Quote Originally Posted by Springhill Duckman View Post
Craig,

Is the department looking at changing some management programs for other lakes around the region/state to increase size of fish in an effort to stay ahead of any problems that could surface. I know we all don't want the different species to move from lake to lake but is KDWP be pro-active and building the need species ahead of time. I.E Wipers and walleye in most lakes, blue cats in most lake for zebra. If not when why are we waiting to play catch up?
Duckman,

The invasion of aquatic nuisance species is on all of the KDWP fisheries biologists minds. This is too real of a threat to be ignored. Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) come in many forms from the zebra mussel to white perch to Eurasian watermilfoil to Asian Carp. Other ANS are very close to Kansas and other states are having to deal with them (for example, Arkansas and the snakeheads). Other species are ALREADY in Kansas and MUST BE confined to already infested waters (I'lll be posting a news release on Asian carp in Kansas as soon as I finish this post). For some of these ANS species, it doesn't matter how many walleye or wiper a lake has because after the ANS is introduced the damage will be done.

Blue cats have recently been stocked in El Dorado, Cheney, Clinton, Perry, Wilson and Melvern reservoirs and blues have been requested for additional lakes. Blues were not solely stocked due to ANS invasions in Kansas as they offer very good angling opportunities and offer very good trophy potential. Blues do consume zebra mussels but not enough to limit the zebra mussel population in a lake. Blues should make efficient predators on white perch as the blues grow in to larger sizes so we hope to see a double whammy from the blue populations where they are present with ANS populations.

Wiper introductions can be a rather slippery slope with the angling public. I know there will be some that read this on this board that will completely agree. Some anglers just flat out DO NOT LIKE wipers! Even if the wiper are providing benefits to the other sportfish in the lake, they are still not well received by some. On the other hand, some anglers LOVE wiper and want them in every lake, even in lakes where the wipers would not do well. The KDWP hears from both sides of this issue and must take both sides in to consideration prior to stocking a new species. In addition to the 'slippery slope', some lakes currently do not "need" wiper as the lake's fish populations are balanced. Adding wiper prematurely in preparation of a possible ANS invasion may not be in the best interest of the lake. Each lake is different!

The KDWP is working hard to prevent the spread of ANS species to other waters and prevention is our best weapon against ANS. Managing ANS invasions is a 'work in progress' as there is no cook book recipe in how to deal with these invasions successfully. Unfortunately in fisheries management sometimes we have to go by trial and error by making decisions on the best data/information available at the time. If one option doesn't work then we must look for another.

Great questions, Duckman!