Comparison of Catch Data from the California Steelhead Fishing Report-Restoration Card and the Recreational Angler Survey for the Smith River (Del Norte County) Terry Jackson California Department of Fish and Game
California Steelhead Fishing Report-Restoration Card
Can we compare to “validate” catch estimates from two methodologies? Differences to overcome Recreational Angler Survey Boat – Access Survey, trip completed Shore – Roving Survey, trip incomplete CPUE adjusted by trip hours and species present (Chinook, Steelhead, Coho, Cutthroat) Steelhead Report Card Anglers not always recording unsuccessful trips Low returns to DFG
Mean Catch Per Angler Trip
Total Catch
Mean Fishing Hours Per Angler Trips
Report Card Phone survey to determine hours fished on the Smith River per day for anglers, and boat or shore preference. StratumAvg Hrs% boat% shore %75.0% %64.3% %25.0% %27.8% %22.2% % all %36.5% Angler Survey
Total Fishing Hours
Total Angler’s Trips
Comparing Apples with Oranges What did we learn? Challenges to overcome. Nearly everything significantly different (p<0.01), except some catch estimates and total hours fished Possible: Angler Survey under estimates hours per trip or over estimates number of trips, thus lower catch estimates Possible: Report Card over estimates catch per trip with non-recorded unsuccessful trips (under estimates number of trips), thus higher catch estimates VERY challenging, a lot of weighting, not really comparable.
Questions? Statistical: please contact Gary He Steelhead catch data Terry Jackson