Long-term assessment and adaptive management of Sutton Lake largemouth bass

NORTH CAROLINA Fisheries Research Fact Sheet RESOURCES COMMISSION Long-term Assessment and Adaptive Management of Sutton Lake Large mouth Bass July 2018 Sutton Lake is a 1, 100-acre power plant cooling reservoir in New Hanover County. Constructed in 1972, the reservoir has long been a popular destina¬ tion for Largemouth Bass anglers. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has conducted shoreline electrofishing assessments since 1990 to both monitor the Sutton Lake Largemouth Bass population and to assess the usefulness of Largemouth Bass har¬ vest regulations. These assessments have documented a dynamic Largemouth Bass population that experiences considerable fluctuations in abundance. Equally important to monitoring the Largemouth Bass population is assessing Largemouth Bass angling practices at Sutton Lake. Two angler surveys were conducted (1994-1995 and 2015-2016) to evaluate angler behaviors and attitudes regarding management practices at Sutton Lake. These angler surveys have been instrumental in quantifying angler preferences and incorporating those preferences into adaptive management strategies. In response to angler concerns documented in the 1994—1995 creel survey, NCWRC enacted a winter (Dec 1-Mar 31) Largemouth Bass harvest prohibition in 1996. Additionally, various slot and minimum length limits have been utilized to manage the popula¬ tion. A 5-fish per day bag limit and 1 4-inch minimum length limit have been in effect since 2005. The con¬ clusion of the most recent creel survey, as well as analy¬ sis of long-term biological data, enables NCWRC to adaptively manage Sutton Lake so that it best meets the needs of anglers. To that end, biologists present some recent findings and propose altering Largemouth Bass harvest regulations. Objectives: • Document biological characteristics of Large¬ mouth Bass and angler trends at Sutton Lake. • Assess the efficacy of Largemouth Bass regulations. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission Map of Sutton Lake, adjacent to Cape Fear River in New Hanover County Figure 2: Trends in Largemouth Bass abundance at Sutton Lake, 1990-2018