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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
i
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
ii
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
3
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)
4
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
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
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
9
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)
10
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
11
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”.
12
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
13
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
14
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
50
100
150
200
250
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
30
35
40
60
100
Nu
mb
er
of
Pers
on
s
Number of Tags Purchased
Distribution of Tag purchases
15
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
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
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
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
APPENDIX E - Tables of Data Presented as Graphs in Report
19
APPENDICES
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
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
APPENDIX F - Public Notice F-3798; Paddlefish harvest 2008-2009 Season
22