Updated 2024-01-03 15:34:40
Lake Ontario -> 1.0 Nearshore Zone Goal -> Smallmouth Bass
Reporting Interval
2014 - 2019
Area
Meeting Target?
Meets
Indicator Trend
No trend
Confidence?
Medium
Maintaining or increasing fisheries, populations and recruitment of Bass
During this reporting period, the indicators for trends in Smallmouth Bass fisheries, populations and recruitment were variable.
Compared to the previous reporting period (2008-2013), Smallmouth Bass abundance increased in Ontario waters of the eastern basin but decreased in New York waters. Abundance in the Bay of Quinte was negligible in both periods. Average catch rate in the New York open water fishery increased from the previous reporting period by 24%.
Recently, new regulations were implemented in Ontario waters to delay the opening season for Smallmouth Bass and introduce a pre-season catch and release fishery. Effects of these management changes will be monitored and assessed in the future.
Figure 1. Annual average catch-per-unit effort (CPUE, fish per net) of Smallmouth Bass in standard gillnets set overnight during summer in the Bay of Quinte and the eastern basin of Lake Ontario (Ontario and New York waters), 1992-2019.
Figure 2. Catch per trip of Smallmouth Bass in the boat fishery in New York waters of Lake Ontario, 1992-2019.
Methodology
Catch per unit effort was calculated for gillnets set overnight during the summer (June-August) in eastern Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. For the eastern basin of Lake Ontario, data is presented for Lake Ontario waters and New York waters.
For the Bay of Quinte and Ontario waters of the eastern basin, a unit of effort was standardized to represent one gillnet gang of 10 monofilament mesh panels (mesh sizes ranging from 1.5-6 inches) each 15.2 meters long and 2.4 meters high. In the Bay of Quinte, two sites were used, Hay Bay (8 meters and 13 meters) and Big Bay (5 meters). In Ontario waters of the eastern basin four depth stratified sites were used, Rocky Point, Melville Shoal, Grape Island and Flatt Point (depths included 7.5, 12.5, 17.5, 22.5, and 27.5 meters). Mean CPUE was taken across sites and areas before being averaged by year. Detailed information can be found in OMNRF, 2022. In New York waters of the eastern basin, nets were set from 3.7-30.5 meters of water, distributed among three depth strata and five geographic strata to ensure no larger basins were missed. Gillnet gangs consisted of nine monofilament mesh panels (mesh sizes ranging from 2-6 inches) each 15.2 meters long and 2.44 meters high. Depth-stratified CPUEs are presented, with catches weighted by relative area represented by each depth zone. Detailed information can be found in Goretzke, 2021.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Lake Ontario Fishing Boat Survey has tracked angler effort and catch rates from April-September since 1985. Two crews surveyed boats returning to ~29-30 access channels along approximately 190 shoreline miles from the Niagara River to the Association Island Cut near Henderson to estimate total catch, harvest and effort, and catch and harvest rates for important gamefish species.
Other Resources
Connerton, M.J., Farese, M.V., and Moore, R.J. 2021. 2021 Lake Ontario fishing boat survey. In 2021 annual report, Bureau of Fisheries Lake Ontario Unit and St. Lawrence River Unit to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s Lake Ontario Committee. Section 2. NY State Dept. Environ. Conserv., Cape Vincent, NY.
Goretzke, J.A. 2021. 2021 eastern basin of Lake Ontario warmwater fisheries assessment, 1976-2021. In 2021 annual report, Bureau of Fisheries Lake Ontario Unit and St. Lawrence River Unit to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission’s Lake Ontario Committee. Section 4. NY State Dept. Environ. Conserv., Cape Vincent, NY.
OMNRF (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry). 2022. Lake Ontario fish communities and fisheries: 2021 annual report of the Lake Ontario Management Unit. Queen’s Printer for Ontario, Picton, ON, Canada.
Contributing Author(s)
- E. Brown - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
- J. Goretzke - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- S. Beech - Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
- M. Connerton - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation