TP vs. WTS: Difference?

[Greased Line Swinger]

I was checking out a list of nj trout waters published in 2005 and noticed some water classified as "trout production" which are not currently listed in the NJ Freshwater Fishing Digest as WTS. I don't have old Digest's to go back and check if they were listed then as WTS, and I'm wondering if there is a difference between water that is TP vs. WTS or are they the same thing (and some waters' classification has changed since 2005).

 

[Pete]

In NJ, the WTS is a legal designation. TP is more of a scientific description.

A WTS, is subject to special fishing regulations.

A TP stream, was found to hold "young of year" trout, indicating natural reproduction, the last time it was surveyed. They're all almost automatically given a C1 designation, as far as environmental issues are concerned, but most still fall under the general regulations for fishing.

The WTS streams were all TP streams when they were given the extra protection, but most TP streams are not designated WTS.

 

[Greased Line Swinger]

The WTS streams were all TP streams when they were given the extra protection, but most TP streams are not designated WTS.

Thanks, Pete. So what makes a TP stream a WTS? Is it the level of reproduction?

 

[Johnny Utah]

Numbers and a classification from the state.

 

[Pete]

Thanks, Pete. So what makes a TP stream a WTS? Is it the level of reproduction?

The state has to change the fishing regulations to create a WTS.

When the program started, it seemed like a good idea to offer special protection to the best of the TP streams.

In hindsight, many feel that it resulted in these streams getting too much publicity, and being over-fished.

 

[Greased Line Swinger]

The state has to change the fishing regulations to create a WTS.

I understand that part of it.

best of the TP streams.

I think this answers what I was wondering.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

The Division listed the (approx) 36 WTS based on certain criteria, but these WTS are in NO way comprehensive of our TP waters. All WTS are TP, but very few TP streams are "listed" WTS streams. To be a WTS, there needs to be decent public access and the streams need to be able to handle the pressure brought on by the WTS designation.

 

[JeffK]

The determination of Trout production, Trout Maintenance, and Non-Trout waters is detailed in the Cold Water Conservation Plan, which is found at the NJDFGW website. These are biological ratings and tell if trout can breed, can survive throughout the year without breeding, or don't belong. Discussion of WTS regulation is in there too.

The method developed to determine TP uses electro-shocking in late summer when stockies are likely to be gone and a scoring system to determine the classification. You need to find young of the year (YOY) trout , but you also keep track of all fish sampled and a score is given each based on how likely it is to be found in a trout environment. Slimy Sculpins get a 90% I think; carp and largemouth bass get a 0. The total score tells you how a stream is classified. This scientific approach is needed since it TP streams mostly form the basis for C1 streams that will determine building restrictions along a stream. C1 is a stream classification for planning and stands for streams worthy of special protection. The biggest reason for making a stream C1 is that it is TP, although a stream that feeds a drinking water reservior can be C1 too. There have been efforts to make unique warm water environments C1, but that hasn't be as glamorous as trout so they aren't far along. Developers will want to lessen the stream classification to build closer to a stream so the TP method has to be capable of withstanding a challenge in court.