This is what I received today from the DNR.

Dear Mr. Manz:

Thank you for your interest in conserving crappie populations in
Georgia. The Board of Natural Resources requested that I respond to
your e-mail. The Fisheries Section of the Georgia Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) has the responsibility managing crappie populations and
are always interested in working with avid fisherman like yourself to
assure that we are making sound management decisions. I would like to
first go into a little history how we manage and study our resources,
and then offer some suggestions on how we might work together in the
future.

The Department routinely monitors the fish populations in all of our
major bodies of water with annual standardized sampling and creel
surveys. In addition, other special studies are often conducted to
address specific management concerns. Creel surveys have routinely
shown that crappie are often among the top three most sought-after and
harvested species in the State. To this end, we conduct and maintain a
fish attractor program on most of our major reservoirs that are
specifically targeted towards crappie fishermen. Along with
long-standing fish attractor program, DNR has also been involved with
many studies looking at the potential benefits of minimum length limits.


As you are aware, the state currently has a 30-fish harvest limit and
no minimum length limit. Length limits for crappie have shown varying
results where enacted in other states and several characteristics are
common: 1) at low levels of natural mortality, minimum size limits may
have a positive impact; conversely, at high levels of natural mortality,
minimum size limits may have negative impacts; 2) the effectiveness of
minimum size limits is variable and generally increases with increased
angler exploitation; 3) minimum size limits reduce harvest; and 4)
growth is important to size limits. With slow growth, natural mortality
could claim 50 to 70 percent of the crappie before they reach minimum
length.

The challenge with length limits is the assumption that crappie
population dynamics are similar between reservoirs across the state and
that is not the case; each body of water has different growth,
mortality, and crappie recruitment rates. Therefore, site-specific
regulations may provide the more effective management strategy than an
all-encompassing statewide regulation.

Fisheries biologists have long recognized the potential for improving
crappie populations through the use of minimum size limits or other
restrictive regulations and a number of studies were conducted in
Georgia even before neighboring states thought of length limits. We
first looked at intensively managing crappie populations in the late
1980’s with large-scale studies on three major lakes - Allatoona,
Oconee, and Sinclair. Each study gathered information on crappie
abundance, growth rates, and mortality (natural and fishing). The
studies continued for a number of years and for subsequent years after
that; other State biologists likewise gathered information on crappie
populations in Lake Jackson, Lake Nottely, West Point, and Lake Weiss.


One of the key things that our biologists learned was natural mortality
in crappie populations was high. The tagging studies and netting
surveys showed that on average, about 53% of adult crappie die each year
whether caught or not. These studies indicated that with size limits,
more fish will be lost to natural causes, fewer crappie will be
harvested by anglers (60% fewer), and the number of quality size fish
would only slightly increase. Therefore, a regulation change would not
greatly improve the crappie population or angler satisfaction.

We also recognize a very important point that you made in regards to
the economic impact of crappie fishing. The Department is well underway
with the Go Fish Georgia initiative aimed at increasing fishing based
tourism and tournament activity. This effort will include 18 new mega
tournament ramp facilities throughout our state, and within a year will
open a Go Fish Georgia Center in Perry, GA that will help promote and
enhance Georgia’s fishery resources. Although much of the marketing
emphasis is placed on largemouth bass, our Department and local
communities have all recognized the value of these facilities in
increasing economic activity associated with crappie fishing and
tournaments.

The Fisheries Section is committed to serving the citizens of Georgia
and anglers of this state while protecting the resources using sound
scientific principles of fisheries management for the good of all
anglers. Perhaps there is a specific body of water where you think a
minimum size limit might be most desirable? If so, please contact me
and we will be happy to evaluate the data for a specific body of water.
Also, the Department periodically holds public hearings to gather input
from our anglers and share data that we have collected throughout the
years. Perhaps a local public forum would be another step in assuring
we are best serving you and all crappie fishermen for a particular
reservoir.

Again, I thank you for your interest and look forward to hearing from
you.

Steve L. Schleiger
Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Fisheries Section
1014 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Fort Valley, GA 31030
478-825-6150 (voice)
478-825-6153 (fax)
[email protected]