DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

• Commissioner's OfficeBureaus & Divisions
• All-Terrain Vehicles, Snowmobiles, and Watercraft
• Education
• Employment
• Fishing
  • License InformationRegulations and SeasonsReportsSpecies Information
• Grants
• Hunting and Trapping
• Laws and Rules
• Licenses and Permits
• News and Events
• Wildlife

Assessment of New Brook Trout Regulations on Two Wild Trout Ponds

FISHERY INTERIM SUMMARY REPORT SERIES NO. 02-8

by Timothy C. Obrey

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Fisheries and Hatcheries Division
Augusta, Me

July, 2002

JOB F-101

INTERIM SUMMARY REPORT NO. 1 (1994-2001)

INTRODUCTION

Little Moxie Pond and Trout Pond are small wild brook trout ponds in northwestern Maine. From 1999 to 2001, brook trout population abundance and age structure in these waters were studied to determine the effect of new, restrictive regulations that were implemented in 1996. Additional data were available from studies conducted at Little Moxie Pond from 1994 to 1998. Each fall the ponds were trapnetted to obtain population estimates. Water temperature, angler catch, and use data were also collected. Prior to this study the brook trout population in Little Moxie Pond responded dramatically to the removal of competing fish species by trapnetting . Post-season trout biomass estimates increased from 1.2 lbs/ac to a high of 6.4 lbs/ac after removal of white suckers and minnows. Growth rates and survival also improved. The numbers of large trout also increased with the new regulations; however, drought conditions in 1999 and 2001 negated these improvements. The number of large trout also increased in post-season estimates each year of the project at Trout Pond, where the regulation change was less severe and the drought had less of an impact.

For more information or a complete report, please contact:

Tim Obrey
Maine Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife
Fisheries Division
650 State St
Bangor, Maine 04401-5654
Telephone: (207)941-4719
Email: tim.obrey@maine.gov