Office of Applied Science SPOKESPERSON Stephanie Shaw, PhD Inland Lakes Research Scientist [email protected] (715) 892-0375 Key Points » The waters in the state of Wisconsin have some of the largest self-sustaining populations of lake sturgeon in the world, and these waters support valuable recreational and tribal lake sturgeon fisheries. » The goal of this project is to quantify hooking mortality rates of lake sturgeon to better inform Fisheries Management biologists and the public on best angling practices and to ensure sustainability of Wisconsin’s hook-and-line fisheries. » We plan to identify areas of lake sturgeon concentration and quantify the probability of mortality for lake sturgeon after an angling event under different conditions (e.g., gear types and angling seasons). » We will use a combination of reflex action mortality parameters, blood stress indicators and post-angling activity monitoring to quantify the physiological impact of angling stress on sturgeon. The goal of this project is to quantify hooking mortality rates of lake sturgeon in order to better inform Fisheries Management biologists and the public on best angling practices and to ensure sustainability of Wisconsin’s hook-and-line lake sturgeon fisheries. Evaluating Vulnerability to Angling and Hooking Mortality in WI Lake Sturgeon Fisheries TIMELINE Launch: July 2018 Completion: June 2021 DNR PARTNER BUREAU Fisheries Management Wisconsin has some of the largest self-sustaining populations of lake sturgeon in the world, and our waters support valuable recreational and tribal lake sturgeon fisheries. Lake sturgeon fisheries in the state are carefully regulated and monitored to prevent over-exploitation. However, little is known about hooking mortality rates for lake sturgeon. A short-term mortality study will be conducted on lake sturgeon in hook-and-line fishing waters in 2019. We plan to identify areas of lake sturgeon concentration and quantify the probability of mortality for lake sturgeon aſter an angling event. We will evaluate sturgeons’ post-angling stress response by measuring circulating levels of glucose and lactate in the blood and by quantifying reflex action mortality parameters. All sturgeon will be held and monitored over the short term (24-48 hours) until recovery or mortality is determined. A subset of fish will be monitored with externally mounted acoustic tags to track physiological activity aſter an angling event. FUNDING Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration
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Office of Applied Science
SPOKESPERSONStephanie Shaw, PhDInland Lakes Research [email protected](715) 892-0375
Key Points
» The waters in the state of Wisconsin have some of the largest self-sustaining populations of lake sturgeon in the world, and these waters support valuable recreational and tribal lake sturgeon fisheries.
» The goal of this project is to quantify hooking mortality rates of lake sturgeon to better inform Fisheries Management biologists and the public on best angling practices and to ensure sustainability of Wisconsin’s hook-and-line fisheries.
» We plan to identify areas of lake sturgeon concentration and quantify the probability of mortality for lake sturgeon after an angling event under different conditions (e.g., gear types and angling seasons).
» We will use a combination of reflex action mortality parameters, blood stress indicators and post-angling activity monitoring to quantify the physiological impact of angling stress on sturgeon.
The goal of this project is to quantify hooking mortality rates of lake sturgeon in order to better inform Fisheries Management biologists and the public on best angling practices and to ensure sustainability of Wisconsin’s hook-and-line lake sturgeon fisheries.
Evaluating Vulnerability to Angling and Hooking Mortality in WI Lake Sturgeon Fisheries
TIMELINELaunch: July 2018Completion: June 2021
DNR PARTNER BUREAUFisheries Management
Wisconsin has some of the largest self-sustaining populations of lake sturgeon in the world, and our waters support valuable recreational and tribal lake sturgeon fisheries. Lake sturgeon fisheries in the state are carefully regulated and monitored to prevent over-exploitation. However, little is known about hooking mortality rates for lake sturgeon.
A short-term mortality study will be conducted on lake sturgeon in hook-and-line fishing waters in 2019. We plan to identify areas of lake sturgeon concentration and quantify the probability of mortality for lake sturgeon after an angling event. We will evaluate sturgeons’ post-angling stress response by measuring circulating levels of glucose and lactate in the blood and by quantifying reflex action mortality parameters. All sturgeon will be held and monitored over the short term (24-48 hours) until recovery or mortality is determined. A subset of fish will be monitored with externally mounted acoustic tags to track physiological activity after an angling event.
FUNDINGFederal Aid in Sportfish Restoration
Office of Applied Science
Muskellunge are the State Fish of Wisconsin and support important sport, trophy and tribal fisheries. Although many muskellunge populations in Wisconsin are self-sustaining, Wisconsin DNR hatcheries also enhance many populations through stocking.
The majority of anglers in Wisconsin release muskellunge to enhance trophy potential, making estimates of age and growth difficult to obtain. This study examines: non-destructive means for determining muskellunge age and growth; the contribution of stocked muskellunge to overall muskellunge fisheries; the effects of catch-and-release on muskellunge mortality and size structure; and improved methodologies for estimating muskellunge population size.
Muskellunge age and growth are difficult to determine without harvesting fish, yet this information is important for managing muskellunge and evaluating stocking practices. In addition to other factors, this study examines non-destructive means for determining muskellunge age and growth.
Key Points
» We have collected samples from muskellunge non-destructively throughout their native range to age first-time captures and to validate the age of known-age fish.
» We implanted thousands of fingerling muskellunge from the Governor Thompson Hatchery with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags and stocked them in northwestern WI lakes. We will evaluate stocking success and determine growth of known-age fish over time.
» Staff, fishing guides and anglers have teamed up to measure growth, check tags, and PIT tag additional adult muskellunge captured during surveys or angling events.
» Volunteer participation is critical. We welcome more fishing guides and anglers to join the study. We hope to expand our efforts beyond northwestern Wisconsin.
SPOKESPERSONGreg G. Sass, PhDFisheries Research Team [email protected](715) 891-1875
Muskellunge Age and Growth Study
TIMELINELaunch: July 2009Completion: June 2019
FUNDINGFederal Aid in Sportfish Restoration
DNR PARTNER BUREAUFisheries Management
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERSAnglers & fishing guides of WI
Key Points
SPOKESPERSON
Office of Applied Science
Understanding panfish trends and responses to angling and predator populations in Wisconsin lakes
TIMELINELaunch: July, 2019Completion: June, 2022
FUNDINGFederal Aid in Sportfish Restoration
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERSGreat Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife CommissionUSGS
DNR PARTNER BUREAUFisheries Management
This study assesses trends in Wisconsin’s panfish populations and their responses to angler exploitation and predator management to quantify their impacts on panfish abundance and size structure.
Panfish are some of Wisconsin’s most abundant and popular sport fish. Bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie and yellow perch comprised 75% of the total fish harvested from Wisconsin lakes in the past decade.
Currently, panfish management is complicated by unexplored relationships between population characteristics (abundance, size structure), anglers, predators and environmental influences. This project seeks to disentangle these issues by comprehensively characterizing panfish populations, their responses to panfish and gamefish management, and angler exploitation.
We will use a combination of standardized survey data and angler creel data to examine trends in population abundances, catch rates, and harvest rates, and test for relationships with angler behavior or predator abundance and management practices. Our results will be used to offer suggestions to address management issues. Additionally, this study will expand upon an experimental regulations project currently underway to understand how exploitation affects panfish populations, helping managers to implement appropriate regulations to promote fishery quality and sustainability into the future.
Zachary FeinerNatural Resources Research [email protected](608) 221-6331
Key Points » Significant knowledge gaps exist in our
understanding of how panfish populations respond to regulation changes, panfish removals or promotion of predators. This project aims to fill in those gaps using population surveys, angler creels, and experimental field studies.
» We expect that population trends will vary among panfish species (e.g., bluegill and black crappie populations will be stable, while yellow perch populations decline).
» We hypothesize that panfish anglers will maintain catch and harvest rates across large gradients in panfish abundance (i.e., will be hyperstable), and that anglers will be selective for larger panfish when fishing lakes with smaller bag limits.
» This project will also analyze environmental variables like water temperature, lake size, and water clarity on yellow perch recruitment, offering predictions for their future sustainability.
» We predict that predator management (e.g., walleye stocking, largemouth bass regulations) will be related to panfish size structure and abundance under some conditions and will evaluate how predator management could be effectively used to promote robust and resilient panfish populations.
Key Points
SPOKESPERSON
Office of Applied Science
SPOKESPERSONStephanie ShawNatural Resources Research [email protected] (715) 892-0375
Key Points
» The goals of this project are to develop a muskellunge statistical catch-at-age model for the Ceded Territory of Wisconsin to estimate a sustainable exploitation rate to maintain the fishery.
» The current muskellunge safe harvest model and associated limited reference point (27%) likely overestimates tribal quotas on small lakes and underestimates tribal quotas on large lakes. Reevaluation of the current muskellunge safe harvest model may allow for the appropriate distribution of tribal muskellunge harvest to sustain this fishery.
» This research is critically needed to ensure the sustainability and quality of muskellunge in the joint Ceded Territory of Wisconsin fisheries.
Muskellunge are Wisconsin’s state fish, and an important species to recreational and tribal fisheries. Currently, the limit reference point for muskellunge exploitation in the Ceded Territory of Wisconsin for angling and tribal spearfisheries is based on dated information and likely overestimates a sustainable limit reference point.
This research addresses a critical need for a statistical catch-at-age model using the best available muskellunge data to evaluate the current limit reference point and inform an adjustment if needed.
The statistical catch-at-age model will provide information on what management actions may be necessary to sustain muskellunge populations in the joint tribal and angling fisheries in the Ceded Territory of Wisconsin.
Muskellunge in northern Wisconsin are an economically and culturally important resource, therefore it is vital that we determine a sustainable exploitation rate and revisit the current safe harvest model.
This study will develop a statistical catch-at-age model to estimate sustainable exploitation rates for muskellunge in the Ceded Territory of Wisconsin and reevaluate the safe harvest model that is currently used to determine tribal muskellunge spearfishing quotas.
Evaluating sustainable muskellunge exploitation in the Ceded Territory of Wisconsin
TIMELINELaunch: July, 2019Completion: June, 2022
FUNDINGFederal Aid in Sportfish Restoration
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERSUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Great Lakes Fish and Indian Wildlife Commission
DNR PARTNER BUREAUFisheries Management
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