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Stocking the Housatonic River Introductory Message by Bill Blaufuss, Chairman, Trout Unlimited Connecticut Council July 2007 At the current time, there’s discussion in the state among anglers about Connecticut DEP’s practice of stocking the Housatonic River TMA. Trout Unlimited Connecticut Council’s (TUCC) position on this matter is outlined in the next section. For readers who are not familiar with the workings of Trout Unlimited (TU) and TUCC, a few introductory comments are in order: TU is a national coldwater fisheries conservation organization. We’re 150,000 members in 450 local chapters in some 40 states. We’re trout anglers—avid trout anglers. At national, state and local levels, TU is highly respected and attracts grants and the financial support of prominent foundations. While a national organization, TU is founded on grass roots activity. Local chapters are the eyes and ears of local concerns, accomplishing TU’s conservation agenda in their communities by working with local governmental and non-governmental organizations, and by doing hands-on stream restoration projects locally. In Connecticut, TU consists of 3500 members and eight chapters. Each chapter is chartered by TU’s Board of Trustees to operate and represent itself as TU and to do so in accordance with policy and procedure of the national organization. The State Council coordinates the efforts of its local Chapters to assure uniformity and consensus of TU within the state. The State Council is comprised of delegates appointed by each chapter and led by officers elected by this body of delegates. The business of the Council is decided by vote of the delegates. In matters relating to policy of state governmental agencies—such as CT’s DEP—as well as non-governmental organizations, it is the Connecticut Council that is the voice of TU in the state. ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Trout Unlimited’s Policy on Stocking the Housatonic River July 2007 by Trout Unlimited Connecticut Council The mission of Trout Unlimited is to conserve, protect and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. TU is _not_ a fishing club. The 16 Michigan fishermen who founded TU were united by their love of trout fishing, and by their growing dissatisfaction with the state’s practice of stocking its waters with “cookie cutter trout”—catchable-sized hatchery fish. Convinced that Michigan’s trout streams could turn out a far superior fish (fish that are challenging and fun to catch), if left to their own devices, the anglers formed TU. (1) From the beginning, TU was guided by the principle that if we “take care of the fish, then the fishing will take care of itself.” And that principle was grounded in science. “One of our most important objectives is to develop programs and recommendations based on the very best information and thinking available,” said TU’s first president, Dr. Casey E. Westell Jr.“ In all matters of trout management, we want to know that we are substantially correct, both morally and biologically.” (1) In 1962-63, TU prepared its first policy statement on wild trout, and persuaded the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to discard “put-and-take” trout stocking and start managing for wild trout and healthy habitat. On the heels of that success, anglers quickly founded TU chapters throughout the US. (1) The angling experience is important to TU and conservation goes hand-in-hand with that goal. To turn out superior fish—the ones that are challenging and fun to catch—watersheds have to be managed to provide the highest possible standard of water quality. In those streams where water quality is exceptional, TU advocates sustainability. Those streams have qualities that enable them to withstand fishing pressure without the need for stocking. Those streams have large numbers of _all_ sizes of fish. But TU also recognizes that most streams fail to meet the quality standards that enable native populations to be sustained. This is especially true for streams that reside within the reach of large population centers. (2) The Housatonic is one of those streams. Although TU would want the Housatonic to have a sustainable population of trout, we know that this can’t be realized at this time. Current water quality, fishing pressure and temperatures have and will continue to have an impact on the sustainability of the Housatonic. Prior to the new run-of-river flow regime achieved as a condition of the FERC relicensing, TU supported DEP’s stocking procedure for the Housatonic without reservation. The new run-of-river flow regime holds promise to help further the goal of sustainability. But today it is difficult to determine if that will ever be a reality and so we believe that the Housatonic fishery will be dependent on stocking for the foreseeable future. At present, TU believes that the stocking procedure that has been employed in the past _must_ be maintained until there is an adequate understanding of the new flow regime. With careful observation for the next few years, sampling may suggest that the possibility of carrying more fish and larger fish is a reality. Since TU firmly believes that one of our most important objectives is to develop programs and recommendations based on the very best scientific information and thinking available, a period of observation is certainly necessary. In fact, any scientific evaluation starts with the first step of The Scientific Method---observation. And during the period of observation, the stocking should be carried out using the procedure previously employed. This will enable control of the number of hatchery fish introduced while changes in the population profile attributed to the new flow regime are determined. Longitudinal studies of this sort, when properly controlled, provide valuable information. But events that are uncharacteristic of “normal” seasonal conditions must also be reviewed and reconciled. Unfortunately, the stocking of 2,500 large trout last year in addition to the 9,000 spring-stocked fish may confound results that could lead to a meaningful conclusion. An entire season of observation may have been compromised. After a representative period of observation is re-established, and providing that survivorship improves, stocking can be adjusted to enhance the sustainability of the trout population. By stressing the grow of an expanded put-and-grow fishery, we expect that the number will increase and that fish that are challenging and more fun to catch will become more prevalent. With the new flow regime it is very likely that survivorship will increase. As TU believes that the quality of the stocked fish is important, TUCC encourages the revitalization of a survivor trout program for the Housatonic. This program, which was abandoned in the late 80’s, incorporated wild and holdover fish better adapted to survive conditions more typical of Connecticut streams. TUCC is willing to work with DEP and other interested parties to provide funding and volunteers to re-establish and expand the survivor trout program for the Housatonic. We are also anxious to help resolve other impediments that prevent the development of an expanded put-and-grow fishery on the Housatonic including enhancement of thermal refuges and enforcement to protect them during the summer months when the trout are most vulnerable. If the observations after a few years reveal that an expanded put-and-grow fishery is difficult to maintain in spite of all of the previous efforts then the stocking profile can be revisited to preserve the best angling experience for everyone. In conclusion, TUCC recommends that DEP continue the stocking profile that has been used in the past until the effect of the new flow regime can be determined. If the Housatonic has improved to the point where it can be demonstrated to sustain a larger population of trout, then stocking can be adjusted according to an expanded put-and-grow management procedure. With the new flow regime and management based on sound scientific observations, we believe that the river will support the best possible trout fishery. 1. Trout Unlimited Leadership Manual, Appendix 1, History, August 2006. 2. Trout Unlimited’s North American Salmonid Policy: Science-Based Guidance for 21st Century Coldwater Conservation, 22 August 1998, Trout Unlimited’s National Resource Conservation Board. Document related to the News
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