What is DNR doing to determine if tournaments are bad for bass populations?
Tournaments are not necessarily destructive to fish populations. If fish are handled properly, then tournament anglers can have less impact on bass populations than other types of fishing and watershed-level changes (e.g., newly paved roads). Maryland DNR has been collecting data on tidal bass populations and tournament activities for many years. As we continue to monitor populations, we are particularly interested in: 1) does size structure change; and 2) does mortality from age class to age class change? Size structure could change if larger fish that are caught during tournaments, die. After a few years of this, the population might consist of many small individuals. We have not yet seen a significant change in the size structure of largemouth bass populations in the Potomac River or upper Chesapeake Bay since 1999. However, we will continue to monitor size structure in future. During the early 1980s, tidal bass populations in the Potomac River were associated with relatively high m
