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AUSTIN, Texas--Responding to public concerns about a scientific study on the impacts of modified regulations for bass tournaments, state fisheries officials say that where Lake Fork^s bass fishery is concerned, protecting this goose and its golden eggs are high priorities.
Recently, about 150 concerned anglers, fishing guides and merchants at Lake Fork shared their views and questions about Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW) plans to study biological, social and economic impacts of tournament waivers. The agency is conducting the study at the direction of several state legislators concerned about the effects of a bill introduced during the last session that would have exempted bass tournaments from certain harvest restrictions.
"A lot of people are concerned that this study will have a significant negative impact to Lake Fork^s trophy bass fishery," said Bill Provine, chief of inland fisheries management and research with TPW. "We^re not going to let that happen. If bass mortality levels during the first tournament are high, we^ll report that information to the legislators. If they feel there is enough information to make a determination, they can request we end the study at any time."
By using Texas^ premier bass fishery as the testing grounds for this study, biologists can reasonably say these results would be applicable on any lake in Texas. "If we held it on any other lake, would the findings be accepted at Fork?" asked Provine. "Probably not, due to Fork^s popularity and fishery characteristics such as larger average bass size and incidence of other variables like largemouth bass virus. We know the virus is present at Fork and results from a lake without the virus would not be applicable to Fork."
The study will encompass six TPW-permitted bass tournaments on Lake Fork, one of the best trophy bass fisheries in the nation and a favorite with competitive anglers. Because TPW has no experience in running bass derbies and seeks to ensure the data accurately reflects the impacts of an actual event, the Lake Fork Merchants Council will be coordinating the tournaments. "For the results of this experiment to be useful in making future decisions about allowing slot limit exemptions, the measurement of fish mortality needs to be conducted on fish caught and handled by actual tournament anglers," said Provine.
The first exempted tournament is scheduled in early October, with the remaining test cases to be scheduled during the next year. Previous studies have confirmed that bass die in warmer water, so no tournaments will be held in the summer. "We would never consider issuing permits during the summer, so there^s no reason to conduct experiments during that time," Provine said. Researchers plan to complete the study before the start of the next legislative session in January 2001.
Provine added that the study is not designed to undermine or set back trophy bass management efforts at Lake Fork. "Just the opposite; the goal of this study is to obtain sufficient information to understand the impact of slot waiver tournaments on the ability of Lake Fork to maintain its current trophy status. If this status is determined to be in jeopardy, we will strongly recommend this issue be dropped."
Conversely, Provine said, if the biological impacts are insignificant then state leadership will have to rely on the economic and social impacts.
"We realize there^s an economic benefit to the local community from bass tournaments and will be measuring these six events to determine what that is," noted Phil Durocher, TPW inland fisheries division director. "The biological aspect of the study will be to determine total bass mortality associated with bass tournaments beyond what could be expected from catch and immediate release of slot-sized fish. We also want to gauge the attitudes and opinions on exempted bass tournaments from among our constituents, including Lake Fork anglers, business owners, fishing guides and property owners in the counties surrounding Lake Fork."
As a result of a suggestion during the public meeting, researchers will be reviewing tax revenues from the counties surrounding Lake Fork to see if the local economy is in decline. An economic impact study showed Lake Fork^s bass fishery contributed $27.5 million annually to the area^s economy five years ago.
For more information on exempted tournaments on Lake Fork contact the Lake Fork Merchants Council, PO Box 155, Emory, TX 75440. Public comment on the tournament exemption issue may be made to Texas Parks and Wildlife, Inland Fisheries Division, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 or by filling out a form online at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/cgi-bin/doform?inld.
Uploaded: 10/2/1999
Uploaded: 10/2/1999