Demographic Comparison of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in Commercially Fished and Non-Commercially Fished Reaches of the Wabash River

Abstract

ABSTRACT The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in a 719 km stretch of the Wabash River, Indiana and Illinois, was sampled using electrofishing and hoop nets in 1998 and 1999 to determine whether population demographics differ between commercially fished and non-commercially fished reaches. The channel catfish population of the commercially fished reach was less abundant, had a larger mean length-at-age, had greater proportional stock density values, and had larger length-frequency distribution when compared to the non-commercially fished reach. These data suggested that the channel catfish was experiencing different environmental conditions that were influencing growth, recruitment and mortality. Whether these differences were mechanistically related to recreational or commercial harvest is unknown. However, understanding the demographic differences in the population will aid in the ongoing management of this fish in the Wabash River.