Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Schramm, Harold L., Jr.

Committee Member

Jackson, Donald C.

Committee Member

Neal, J. Wesley

Committee Member

Miranda, Leandro E.

Date of Degree

5-11-2013

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

The effect of fishing on the catchability of a population receiving intense angler effort has long been debated but not measured. This study evaluated the effect of fishing effort on catchability of adult largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and determined whether catchability was affected by a period of no fishing. Eight, 0.5-2.0 ha impoundments were fished once a week for 0.4 angler hours per hectare per week during two successive May-October fishing seasons to evaluate whether catch rates differed between populations fished continuously and populations with the fishing season interrupted by a 2-month period of no fishing. Mixed-model analysis indicated effort significantly decreased catch rate (F 4, 298 = 16.53; P < 0.001). Pair-wise comparisons indicated change in catch rate was not significantly different (t = 1.52; P = 0.13) between the first 8 weeks and the final 8 weeks of fishing for ponds that received a 2-month layoff.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20552

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