New Techniques Applied to Fisheries Management in Washington's High Lakes

James M. Johnston Resident Fish Management Biologist, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bellingham, WA

This presentation is designed to expose workshop participants to fisheries management considerations and practices currently applied to mountain lakes in Washington State. Approximately 1000 of over 3000 high lakes in Washington have been biologically surveyed by State fisheries management biologists since the 1970's. Written reports from many of these field investigations have been published by the state. Discussion of findings from a 1985-1995 fisheries management study of 100 high lakes in Wilderness and non-Wilderness Areas of the North Cascades will be the basis for much of this workshop presentation.

Development of lake specific management plans in Washington State generally considers each lake's unique environment related to fish survival and growth, fish population data, abundance of invertebrate species important in the diet of fish, and estimates of each lake's fish production potential (Principal Component Analysis and development of fish growth prediction model). Other fish management related factors considered are: fish management goals for other lakes within the watershed (provide diversity of opportunity), ease of people access (the good, the bad, and the ugly), past fish management practices in the lake (not always most appropriate), surrounding land classification restrictions applicable to fish management (Wilderness, non-Wilderness, etc), and any special concerns such as presence of unique species potentially impacted by fish (not just salamanders). Deliberations then move to issues very relevant to this workshop; whether or not to plant the lake, the most appropriate species of fish to plant, the number of fish per surface acre to plant, and the planting cycle. Each issue will be covered in detail. A management plan is then written for each lake (example provided).

Comments on federal vs state jurisdictional issues in wilderness areas, and on experimental design problems associated with many fish planting impact studies will also be provided.

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted"-- Albert Einstein

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