Lake Erie Walleye and Yellow Perch Fisheries Quotas Announced for 2004 COLUMBUS, OH - The Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission has reduced the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for walleye and increased the TAC for yellow perch in 2004, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The TAC for walleye was set at 2.4 million fish for the 2004 fishing season, 30 percent lower than a year ago, while the yellow perch TAC was increased by 11 percent over last year to 11 million pounds. The TAC is set in numbers of adult fish for walleye, but in pounds for yellow perch. The reduction in the walleye quota reaffirms the commitment by Ohio, other states and Ontario to rebuild walleye stocks that had fallen to very low levels after poor reproduction in 2000 and 2002. Anglers will continue to benefit lake wide from abundant hatches in 1999 and 2001. With conservation measures in place, a strong hatch in 2003 should boost numbers of adult fish significantly in coming years. "Interagency efforts that began in 2001 to rebuild walleye stocks are ongoing," said Roger Knight, Lake Erie fisheries administrator for the ODNR Division of Wildlife. "We are very optimistic about major improvements in the health of Lake Erie walleye stocks over the next few years and expect better fishing in the immediate future." The Lake Erie Committee, which consists of fisheries managers from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, meets annually to review the status of walleye and yellow perch and to establish sustainable levels of catch across the lake. Walleye The 2004 TAC will be distributed among four states and the province of Ontario according to a formula based on the proportional surface area within the region of Lake Erie designated as prime walleye habitat by the Lake Erie Committee. Ohio's share, often referred to as the state's "quota," will be about 51 percent of the new TAC, or about 1.2 million fish in 2004. Ontario receives the next largest quota of about 43 percent, or 1 million walleye. In anticipation of reduced quotas, nearly all agencies instituted changes in fishing regulations for 2004. New Ohio regulations include a reduced daily bag limit during March and April of three fish per person; a 15-inch minimum size limit in all areas year-round; and a ban on treble hooks in Maumee and Sandusky bays during the March through April spawning period. Yellow Perch Yellow perch populations have responded well to major conservation efforts by the Lake Erie Committee since the early 1990s. Recent estimates reflect higher abundance of adult perch throughout most of Lake Erie. A strong hatch in 2003 is expected to offset a poor hatch in 2002 and maintain relatively high levels of yellow perch over the next few years. Of the 11 million pound yellow perch TAC in 2004, the Lake Erie Committee has issued nearly 7 million pounds in the Central Basin and just under 4 million pounds in the Western Basin of Lake Erie. Ohio's 2004 quota is about 5.1 million pounds between both of these areas, an increase of about 19 percent over the 2003 quotas. Ontario's quota is 5.2 million pounds and the remaining TAC is allocated among Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York. "We are extremely pleased to see successful recovery of yellow perch stocks in Lake Erie, considering where they were just a decade ago," Knight said. "Perch stocks are showing signs of stability and we expect to have excellent fishing in 2004." The 30-fish daily bag limit for anglers and existing commercial fishing regulations remain in effect for 2004.
Source: ODNR
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