2007-2012 Idaho Fish and Game Fisheries Management Plan
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Fisheries Management Plan 2007 - 2012 IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME Partial funding for this publication through Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program as an educational service. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT.....................................................................................1 PART 1 - STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT ...........................................................................1 The Compass, Our Strategic Plan ........................................................................12 Our Mission .........................................................................................................12 Our Vision ............................................................................................................13 PUBLIC SERVICE ...................................................................................13 SCIENCE .................................................................................................13 SUSTAINABILITY ....................................................................................13 ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT ...............................................................13 CREDIBILITY ..........................................................................................13 Goals, Objectives and Desired Outcomes ..........................................................14 Statewide Fisheries Management Principles ......................................................14 Management ............................................................................................16 Public Involvement ..................................................................................17 Rules .......................................................................................................17 Imporations and Introductions .................................................................17 Cooperation with Other Agencies ............................................................18 Indian Tribes ............................................................................................18 Outiftting and Guiding ..............................................................................18 Habitat Protection ....................................................................................18 Mitigation .................................................................................................19 Statewide Fisheries Management Programs ......................................................19 Resident Fisheries Management .........................................................................20 Native Trout..............................................................................................20 Cutthroat Trout Species ...........................................................................20 Inland Redband Trout ..............................................................................24 Quality and Trophy Trout Rules ...............................................................24 Resident Hatcheries ................................................................................26 Mountain Whitefish ..................................................................................28 White Sturgeon (Snake and Kootenai rivers) ..........................................28 Warmwater and Coolwater Game Fish ...................................................31 Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass .........................................................31 Black and White Crappie .........................................................................33 Bluegill .....................................................................................................34 Yellow Perch ............................................................................................34 Catfish .....................................................................................................34 Walleye ....................................................................................................35 Northern Pike ...........................................................................................35 Tiger Muskie ............................................................................................36 Native Nongame Species ........................................................................36 Alpine Lake Management ........................................................................37 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page Anadromous Fisheries Management ...............................................................................39 Wild/Natural ..............................................................................................40 Anadromous Hatcheries ...........................................................................42 Other Aquatic Species .....................................................................................................49 Special Management Issues.............................................................................................50 Endangered Species Act.......................................................................................50 Fish Species at Risk..............................................................................................51 Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy....................................................52 Private Fish Ponds ...............................................................................................56 Aquatic Species Control .......................................................................................56 Biological ..............................................................................................................58 Chemical ..............................................................................................................58 Physical ................................................................................................................59 Special Fishing Opportunties ...........................................................................................59 Youth Fishing Opportunities..................................................................................59 Commercial Fisheries ...........................................................................................59 Fishing Contests ...................................................................................................60 Aquatic Education ................................................................................................61 Fishing Access .....................................................................................................61 Outfitting and Guiding ...........................................................................................63 Other Statewide Fishing Activities.........................................................................63 Law Enforcement and Public Outreach.................................................................63 2006 Angler Opinion Survey Results ...............................................................................67 Anglers and Their Preferences .............................................................................67 Angler Characteristics ..........................................................................................67 Fishing Habits .......................................................................................................68 Fisheries Management..........................................................................................69 Special Regulations in Fisheries Management.................................................................70 Quality and Trophy Size Management..................................................................70 Methods to Reduce Harvest and Conflict..............................................................70 Bass Management ...............................................................................................70 Fishing Contests and Tournaments .....................................................................71 Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Fisheries ...........................................................72 Comments of Agencies and Indian Tribes ........................................................... 73 Public Review of the 2007-2012 Fisheries Management Plan..............................72 Statewide Issues and Strategies.......................................................................................73 Performance Targets for Major Programs ........................................................................96 LITERATURE CITED .....................................................................................................100 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page Page LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. 2007 Fisheries Programs ($28 Million) ......................................................3 Figure 2. Present and former range of anadromous fish in Idaho ..........................86 Figure 3. Historic adult passage of naturally produced anadromous fish runs at the uppermost dam and counting facility in the Snake River, 1960- 2005. (IHR = Ice Harbor, JDA = John Day, LMO = Lower Monumental and LGR = Lower Granite. Dates below facilities indicate first year fish were enumerated ..................................................87 Figure 4. Annual numbers of Idaho adult hatchery spring/summer Chinook