2006 Maryland Brook Trout Fisheries Management Plan Photo by Matt Kline Prepared by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service Inland Fisheries Management Division Edited by Alan A. Heft Contributors: Maryland DNR Fisheries Service: Nancy Butowski, Don Cosden, Steve Early, Charlie Gougeon, Todd Heerd, Alan Heft, Jody Johnson, Alan Klotz, Karen Knotts, H. Robert Lunsford, John Mullican, Ken Pavol, Susan Rivers, Mark Staley, Mark Toms Maryland DNR Biological Stream Survey: Paul Kazyak, Ron Klauda, Scott Stranko University of Maryland Appalachian Laboratory: Ray Morgan, Matt Kline, Bob Hilderbrand 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................6 GOAL AND OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................8 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................9 LIFE HISTORY........................................................................................................10 Habitat...........................................................................................................10 Water quality.................................................................................................11 Temperature tolerance..................................................................................11 Longevity, growth, and food habits ..............................................................12 Reproduction.................................................................................................13 Diseases.........................................................................................................15 CURRENT STATUS OF MARYLAND’S BROOK TROUT RESOURCE...........15 FISHERY CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................19 History of brook trout management in Maryland .........................................19 Special trout management areas where brook trout are present ...................20 Savage River.....................................................................................20 North Branch Potomac River............................................................21 Youghiogheny River.........................................................................21 Big Hunting Creek............................................................................22 Little Hunting Creek.........................................................................23 Gunpowder Falls...............................................................................23 RECREATIONAL FISHERY STATUS ..................................................................23 REGULATORY HISTORY AND STATUS ...........................................................24 ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS ..............................................................................25 Urbanization..................................................................................................25 Impervious surfaces......................................................................................26 Acidification- atmospheric, acid mine drainage (AMD) .............................26 Agriculture ....................................................................................................28 Barriers..........................................................................................................28 Exotic species................................................................................................29 Global warming ............................................................................................30 GENETIC CONSIDERATIONS..............................................................................31 Introduction...................................................................................................31 Mechanisms of loss of genetic diversity.......................................................31 Genetically effective population sizes ..........................................................32 Importance of genetic component in a management plan ............................32 Genetic status of Maryland brook trout populations.....................................34 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................38 General Management Recommendations: 1. Develop brook trout life history and angler exploitation information for management needs............................................................................38 2. Establish a statewide brook trout GEP index..........................................38 3. Develop a plan to identify and preserve brook trout populations that are at risk of imminent extirpation..........................................................39 4. Develop a comprehensive brook trout management plan for the Upper 3 Savage River resource.............................................................................39 5. Encourage riparian buffer habitat preservation and restoration..............41 6. Convey impact(s) of human activities on brook trout populations to local and state government agencies and the general public ..................41 7. Develop guidelines for restoring extirpated brook trout populations .....42 8. Complete the genetic inventory of discrete brook trout populations......42 9. Foster interaction with anglers and resource user groups about the management of brook trout in Maryland ................................................43 10. Support grass roots advocacy group dedicated to conservation of brook trout in Maryland..........................................................................43 Agency-Specific Management Recommendations: 11. Develop statewide coordinated monitoring schedule .............................44 12. Develop standardized brook trout population sampling protocol...........44 13. Create a centralized statewide brook trout data repository.....................45 RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................................46 1. Determine brook trout life history parameters........................................46 2. Determine angler use, harvest and economic benefit of the brook trout resource...................................................................................................46 3. Investigate brook trout movement patterns.............................................46 4. Investigate the impact of non-native fish trout and other exotic freshwater fish species on brook trout populations.................................46 5. Investigate the effectiveness and impact of current statewide brook trout season, creel, and harvest regulations ............................................46 6. Determine the extent of streams impacted by acid rain and acid mine drainage...................................................................................................47 LITERATURE CITED .............................................................................................48 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Geographic coordinates and stream length inhabited for Maryland’s self-sustaining brook trout populations as of 2005.................................58 Table 2. Land ownership along the stream, population composition (brook trout only or existing with other trout species), and put and take stocking status for Maryland’s self sustaining brook trout populations as of 2005 as of 2005................................................................................................62 Table 3. List of self-sustaining brook trout populations in Maryland as of 2005, including date of most recent survey and population density statistics where applicable.....................................................................................66 Table 4. Historical Maryland freshwater fishing regulations relating to brook trout.........................................................................................................70 Table 5. Generalized impacts from surface and deep coal mining that are detrimental to brook trout populations....................................................71 Table 6. Maryland Brook Trout Fishery Management Plan recommended management or research actions and which FMP objectives these actions would address .........................................................................................72 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Map of Maryland’s Physiographic provinces (USGS 2001). Historical native brook trout range is considered to be west of the fall line (Piedmont province and west) ................................................................73 Figure 2. Brook trout length-frequency from selected streams in the Central Region of Maryland, 1987-2004 (MD DNR Fisheries Service).............74 Figure 3. Brook trout length-frequency for the left and right forks of Fishing Creek, Frederick County, MD, 1988-2003 (MD DNR Fisheries Service data)............................................................................................74 Figure 4. Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Coldwater Fisheries Management Policy ................................................................................75 Figure 5. Map of the Savage River Watershed within Maryland. The area within the red oval is the Upper Savage River system, emphasizing the number of streams and their inter-connectedness (R. Morgan, personal communication 2005) ..............................................................76 Figure