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By Bob Spateholts, UDWR Strawberry Project Biologist
I read with concern Mr. Paul Anderson's letter, "Mismanagement at Strawberry?" in the May 10 issue of UFO. It is unfortunate that some anglers are dissatisfied with the Strawberry Reservoir fishery. We feel that we have strong general public support for the program and we are committed to meet the public's desire to manage Strawberry as a family fishery. Maintaining the opportunity to use traditional fishing methods to catch big fish and to harvest at least some fish are high priorities.
Each year the DWR conducts opinion surveys to obtain feedback from the anglers at Strawberry concerning our management programs and general satisfaction with the fishery. We contact anglers at random throughout the season to get a representative sample of all types of user groups. Last year we contacted over 300 parties of anglers, or nearly 1,000 people. When asked, 'Do you support the current regulations for Strawberry Reservoir and the tributary streams?' 91% responded, 'Yes.' When asked, 'Do you support the current fishery management program with Bear Lake cutthroat trout as the primary species?' 80% responded, 'Yes' and 20% said, 'No.'
The vast majority (95%) of 'No' respondents prefer rainbow trout over cutthroat. When asked, 'How would you rate the present quality of fishing?' 19% responded, 'Excellent,' 51% responded, 'Good,' 18% responded, 'Fair,' and only 12% responded, 'Poor.'
When asked, 'Which is the most important factor in determining the quality of a fishing experience?' 60% responded, 'Fish size,' and 21% responded, 'Number caught.' Only 2% rated the number kept as most important. Eight percent wanted specific species and 8% had other reasons.
Most of the dissatisfied anglers we contact have somehow gotten incorrect information about our management program and became ardent supporters when we answer their questions or correct misunderstandings or misinformation that they may have.
Mr. Anderson somehow received incorrect information that we estimate Strawberry could support 10 million catchable fish. We do not know exactly how many trout the system can support, but the population of 600,000 to 700,000 adult cutthroat that existed in 1996 far exceeded our objectives for the fishery and should be considered a high population density. In that year, number of angler days and total catch were the highest ever by far. The current population of 200,000 - 300,000 adult cutthroat may result in slower fishing for large trout than most anglers would desire.
The 10 million number that Mr. Anderson mentioned probably refers to estimates biologists made in the 1980s of potential production of trout fry from the spawning tributaries if they were restored to full potential. Stream rehabilitation efforts are ongoing, but habitat condition in many streams is far below potential. Public support and input to the Forest Service is needed to help get the entire watershed into proper functioning condition.
Even in a best case situation, 10 million naturally reproduced fry do not all survive to catchable size. Additionally, many of the fry remain in the stream for 1-2 years before they migrate to the reservoir, and losses to natural causes is substantial. Ninety percent or greater mortality between hatching and adulthood is normal in even the healthiest of wild trout populations.
To supplement natural reproduction and provide for a sport fishery, the DWR stocks over 3 million cutthroat, kokanee and sterilized rainbow into Strawberry annually. We are limited by hatchery capacity and species availability as to how many fish may be stocked. We don't stock catchable sized fish. The vast majority are stocked as 2-3 inch fingerlings, and some are stocked as 5-7 inch advanced fingerlings. Strawberry has the productive potential to grow many times the poundage of trout and salmon that could be provided by a 'put and take' management program with catchable fish. Since we are relying on growth in the reservoir to produce catchable fish, we cannot expect consistent high survival following stocking. The population of catchable fish will fluctuate from year to year. That is a factor that cannot be controlled in a large reservoir. We (fish managers) try to keep the amount of fluctuation to a minimum and avoid long term decline (crash) of the fishery.
Predation took a heavy toll upon the 1994 and 1995 stocks of fall fingerlings. We anticipated that this would occur at some point, but had seen very good returns from October fingerling plants in 1990-93.
We made adjustments in season and location of stocking to avoid predation losses and maintain a high population of adult fish. We will stock cutthroat fry into the weedbeds during July. We have adjusted fingerling stocking season to August and early September.
During summer, most large cutthroat are offshore and immediate predation upon the recently stocked fingerlings is low compared with October stocking. By the time the big predators come in to shore in the fall, the small cutts should develop avoidance behaviors. We have increased the number of cutthroat stocked as 5-7 inch advanced fingerling in the spring (when the big predacious cutts are spawning, not eating) from 100,000 fish in 1994-95 to 350,000 in 96-97 and 500,000 in 1998. We are also resuming stocking of sterilized rainbow trout. This June we will plant half a million 3-5 inch rainbows.
Survival of the 1996 and 1997 stocks was good and the trout made an excellent comeback. Last fall our annual netting survey produced the highest catch rate, ever since the chemical treatment, of yearling cutthroat. We estimate that there are over a million two-year-old (10-14 inch) cutthroat in the population. By this fall, anglers should start catching these juveniles in good numbers. We do urge voluntary release, as these fish are the basis for next year's fishing (over 60% of the catch is 3 year old trout). Fishing should be excellent for the next several years.
We are anticipating new challenges in the future. Chubs will multiply and compete with small trout. Fishing pressure is increasing every year. Even if new hatcheries are built and the tributary streams are pumping out wild trout by the millions, there is a limit to how many fish Strawberry can support. The future concept of family fishing may need to emphasize recreation without the need to bring fish home for dinner. We can maintain good fishing by adjusting our management strategies, and may eventually need to limit harvest by changing regulations.