TPWD 1955 F-3-R-2 #136: Check on Commercial Catch of Rough Fish from Caddo Lake, Job Completion Report, Project F-3-R-2, Job B-3

imam imam PROJECT no. F~3~Rw2, Job B~3 PERIOD Nov. 1, 1953- Oct. 31, 195A Job Completion Report by Charles E. Gray % -ls Assistant Project Leader TETEE Check on Commercial Catch of Rough Fish from Caddo Lake. OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of commercial fishing on the control or rough and predacious species and the value of the local commercial fishery as well as the relative abundance and seasonal variation by species in the commercial catch. METHODS Commercial fishermen were contacted once each month and were provided with forms on which to record their catch. SCUSSION Due to the itineracy of some of the commercial fishermen, complete data were dif— ficult to obtain. However, one of the public camp operators, who buys and sells fish, states that he buys most of the rommercial fish caught in Caddo Lake. This man has been on the lake for a number of years and is in frequent contact with the commercial fish— erman. He has been very cOOperative in keeping accurate records of fish he has borsht. His information, supplemented by information obtrined from the more cOOperative iisherm men, should be a fairly accurate estimate of the total commercial catch. Those fish which have no commercial value in this area were killed on the spot and returned to the lake so no record was kept. Table #1 shows the commercial catch by species for the lemmonth period. Attempts have been made to obtain data on numbers of fish as well as weight, but commercial fish“ erman are reluctant to do this, especially when large numbers of smaller fish are taken. SUMMARY Complete records were difficult to obtain from commercial fishermen because some are itinerant and could not be depended upon to keep records or could not be located again after being provided with data forms. One commercial fishermen who buys whole" sale fish from other fishermen kept accurate records which were supplemented by data from other commercial fishermen. The figures in this report are no doubt below the actual value, but it is believed that they are as accurate as could be obtained under -sting circumstances. i A total of 19,782 pounds of rough fish were taken which have a market value of $6,533.03 at the present price. Buffalo were the most abundant by weight, making up Ll.7% of the total catch. Since commercia‘ fishermen return inedible species such as gar and shad to the lake as they are taken_from one nets, they were reluctant to keep records on those species. Therefore, lo was impose ole to obtain an accurate estimate of the value of commercial fishing on rough and predaciou. species. -mwenmmm. . . scenes acme . . a i = w . . .. . . _ 3 . wa.o. _wesamso ;. . . _ mo.o _ emm.o mmms.o aesssmmcm . . _ _. mw:.o :mem.o anc omamea WHdemma owmnnoH omawemw mammwamaes mass iiflflfiic E stEE Era... * Emwmwd Ho monomm TABLE # 2. Market Value of Fish Caught by Commercial Fishermen, Caddo Lake, November 1, 1953 through Oct. 31, 1951L AVERAGE RETAIL MARKET ' PRICE PER POUND NOT DRESSED TOTAL CATCH (POUNDS) PADDLE FISH BUFFALO . BULLHEAD CATFISH BLUE CATFISH FLATHEAD CATFISH CHANNEL CATFISH FRESHWATER DRUM L TOTALS ' OF ALL ‘ pmmgHo wwmfi wnwamHo wsHHrmmm omd wHQo omd wwmawemm nod oncobow omd