Muskie Regulation Focus Group Meeting Chris Penne Utah Division of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Muskie Regulation Focus Group Meeting Chris Penne Utah Division of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Nov 13, 2023 381 likes •766 views

Muskie Regulation Focus Group Meeting Chris Penne Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Presentation Roadmap Status of Utahs TM program Trends in management nationwide Results of 2015 Utah angler survey Goal for meeting

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Muskie Regulation Focus Group Meeting

Chris Penne Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

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Presentation Roadmap

  • Status of Utah’s TM

program

  • Trends in management

nationwide

  • Results of 2015 Utah

angler survey

  • Goal for meeting
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Status of Tiger Muskie Mgmt. in Utah

Tiger muskie first stocked in Utah in the 1980s

  • Nearing 30 years of muskie in UT
  • Pineview first water to be stocked
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Stocking Moratorium 2007-2009

  • Concerns about VHS (viral hemorrhagic septicemia)

in imported muskie fingerlings prompt a halt to stocking

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Stocking Moratorium 2007-2009

Three actions taken:

  • 1. Catch & release regulation on Pineview and

Newton reservoirs.

  • 2. Search for clean stock of muskie
  • 3. Construction of Lee Kay Warm Water Fish

Hatchery

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Catch & Release Regulation

Implemented in 2008 in order to conserve existing fish

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Search For a Clean Stock of Fish

  • Search lasted over 3 years
  • Certified disease free sources eventually

found in Nebraska and South Dakota

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Lee Kay Warm-Water Fish Hatchery

  • Construction begins in 2008
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Lee Kay Warm-Water Fish Hatchery

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Lee Kay Warm-Water Fish Hatchery

Many improvements made over the years

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2009: Stocking Resumes

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2012: Utah Stocks Own Tiger Muskie

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2013: A Major Setback (…and a black eye)

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2014

  • Stocking continues with fish imported from

Nebraska

– Pineview receives 10,000 fingerlings

  • New brood muskellunge obtained for Lee Kay

Hatchery

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2015

  • Utah continues to produce

& stock its own tiger muskie.

– 2,400 fish raised and stocked

  • An agreement with

Nebraska allows Utah to meet and exceed stocking quotas

– Pineview stocked with 30,000 fingerling tiger muskie

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2016

  • Utah continues to produce

& stock its own tiger muskie.

– 3,300 fish raised and stocked

  • An agreement with

Nebraska allows Utah to meet and exceed stocking quotas

– Today: Pineview stocked with 22,000 fingerling tiger muskie

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Looking Ahead

  • Improvements to LK Hatchery will continue
  • UT will continue to produce more of its own

tiger muskie each year

  • NE will assist UT in meeting its stocking needs

until we reach “muskie independence”.

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Trends in Muskie Mgmt Nationwide

Number of muskie anglers growing

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What drives potential for trophy fish?

  • 1. Food resources
  • 2. Water temperature
  • 3. Harvest
  • 4. Genetics*
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Water temp & growth potential

  • 1958. Journal of Marine Sciences
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Lake size explained 70% of observed variation in ultimate length among lakes

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Harvest

  • Can definitely influence size structure of

muskie population

  • Harvest regulations have been getting more

restrictive over time

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Harvest regulations by region

Western States Regulation Number of states States Notes Minimum length 50" 1 WA Minimum length 48" 1 ND Minimum length 40" 5 UT, ID, SD, NE, NM Minimum length 36" 1 CO Minimum length 30" 1 WY Catch & release only 1 OR Just started muskie program

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Harvest regulations by region

Midwestern States Regulation Number of states States Notes Minimum length 54" 1 MN Minimum length 50"

  • WI

3% of muskie waters Minimum length 45"

  • WI

Minimum length 42" 1 MI Harvest tag required Minimum length 40" 2 IA, WI Minimum length 36" 3 IN, IL, MO Minimum length 28"

  • WI

3% muskie waters Catch & release only

  • WI

No size restriction 1 OH

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Harvest Regulations by region

Eastern States Regulation Number of states States Notes Minimum length 40" 2 PA, NY Minimum length 36" 2 TN, MD Minimum length 30" 1 KY Catch & release only 1 VT Artificial lures only

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Summary of 2015 Survey

  • 40% of respondents target tiger muskie

– 48% would not harvest a muskie – 47% would harvest (most preferred fish >36” long)

  • No consensus on trophy length

– 40” vs. 45” vs. 50”

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DWR Mission

Serve the people of Utah as Guardian and Trustee of Utah’s Wildlife Goal: Maintain and expand quality fishing opportunities. Balance the desires of a diverse angling public.

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Goal for Tonight

Craft or propose a harvest regulation that allows some level of harvest while preserving our trophy muskie fishery

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Possible Regulations

  • Minimum length limits (40”, 45”, 48”)
  • Maximum length limits (35”, 40”)
  • Slot limit (36-48”)
  • Tag System

Suggestions welcome