Wild Trout Stream Surveys

[Joe D]

Wild Trout Stream Surveys Cumberland & Perry Counties Summer 2009 Sampling Technique – Backpack Electrofishing

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is home to approximately 86,000 miles of flowing waters, of which 3,175 streams totaling 21,654 miles have been surveyed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). Currently, 3,411 streams comprising 12,824 miles are designated by the PFBC as wild trout waters; however, many waters with the potential to hold wild trout populations have not been surveyed and subsequent knowledge of the fishery is lacking. As such, Division of Fisheries Management biologists have embarked on a concerted statewide effort to identify previously undocumented wild trout populations. Through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Fisheries Management Division Area 8 biologists in cooperation with the Information Management Section of the PFBC developed a methodology to identify unassessed streams in Pennsylvania. This effort has concentrated on streams most likely to support wild trout populations that are facing the greatest development pressure. Read the whole PA Fish Commission report here.