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Date Completed: __4/5/05__ Biologist: _Kramer________________________Name of Water: _Schoodic Lake___________________________ Fishery Region: _F_ Town: _Brownville______________________ County: _Piscataquis_____________ Source of LLS Stock
(indicate source with an X):
Introduced_Wild _X (very low densities)__ Stocked _X Mix (stocked + wild) ___ Smelt [Indicate predator/prey (LLS/SLT) ratio re growth & condition of LLS by placing an X opposite the appropriate category]: Excellent: _X_ Sufficient: ___ Poor: ___ Other forage (indicate species & importance):_______________________________________________ Competition (List significant competitors (use 3-letter spp code) in appropriate blank based on importance. Place an X opposite None if no significant competitors are present: High: ___________________________ Moderate: __LKT__SMB______________ Low: ______WHP_________________ None: ___ Predation : (List significant predators (use 3-letter spp code) in appropriate blank based on importance. Place an X opposite None if no significant predators are present): High: ___________________________ Moderate: ____________________ Low: ____ SMB _________________________ None: ___ Habitat Considerations:(describe pertinent habitat pluses, deficiencies, etc.) Schoodic Lake has very good water quality for the production of salmonids. A large volume of deep, well-oxygenated water supports a large population of rainbow smelt, critical to quality salmon growth. Dissolved oxygen levels approach saturation at all depths during the summer months. High Other Considerations: (historical significant population/fishery, genetically important population, social/traditional, etc.) Schoodic Lake has a long and interesting history as it relates to landlocked salmon management. From the 1950’s through the 1970’s, Schoodic was stocked annually with salmon, lake trout and brook trout Numbers of salmon stocked varied from 1,500 to 40,000. Smelt abundance was poor to non-existent so both adult smelt and smelt eggs were moved into Schoodic many times through that time period. Lake trout are also present in the system, complicating the landlocked salmon management possibilities. In the 1970’s lake trout were not stocked and managers were monitoring the lake for wild lake trout. In the early 1980’s lake trout did become established and provided a fishable population. Soon however the population expanded exponentially and wild lake trout were becoming more of a problem for the available forage. Numbers of salmon stocked at Schoodic was being reduced, from 10,750 in 1980 to 2,000 at the end of the decade. Still, the pressure on the available forage was high and plans were formulated in the early 1990’s to cease salmon stocking altogether to allow the smelt population to recover. The final year of salmon stocking at Schoodic was 1991. Brook trout were stocked as spring yearlings to provide an inshore fishery as we were rebuilding the forage. By 1998, the smelt population had started to rebound. In 1994, mean length and weights observed at the annual fishing derby for lake trout were 15.5” and 1.1 lb. Lake trout measured during the 1998 derby were far better, with an average length of 19.7” and a mean weight of 3.1 lbs! We have continued to observe a continual improvement in both size and condition of lake trout on the spawning beds, as well as measured by winter census clerks and through the annual derby entries. During a ten-year period, mean lengths and weights from lake trout captured on the spawning beds shows a remarkable change. In 1992, the average of all lake trout captured by fall trapnets was 16.1 inches and 1.2 pounds. In 2001, those statistics had improved to 23.1 inches and 4.7 pounds. This past fall of 2004, mean length and weight of lake trout on the spawning beds was 21.7 inches and 3.7 pounds. Smelts had become “established” at Schoodic and the resultant growth of lake trout proved it. A number of local anglers and bait dealers had also started to take advantage of the great increase in available smelt and a limited “hook and line” fishery had developed along shore. Since the smelt “recovery” at Schoodic, fishery managers have speculated on our present ability to grow quality landlocked salmon. When a surplus of both Sebago and West Grand Strains of spring yearlings this past Spring (2004) became available at the Cobb Fish Hatchery in Enfield, we formulated plans to stock a very small number (500 SY) into Schoodic Lake. At the present stocking of 500 SY/year, we do not believe that any detrimental effects would be observed on the forage base. This is a rate of 0.07 SY/acre, very low by any measure. During the winter fishery of 2005, numerous virtual two (2) year old salmon have been observed by census clerks. The mean length and weight of these fish is 454±8 mm (17.8”) and 1053±50g (2.3 pounds), and a condition factor of 1.08±0.03! We would expect that at the current rate of growth, that 3 and 4 year old salmon would certainly be of “quality” size and condition. Current Regulations (list applicable regulations): Winter: B (Closed to fishing until January 1 and then open to ice fishing for all fish from January 1 through March 31), S-14 (Open to the taking of cusk in the nighttime with 5 lines), S-19 (Daily limit on trout: 2 fish), S-22 (Daily limit on salmon: 1 fish) Summer: S-2 (Closed to the taking of smelts except by hook and line), S-3 (Tributaries closed to the taking of smelts) Upstream to the second crossing on the tributary that drains Orson Bog and Norton Bog: S-19 (Daily limit on trout: 2 fish), S-22 (Daily bag limit on salmon: 1 fish) Proposed Regulations: For Maintaining Existing Good LLS Size Quality (list needs): Status quo, stock 500 SY/year and. Would recommend a regulation of 5 bass bag limit, 10 inch size limit. For Moderate Improvement in LLS Size Quality (list needs): High level of use in the hook and line fishery for smelt has raised some concern of potential impact on forage needs. Would recommend reduction from 2 quarts smelt by hook and line to 1 quart. For Significant
Improvement in LLS Size Quality (list needs): Too early to predict what will
develop for a salmon fishery and what possible For Best Possible Outcome, re LLS Size Quality (list needs):
Identify Individuals/Group(s)to Contact for Input and/or Support:
Fred Trask
Murial Harris 943-7326
Ray Campbell 723-8054
Dirk Dewley 723-6629 Action Plan: Use the next page to: 1. Identify and prioritize up to 5 management strategies. 2. Among these strategies identify those you feel most need to be worked on now, etc. and 3. Identify how SAM_FIC can help in implementation. ACTION PLAN
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