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<br />200
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<br />-'----CALIFOR~ 'FIsii.:..:::nro=tiAn-~" ,::~=~.
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<br />.- ,,7~"-,'-::;'-:- 7- _.....;._;;;---==..:c; ~
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<br />
<br />-':,::F1S.I:.i.I3~~:.:.~!THE LUWJ!a',I;U.l.A1nAlJU IS.......
<br />':"io.C~~~--"" ',:~~-' ,.._--,...._'-:-.-~~':.-- "'. .....,....:",
<br />:;~,,:.':::~lJ,a9~J ;the remarks of Bennett, pp., 327 -'328 'in V ~ T ,-:.:~-.-=
<br />.a:9'~;::;c-,:-;:", "'" "..." , : . ",., ,:.;
<br />'~'~~j),3ssaiidchannel, ~tfiSh. are the only fish which are.::~=
<br />,:d-egree_8,t-PI:~n t. ::-:TI1ey,.are the ones which should-=-:'Y;> _,'_"-,-,.,-',-,',~.-,:--",;.\
<br />~p:otectio~ and at the san:ie time be so managed that:: '5' ...~
<br />:IIlax:m;mn peld to. th~ angler. T.he preliminary study-L>
<br />~b~m.this areaindicates:that It does not ordinarily::,"
<br />:~hf~Years. old at wmehtimeits average length is 13::-,;"'::='
<br />,tail.. If this should hold true in the future {which is: --:.:::-
<br />,the present size limit could be increased at least several
<br />_c.ctancy of a greater and better yield to the fisherman.
<br />;:s~d~ of this problem, it is suggested that the size limit" "
<br />rd WIth Arizona's State regulation of 10 inches (total
<br />
<br />~"t..- _ " ---.,----..-...-...-:-~==-:...~-: -, --.,--.----,~. -- -.----.--.--
<br />;th.e.scanty knowledge of the size at first m~~ty al:ld-'---'--'
<br />;.~~~Aannel catfish, we can not point out a minimum' ,',
<br />.. ,;~ed,?nthese fac~ors'.'Wecan, however, recommend::-:"":.> ..~.
<br />,...pI,':~Omches;.. This, WIll pt:otect the fish to a more~~-' "','
<br />cS~aYQr~~le_t9-production, and ,be in accord with the::.
<br />.," "M);Z01;$.~ ,"- . '
<br />;-.t~::;.c:..~....;.... ~n
<br />A;~~; ,-
<br />;;:::::p:~~' ;.~
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<br />~-&".~co~idered here: (1) Those closed to fishing
<br />~c~ntrations of fish render their capture too easy;
<br />:nprse.ry.gro~ds or spawning sanctuaries.' ,
<br />'~c'.~~lll prohibIted .n~ar the daIilS on some of its lakes;"
<br />~~e;~, State proVlSIOn preventing it "in all waters..
<br />
<br />.. - . - --,.~~~-:,~~~:.:-:;,,~~-'.
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<br />-,'possible in many instances by increasing the size limitsomewhat <'AIl-
<br />,,'c.~.servati':.elY; ,<.3) To. insure the; fisherman:anaqeq"?ate supply of &sa ,~.
<br />,,:~~:"~of" deSlrableSlze, ~, elther for-sport or!ood;~n J1liIlo!8.1Bennett! Thomp.
<br />. ','" son, and'Parr (1940) nave defined deSIrable SlZ8 for several speCIes whidl
<br />H:"'" are also found in the Colorado River, and their minimum sizes are of
<br />_,. interest. "Among the pan, or finei,fishesthe minim~ size for sport
<br />or table use I?hould be at least O~2 pound. Converted mto total lencthi.
<br />this weight is about 6 inches for bluegills and other sunfish, 7 inehes for
<br />bullheads, 7 or 8 inches for crappies and 10 inches for channel .?al"
<br />They also seem to imply that largemouth bass of 10 inches in total lenl."th
<br />or a little over one-half pound are of desirable size.
<br />.. ,_~:;=,==Suclli>urposes-(tbe secpn<tand third) are more or less similar, and
<br />. all of them maybimg ab6titsomeo:ft,lie=~8fi'me=r~:alarger stoek 11f
<br />spawners; a total increase in poundage; a larger number of big fish ill
<br />~.. the catches. .It may be pointed out that an increase in the number of
<br />large game :fish (if they are piscivorous) should result in a better utiliza.
<br />tion of the coarse :fish and sunfishes as forage. This may be beneficial in
<br />reducing the amount of competition afforded by the latter fishes,
<br />The necessity for size limits, especially those based on the presump-
<br />tion that each individual should be allowed to spawn at least '}ilce, has
<br />,been questioned, and it is true that their imposition complir:ates the
<br />enforcement problem. In general,however, their application can con.
<br />stitutes very effective tool of managemen1r--one which protects a fishezy
<br />from depletion and actually increases the angler's enjoyment. Espe..
<br />cially,since a long season has already been advised, the application of
<br />size limits is suggested for the Colorado. It is recommended, howe.e!.
<br />for only two of its fishes, largemouth bass and channel catfish.
<br />. It is true that fairly large numbers of sunfishes are taken in somt
<br />waters along or near the.Colorado, especially in the Imperial \" alley,
<br />But here, bass are not common and the -gear used by many of the rt'Sl-,
<br />dents is better fitted for taking other fish. From some of the catches ~
<br />in such areas one is inclined to believe that any fish of any size \\'nnld bt
<br />considered desirable, and that a fish stew or fish soup would be the ?u]!
<br />way in which t.he smaU fish caught could be utilized. Mr, Leo RO&;I~r'
<br />field not.es (1941-42) record numeroUS observations such as "a 3'l:all,O!l
<br />bucket full of channel catfish 3 to 6 inches longYWhere such ('iltt'\;';'
<br />are composed largely of channel catfish, such occurrences IDay pr"\""~
<br />additional reasons for believinO' that a size limit on this species would bt
<br />helpfu1. It seems doubtful, h~wever, if size limits are desirable ,for in;
<br />sunfishes even in these areas of fairly beavy fishing. The blue~Ills R~
<br />green sun:fish examined, from the Colorado mature at a small size-:-wrIl
<br />below "desirable size" for food or sport. The setting of !'ize lIlllJU-
<br />exeeedinO' their lenlJ'th at first maturity would therefore have a tenJell~
<br />'=' 0 ... . -~ 1
<br />to allow them to spawn even more than once. Because of thf'ir prt'Sfliid
<br />abundance and their known fecundity it is difficult to see how they con
<br />demand much protection. Fisberies workers, in general, do not adv.d\t
<br />any stringent protection of these sunfisbes. Conversel:y-" ~ewral 1~;
<br />gone on rec~rd as advocating the remo:al .of m~ny restnctlons on, t.. ~
<br />take by aB-glmg, and even actual redUctIOn m theIr numbers by nettIUg
<br />poisoning, in ~ases wher~ their overpop~l~tion ~~ damaged the ~sh:;
<br />through stuntmg, predatIOn, and competItIOn. (::see, for example. 1.3 '
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