Ikble 8--Rumiiiary of state- controlled area catch and effort data and 



estimated total catch as determined by ratio estimate, 



Connecticut River shad sport fishery, 19'*l-56. 



1/ Creel census results included for comparison 



From the above discussion it appears 

 that sport catch as determined by ratio 

 estimate can be considered a fair approxi- 

 mation of the actual catch. However, in 

 the future if additional areas are fished, 

 fishing methods change, or physical 

 changes occur in the river, another census 

 will be required to determine if this ratio 

 is still valid. 



SUMMARY 



In 1957 and 1958, creel census sur- 

 veys were conducted by the Bureau of 

 Commercial Fisheries on the Connecticut 

 River shad sport fishery as a part of a 

 continuing study on this fish population. 



Sport fishing for this species is lo- 

 calized in eight areas from the mouth of 



the Farmington River near Windsor, Conn, 

 to the South Hadley Bridge, Holyoke, Mass., 

 a distance of approximately 30 miles. 

 Fish are taken from boats, bridges, and 

 river banks with artificial lures. 



The methods employed to census the 

 fishery were observation and direct con- 

 tact of bank and bridge fishermen and a 

 voluntary reporting card system for the 

 boat fishermen. During the 1957 survey, 

 a 6 -day week sampling schedule was used, 

 and during the 1958 survey a 5-day week 

 schedule was adopted. 



It was estimated that 34,310 shad were 

 caught and kept in 19,901 fisherman-days 

 during the 1957 season, and in 1958 an 

 estimated 38,570 fish were caught and 

 kept in 22,706 fisherman -days. The aver- 

 age catch per fisherman-day was identical 



11 



