New Erie QUOTAS [Archive] - Ohio Sportsman.com

Rod Bender Bob

04-02-2004, 12:33 PM

This is an interesting email I received from Bob Collins, presidnet of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Assoc. (LECBA)

""The Lake Erie Walleye and Perch TAC was set at the GLSFC meeting 4-1-04 in Grand Island NY.

The walleye TAC was set at 2.4 million fish, down from 3.4 million
in 2001, 2002, and 2003.

The yellow perch TAC was set at 11 million pounds,
up from 9.9 million pounds in 2003.

Ontario commercial fishermen are upset with the low TAC qutoa and small increase in the perch quota. The feeling is that after presenting their costly case for increases of the walleye TAC to 3.4 million and the perch TAC to approx. 16 million pounds their industry will be deeply hurt by the 2004 TAC.

To no ones surprise their Association (Ontario Commercial) is considering action against the (GLSF) Commission, the Lake Erie Committee and Ontario MNR.

Bob Collins, LECBA""

Links r Us

04-04-2004, 09:41 PM

04/04/04

Sandusky, Ohio- The top fisheries biologists from around Lake Erie gathered in Grand Island, N.Y., last week and voted to keep a lid on the walleye harvest for another year.

"The decision of the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission was to seek a 30 percent cut in the walleye harvest with a lakewide total allowable catch [TAC] in 2004 of 2.4 million walleyes," said Roger Knight, head of Lake Erie management for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "Ohio's share will be about 1.2 million walleyes."

Ohio sport anglers annually have caught fewer than 1 million walleyes in recent years.

The TAC for yellow perch will increase by about 11 percent. It will jump from 9.9 million pounds of perch to 11 million pounds. Ohio sport and commercial fishermen will be allowed to harvest 5.2 million pounds.

The walleye quotas are set by the numbers of fish caught. The yellow perch quotas are set in total pounds.

ODOW officials are elated with last year's walleye hatch, the largest in a couple of decades. The TAC was slashed, said Knight, because of dismal walleye reproductive success in 2000 and 2002.

"The walleye hatched in 2003 won't be large enough to be harvested this year," said Knight. "They'll be about nine to 12 inches in length. In fact, we don't expect them to reach 15 inches in length, which is the new size limit for Lake Erie walleye in Ohio waters, until 2006."

Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and the province of Ontario have all cut their sport fishing limits or seasons in expectation of the lower TAC for Lake Erie. Ontario will now have to face its commercial fishing industry, which has been lobbying for a larger walleye harvest.

A major problem for the Ohio harvest will arrive very soon. Ohio is the only management group that will not close its walleye season this spring. It is reducing its daily bag limit in March and April from four walleyes to three fish per day.

"We expect some fishermen from Michigan to head to Ohio waters during their closed season in April and May," said Knight. Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario have shut down sport fishing for Lake Erie walleye from March 15 through May 7.

In defending Ohio's decision not to close the spring walleye fishing on Lake Erie and on the Sandusky and Maumee rivers, Knight said that the majority of fish taken by sport anglers are male walleyes, not egg-laden females.

Knight said the Lake Erie walleye harvest will be made up primarily of the 1999 class of walleyes and a bonus of walleyes from the 2001 class.

"The conservative stance on walleyes taken by the Lake Erie Committee is appropriate," said Knight. "Walleyes are a wonderful resource and must be protected."

Ohio is preparing for the arrival of Michigan fishermen this spring during their closed Lake Erie walleye season. The Detroit River will remain open to sport fishing this spring.

"We'll have creel surveys being done in both Ohio and Michigan to give us a handle on the harvest in April in May," Knight said. Michigan closed its spring walleye season after being over its quota in 2002 and coming close to being over again in 2003.

The lakewide TAC for yellow perch is the highest in a decade.

"We're seeing the result of 10 years of conservative regulations on yellow perch," said Knight. "The Lake Erie yellow perch fishing is tremendous and the Lake Erie Committee did not feel the additional harvest in 2004 would be detrimental."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

degan@plaind.com, 216-999-6136

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