Changes in yellow perch length frequencies and sex ratios following closure of the commercial fishery and reduction in sport bag limits in southern Lake Michigan

摘要: The closure of the Indiana commercial fishery in Lake Michigan 1997 provided opportunity to examine effects exploitation on yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), population. Data from annual gillnet and trawl sampling, recreational angler creel surveys fishing harvest were used determine whether changes length-frequency distributions sex ratios altered following closure. proportions large, adult perch significantly greater after fishery. Overexploitation fish >200 mm by likely truncated size distribution, but was comparatively small did not appear be a factor influencing distributions. This post-closure period also had proportion females catches, mean length harvested increased These findings suggest influenced population dynamics far southern Michigan.