# Presentation: 232389

**Dan Dorosheff**
**Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission**

- "Where are the Fish?"
- An Angler Survey of the Lower Suwannee River

**Agency Mission:**
**    ****Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people**

**Objective of Creel Survey:**
**    ****To determine the relation of alternating cycles of high and low water levels on angler catch and success rates.**

## Lower 

**Middle Suwannee River**

**Lower Suwannee River**

**Lower **
**Suwannee **
**River**

**Middle**
**Suwannee**
**River**

*Middle Suwannee River Creel*

**History**

**Initial survey conducted in 1971 – Gray Bass, Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission**
**1988 SRWMD identifies entire basin as “most in need of attention” regarding Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM)**
**10 angler surveys total; 1971-2004**
**6 consecutive surveys; 1999-2004**

## 12-week, peak season, roving survey
5 random sample days per 14-day period
Standardized questions
Data expanded with agency program: Creel Analysis Version 1.0

**12**-week, peak season, roving survey
**5** random sample days per **14**-day period
- Standardized questions
- Data expanded with agency program: _Creel Analysis Version 1.0_

- _Sample Design_

|  | Effort    (hrs.   fishing) | Effort    (hrs. per   km) | Catch           (# of fish) | Success     (# of fish per hr.)   |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bass Caught |   7,551 | 146 |   4,709 | 0.52 |
| Bass Kept |   7,383 | 143 |   2,614 | 0.33 |
| Panfish Kept | 29,268 | 565 | 55,119 | 1.78 |
| Catfish Kept |   8,575 | 166 |   4,541 | 0.59 |

*Middle Suwannee River Creel*

*2004 Results*

|  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |

**Red****breast Sunfish 70%**

**Spotted Sunfish  12%**

**Bluegill Sunfish 15%**

**Redear Sunfish 3%**

*2004 Middle River*
*Panfish Breakdown*

## Success (fish/hr.) 

*5 Year Middle River Panfish Comparison*

**Success (fish/hr.)**

**Mid- March through Mid-June**

|  | Effort    (hrs.   fishing) | Effort    (hrs. per km) | Catch           (# of Fish) | Success     (# of fish per hr.)   |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Middle    Bass Caught |   7,551 | 146 |   4,709 | 0.52 |
| Panfish Kept | 29,268 | 565 | 55,119 | 1.78 |
| Lower     Bass Caught | 10,724 | 228 |   7,941 | 0.74 |
| Panfish Kept | 26,235 | 547 | 62,258 | 2.19 |

*2004 Creel Areas Compared *

## Bluegill Sunfish 10%

*2004 Lower River *
*Panfish Breakdown*

**Redbreast Sunfish 57%**

**Bluegill Sunfish 10%**

**Redear Sunfish 4%  **

**Spotted Sunfish 29%  **

|  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |

**Red****breast Sunfish 70%**

**Spotted Sunfish  12%**

**Bluegill Sunfish 15%**

**Redear Sunfish 3%**

*2004 Middle River*
*Panfish Breakdown*

## Angler Frequencies

*Middle Suwannee River Creel*

**Non-Local (resides in FL. Co. which **_**does not**_** boarder survey area)**

**Angler Frequencies**

## Where Do We Go From Here?

*Middle Suwannee River Creel*

_**Where Do We Go From Here?**_

**Continue survey for at least 4 more years**
**Update at least every 3 years afterwards**
**Continue to coordinate with other managing agencies**

## Slide 14