Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Monitoring Relative Abundance Of American Shad In Virginia’S Rivers 2000 Annual Report, John E. Olney, John M. Hoenig

Reports

Since the moratorium, there have been no monitoring programs that provided direct assessment of stock recovery until this project began in 1998. The ban on in-river fishing in Virginia remained in effect, creating a dilemma for managers who needed reliable information in order to make a rational decision on when the in-river ban could safely be lifted. To address this deficiency, we proposed a method of scientific monitoring to estimate catch rates relative to those recorded before the prohibition of in-river fishing in 1994. This monitoring program began in 1998 and consisted of sampling techniques and locations that were consistent …