Sportfish Quality and Biotic Integrity, Are They Associated? [Project]

This study will test associations between fish-based indices of biotic integrity and characteristics indicative of healthy sportfisheries in warmwater streams across the Eastern Broadleaf Ecoregion of central and southeastern Minnesota. Sportfishery characteristics evaluated will include abundance, recruitment, and growth of smallmouth bass and rock bass populations and recreational use. While it is assumed that stream sites with high biotic integrity also have excellent sportfish populations, this association has rarely been tested. If it can be established that streams with high IBI scores also have abundant and healthy sportfish populations and more recreational users, this will allow fisheries managers greater confidence in using the extensive IBI datasets being developed by other conservation partners as well as contributing more direct management efforts to the entire fish community. Significant associations will also help justify the inclusion of objectives to guide management for improved fish-based IBIs in fisheries management plans.