Exploitation and length limit evaluation of Alabama bass in a South‐easternUSAreservoir

Abstract

AbstractAlabama bass,Micropterus henshalliHubbs & Bailey, are the dominant sportfish of Allatoona Reservoir, Georgia,USA, but no population assessment has been conducted. Thus, growth and total annual mortality were estimated in spring 2005, and a tagging study was conducted in 2006 and 2007 to estimate angler exploitation. These data were used with an age‐structured model to assess performance of a 356‐mm minimum length limit (MLL), a 406‐mmMLLand a 330‐ to 406‐mm protected slot length limit (SLL) compared to the present harvest regulation of noMLL. Mean annual exploitation varied from 12 to 22% each year and was generally highest for fish > 330 mm; total annual mortality was 44%. Models predicted a 49–153% increase in numbers of Alabama bass reaching 432 mm, a 22–66% decline in numbers harvested and only moderate declines in yield (5–25%) with the alternative harvest regulations compared to current conditions. TheSLLmay be an acceptable compromise to allow Allatoona Reservoir anglers to still harvest fish while also improving Alabama bass size structure.