

.1

45

.3

EF Length in Inches

Length Frequency of Paddlefish Caught During Surveys; Gill Net Catches in FY 2008 & FY 2009

Delta

River

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17

0

1

2

3

4

13

.8

15

.0

16

.1

17

.3

18

.5

19

.7

20

.9

22

.0

23

.2

24

.4

25

.6

26

.8

28

.0

29

.1

30

.3

31

.5

32

.7

33

.9

35

.0

36

.2

37

.4

38

.6

Length in Inches

Length Frequency of Buffalo Caught During Surveys, Gill Net Catches in FY 2008 & FY 2009

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

14

.6

15

.4

16

.1

16

.9

17

.7

18

.5

19

.3

20

.1

20

.9

21

.7

22

.4

23

.2

24

.0

24

.8

25

.6

26

.4

27

.2

28

.0

28

.7

29

.5

30

.3

31

.1

31

.9

32

.7

33

.5

34

.3

35

.0

35

.8

36

.6

Length Frequency of Catfish caught During Surveys, Gill Net Catches in FY 2008 & FY 2009

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18

Literature cited

Boreman, J. 1997. Sensitivity of North American sturgeons and paddlefish to fishing

mortality. Environmental Biology of Fishes 48:399-405.

MDWFP, 2009. Inland Commercial Fishing Management Plan, December 2009. MDWFP,

Jackson MS

O’Keefe, Daniel M. and Donald C. Jackson. 2006. Assessment of Paddlefish in the

Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Completion Report No. 248, Fed. Aid Project Grant

No. T-5, Feb. 1, 2003 – Dec. 31, 2005. MDWFP, Jackson, MS

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APPENDIX E - Tables of Data Presented as Graphs in Report

19

APPENDICES

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APPENDIX E - Tables of Data Presented as Graphs in Report

20

Table 1. Commercial license sales trend.

Year

Number of Commercial License Holders Tags

Resident Nonresident Total Slat Basket Gear Slat Basket

FY 1982 1,783 N/A 10,838 N/A

FY 1989 ~1500 9

FY 1990 ~1300 ~16

FY 1991 ~1300 ~23

FY 1992 ~1200 ~16

FY 1993 ~1100 20

FY 1994 ~1000 ~22

FY 1995 ~800 ~19 ~5500 207

FY 1996 688 18 ~5000 186

FY 1997 796 5668 192

FY 1998 827 6258 226

FY 1999 1078 6302 967

FY 2000 865 21 886 5685 637

FY 2001 921 6051 584

FY 2002 878 5750 501

FY 2003 759 24 783 159 4841 381

FY 2004 753 33 787 156 4553 404

FY 2005 696 34 729 124 4394 371

FY 2006 653 42 648 126 3900 276

FY 2007 683 43 726 113 3560 248

FY 2008 694 21 715 93 3577 218

FY2009 649 24 680 107 3712 255

Page 23: MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND … · inland commercial fishery for non-game gross fish (rough fish) and non-native fishes during Fiscal Year 2009 (July 2008 to June

APPENDIX E - Tables of Data Presented as Graphs in Report

21

Distribution of commercial fishing gear tag purchases by licenses during FY 2008.

# tags

purchased

No. persons purchasing that no. tags % of 2008 lic. holders

0 196 27.4

1 28 31.3

2 67 40.7

3 79 51.7

4 59 60.0

5 72 70.1

6 36 75.1

7 22 78.2

8 20 81.0

9 2 81.3

10 65 90.3

11 2 90.6

12 12 92.3

13 2 92.6

14 2 92.9

15 20 95.7

16 2 95.9

17 1 96.1

18 2 96.4

19 96.4

20 9 97.6

21 97.6

22 2 97.9

23 97.9

24 97.9

25 4 98.5

30 6 99.3

35 1 99.4

40 2 99.7

60 1 99.9

100 1 100

Page 24: MISSISSIPPI FRESHWATER COMMERCIAL FISHERY AND … · inland commercial fishery for non-game gross fish (rough fish) and non-native fishes during Fiscal Year 2009 (July 2008 to June

APPENDIX F - Public Notice F-3798; Paddlefish harvest 2008-2009 Season

22