Results and Evaluation of An Aerial Creel Survey Technique On Lake Sharpe, South Dakota

A creel survey, consisting of two independent surveys, was conducted on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota from May, 1973, through May, 1974. An aerial fisherman count was used to estimate fishing pressure and an angler interview survey was used to estimate catch rates, mean party size, mean fisherman day, and residence of the anglers. The results of the two surveys were combined to estimate harvest. The separate surveys were combined to estimate harvest. The separate surveys allowed optimum stratification and allocation of sampling effort for each. Estimated fishing pressure was 32,643 fisherman-hours, ±9.60% at the 95% confidence level, and the total estimated harvest was 113,800 fish, ±12.46%, weighing 7.36 x 104 kg (81.05 tons). The mean catch rate for the entire survey was 0.33 fish per fisherman-hour. The survey produced final estimates of catch statistics with a relatively small amount of manpower well within the range of accuracy needed for management decisions. The methods used may prove to be applicable to many other large, open reservoirs with numerous access points.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Year

1975

Author dc:creator

• Schmidt, Bruce R.

• Natural Resources and Conservation

Statement dc:rights

• <p>No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only<br /><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/</a></p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/219

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-1219