1 How Well Does a Closed Season Protect Spawning Bass in Ontario? Mark Kubacki, Frank Phelan, Julie Claussen and David Philipp American Fisheries Society.

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How Well Does a Closed Season Protect Spawning Bass in Ontario?

Mark Kubacki, Frank Phelan, Julie Claussen and David Philipp

American Fisheries Society Symposium (2002)

Chris Carman

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Spawning OverviewLargemouth and smallmouth bass

Temperatures near 15° C.Males guard nests and fry

Are extremely aggressive

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Self-sustaining populationsClosed fishing periodsCatch and release regulationsLength/harvest limit combinations

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Ontario RegulationsClosed season from Oct. 15/Nov. 30 – last Saturday in June

Eliminate harvest of male bassMaximize reproductive success

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Major QuestionsHow well does the closed season coincide with the full reproductive period?

What percent of angling effort targets nesting bass during the closed season?

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Ontario Study AreasLake OpiniconCharleston LakeMississippi River (tributary of the Ottawa River)

St. Lawrence River

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MethodsMonitored reproductive effort

Twice on weekdays, once on weekends1990 - 2001

Assessed angling effortTwice on weekdays, once on weekends1990 - 1992

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Major Findings• Smallmouths guard broods

longer than largemouths– SMB 18 ~ 31 days– LMB 12 ~ 23 days

• Fry develop and become independent quicker in waters that warm quickly

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Figure 1. Annual Variation

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Table 1. Successful Completion

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Table 2. Angler Effort

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Recommendations30-40 percent of littoral area designated as a seasonal sanctuary

Duration determined by spawning schedules of resident bassRemainder of lake catch-and-release

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As a result…Cleaner definitions of legal/illegal angling activitiesEasier and more effective enforcementDecreased interaction between anglers and lakeshore property owners

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Further StudiesRelationships between numbers of adults and size of year classMeasuring if/how angling for nesting bass impacts recruitment

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Questions