FYI Young of the year study NYDEC Buffalo Harbor and Upper Niagara

[jojo wilczewski]

Good Day

FYI A very discouraging report for all.

Niagara River / Buffalo Harbor FIsheries Monitoring Report  Fall 2012

Region 9 Fisheries continued coorerative efforts with SUNY College of Forestry at Syracuse to monitor young Musky production and associated fish assemblages in near shore vegatated shallow of the river and harbor. Seining efforts produced "NO" young of the year (YOY) at two sites in the Buffalo Harbor. The first year since seining started in 2007 that none were found in the harbor. Only "SEVEN" YOY musky were collected at the Upper Niagara  River sampling sites. ALSO THE LOWEST ON RECORD SINCE 2007. The low Musky catch rates this yearare somewhat surprising considering the accelerated and steady warming of the Niagara River this spring and early summer...

NY DEC Bureau of Fisheries, Michael Wilkinson

[jojo wilczewski]

Good Day

Tony  what do you think of the results? Could it be due to the young population?

Do we have to wait till they get to breeding size? There was alot of vegetation

this year so I would  not think that was a problem? Or other causes, the counts

have been dropping in recent years? I think the cormorant aree a problem? Do

they not eat seven pounds of small fish a day? I do not think they discriminate

what they eat?

jojoout

[Tony Scime]

Could be a lot of things. Lots of northerns (as evidenced by the number of hybrids), and lots of younger muskies (they may eat yoy). May be just a cycle, as there are a lot of young muskies and the system can support only so many.