This is a preliminary draft and we are requesting comments be directed directly to:

Conservation Director
Jim Summers
RR 1 Box 205
Worthington, WV 26591
(304) 287-7700 (H)
JSummers8@compuserve.com

People responding to the plan should prioritize the issues and strategies within the issues, and the action within the stragities. These items should be ranked as (H) high (M) medium and (L) low in importance.

Ohio River Fisheries Management Team

PREFACE
The following Action Plan draft proposes specific action items for addressing the Objectives and Strategies of the ORFMT Strategic Plan for Black Bass Management. Also included here is a timeline demonstrating expected initiation and completion of individual action items. As a whole, the proposed action items call for substantial collaboration among state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and constituent groups. Only through such cooperation can appreciable progress be made on complex resource management issues in a system as large and diverse as the Ohio River. As such, review and commentary from cooperators and affected interests is critical to determining the ultimate effectiveness of the project.

The broad suite of activities presented here serve a dual purpose. They will provide information and tools needed to further effective management of black bass in the Ohio River. But they also address the ORFMT's core management principles of improving the health and integrity of the Ohio River ecosystem while providing quality recreational fishing access and opportunities. In short, what is good for black bass is good for the Ohio River and vice versa. With this plan, the ORFMT hopes to make great gains in improving both.

OHIO RIVER FISHERIES MANAGEMENT TEAM
Black Bass Management Plan
Draft Action Plan

GOAL
Development and implementation of a long-term management plan to enhance Ohio River black bass fisheries.

OBJECTIVES
1. Determine the status of black bass populations in the Ohio River.

2. Identify and quantify factors regulating production of black bass in the Ohio River.

3. Rehabilitate and enhance black bass habitat in the Ohio River.

4. Establish satisfactory black bass population levels in the Ohio River.

5. Promote interactions among the Ohio River Fisheries Management Team, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO's), and citizen groups to enhance Ohio River black bass fisheries.

Action a. Compile relevant literature on black bass biology, ecology, and management. Produce reference bibliography of black bass-related literature.

Action b. Produce subject-specific literature reviews on black bass biology, ecology, and management.

1.2: Compile and analyze existing fisheries and environmental databases from the Ohio River.

Action a. Identify and obtain relevant historic data sets from government agencies, NGO's, and academic institutions.

Action b. Develop common database format for historic data sets to facilitate access and analysis.

Action c. Analyze data sets to explore short- and long-term trends in physical conditions in the Ohio River and how such trends may influence black bass populations.

1.3: Enact a long-term monitoring project for collecting standardized data on black bass populations.

Action a. Expand pilot Belleville Pool (OH) sampling project to include another upper river pool (e.g. Hannibal - WV), two middle river pools (e.g. Markland - KY and Cannelton - IN), and one lower river pool (e.g. Smithland - IL). Standardize monitoring protocols (gear, site selection, effort, etc.) among states.

Action b: Develop annual estimates of black bass population dynamics (age and size structure, growth, mortality, abundance, etc.) for each study pool.

Action c. Produce an annual report summarizing the status of black bass populations in the Ohio River.

1.4: Investigate black bass reproductive success in the Ohio River.

Action a. Use standardized data to determine annual abundance of young-of-year black bass in individual pools. Develop an index to gauge black bass year-class strength.

Action b. Conduct pilot study monitoring physical conditions (water level fluctuations, temperature, and turbidity) in embayments and the main channel during black bass spawning and nesting in Belleville Pool.

Action c. Analyze the influence of physical conditions on recruitment and survival of black bass.

Action d. Use GIS to estimate the amount of available spawning habitat in individual pools. Assess relative differences among pools in their capacity to produce black bass.

Action e. Estimate forage availability and its influence on young-of-year black bass growth and recruitment.

Action f. Support university-based research examining specific aspects of reproductive success and recruitment of black bass.

1.5: Determine seasonal habitat use by all black bass life stages.

Action a. Use standardized catch-per-effort data to determine relative abundance of black bass in different habitat types.

Action b. Use standardized presence/absence data to determine relative habitat use by each black bass age-class.

Action c. Support university-based research examining specific aspects of habitat use by black bass, especially during winter.

1.6: Determine effects of introduced sportfishes on black bass populations.

Action a. Assess potential for negative interactions between black bass and populations of other stocked sportfishes.

Action b. Adjust stocking rates and locations of introduced sportfishes to minimize impacts on black bass.

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 1 directly address Objectives 1 and 2 and will contribute needed information toward Objectives 3, 4, and 5.

ISSUE 2: Habitat degradation may be limiting black bass populations in the Ohio River.

Strategies
2.1: Work with government agencies and NGO's to rehabilitate and improve aquatic habitat.

Action a. Work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) to improve their channel maintenance practices that impact aquatic habitat.

Action b. Work with the COE to fund and complete habitat restoration projects; pursue mitigation through state and federal authorities to replace lost habitat.

Action c. Work with shipping and dredging companies to adopt operational practices that minimize impacts on aquatic habitat.

Action d. Identify local habitat needs in individual pools. Involve and support angler groups and other conservation organizations in local habitat restoration and enhancement projects.

2.2: Work with COE to assess water-level management opportunities.

Action a. Set seasonal goals for water-level management to promote black bass reproduction, persistence of aquatic vegetation, and angler access to backwaters.

Action b. Work with the COE to incorporate ORFMT goals into water-level management operations.

2.3: Work with government agencies to enforce compliance with permitting programs and laws protecting the Ohio River ecosystem.

Action a. Standardize permitting guidelines among Ohio River states.

Action b. Standardize laws and fines among Ohio River states for fish kills and habitat degradation.

Action c. Work with enforcement agencies to develop programs for improving monitoring and compliance activities.

Action d. Promote public awareness of appropriate channels for communicating suspected illegal environmental activities to enforcement agencies.

2.4: Promote passage of legislation to improve water quality and prevent habitat degradation.

Action a. Increase awareness of legislators to regulatory needs regarding Ohio River resources.

Action b. Engage angler and other conservation groups to actively support legislation regarding conservation and management of Ohio River resources.

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 2 directly address Objectives 3 and 4 and will contribute needed information toward Objectives 2 and 5.

ISSUE: Angling may impact black bass populations.

Strategies
3.1: Establish mandatory bass tournament data reporting from all Ohio River states.

Action a. Standardize tournament data reporting protocol for all Ohio River black bass tournaments.

Action b. Work with bass clubs to determine additional data collection and reporting activities.

Action c. Produce annual Ohio River black bass tournament data summary report.

3.2: Determine the impact of fishing practices on black bass populations in the Ohio River.

Action a. Initiate a river-wide creel survey; determine pools and seasons for survey.

Action b. Use creel survey data to determine seasonal angler effort, catch rates, and harvest.

Action c. Use creel survey to determine angler attitudes towards black bass-related issues in the Ohio River.

3.3: Implement needed regulations to improve black bass fishing.

Action a. Standardize black bass size and harvest regulations among Ohio River states.

Action b. Use standardized data to determine additional regulations as needed.

Action c. Develop tournament permitting system for all Ohio River states to regulate seasonal tournament fishing effort.

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 3 directly address Objectives 2 and 4 and will contribute needed information toward Objectives 1and 5.

ISSUE: Stocking may supplement black bass populations in the Ohio River.

Strategies
4.1: Verify the need to supplement existing black bass populations.

Action a. Develop ORFMT stocking guidelines that formalize the procedures for determining when stocking might be a viable management option.

Action b. Review literature on black bass stocking to determine conditions conducive to stocking success.

Action c. Use standardized data to assess the likelihood of stocking success in individual pools of the Ohio River.

4.2: Examine potential impacts of stocked black bass on aquatic resources and genetic diversity.

Action a. Review literature to determine interactions in other systems.

Action b. Fund university-based research examining black bass genetics in the Ohio River.

Action c. Ensure that black bass brood stock originates from appropriate sections of the Ohio River.

4.3: Determine the likely contribution of stocked black bass to the fishery.

Action a. Determine survival, growth, and distribution of stocked black bass.

Action b. Use creel survey data to estimate catch rates of stocked black bass.

Action c. Model angler effort and catch rates and survival of stocked black bass to estimate likelihood of acceptable utilization of stocked fish.

4.4: Evaluate the economic feasibility of black bass stocking.

Action a. Determine stocking rates needed to produce desired results.

Action b. Estimate hatchery production costs for black bass and production costs relative to return to the black bass fishery

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 4 directly address Objective 4 and will contribute needed information toward Objective 5.

ISSUE: Introductions of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) may impact Ohio River black bass populations.

Strategies
5.1: Adopt rules prohibiting introduction of ANS.

Action a. Coordinate and standardize ANS-related rules in all Ohio River states.

5.2: Develop management strategies limiting ANS spread and associated environmental impacts.

Action a. Assess potential pathways for ANS entry into the Ohio River watershed.

Action b. Coordinate ANS management programs among federal and state agencies in the Ohio River watershed; adopt preventative measures that have been successful in other systems.

Action c. Increase public awareness of preventive measures to reduce ANS spread.

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 5 will contribute needed information toward Objectives 2 and 5.

ISSUE: Lack of access may be limiting fishing opportunities.

Strategies
6.1: Develop new access sites on the Ohio River.

Action a. Develop a process for determining and prioritizing where new access sites are needed.

Action b. Identify and obtain parcels of land in desired locations for developing access sites.

Action c. Work with COE to develop access sites on COE properties and projects.

6.2: Improve existing access sites, including access to dams and backwater areas.

Action a. Work with the COE to maximize angler access at COE projects.

Action b. Work with the COE to provide maintenance dredging as needed to ensure access to backwater areas.

Action c. Work with local angler and boater groups to to help maintain and enhance access sites.

6.3: Improve reciprocal fishing agreements among states.

Action a. Standardize and clarify regulations among Ohio River states.

Action b. Standardize and clarify areas covered by reciprocal fishing agreements among Ohio River states; remove unnecessary impediments to angler access of Ohio River waters.

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 6 will contribute needed information toward Objective 5.

ISSUE: Lack of awareness among constituents regarding black bass issues and the ORFMT's strategies for black bass management.

Strategies
7.1: Increase constituent's knowledge by updating existing publications and creating new publications and new outlets for information such as fisheries research and fish advisories.

Action a. Develop an ORFMT Ohio River web page to relay information pertaining to Ohio River issues and management.

Action b. Produce an ORFMT annual report summarizing Ohio River management actions and activities.

Action c. Update existing publications on a regular basis.

Action d. Promote public awareness of channels of communication with management agencies.

7.2: Create forums promoting communication between management agencies and concerned constituents.

Action a. Provide an electronic bulletin board on an ORFMT web site for posting comments and questions.

Action b. Continue agency presentations at angler club meetings to update members on Ohio River management activities.

7.3: Educate anglers regarding fishing practices that minimize black bass mortality.

Action a. Produce a publication to instruct anglers on fish handling practices that minimize mortality of released fish.

Action b. Coordinate between management agency personnel and angling club members to hold seminars on practices to minimize unwanted fish mortality.

Management Contribution
Strategies and actions for Issue 7 directly address Objective 5 and will contribute needed information toward Objective 4.