Survey of Sport Fish Use on the Copper River Delta, Alaska

摘要

Aerial counts, in-person interviews, and mail-in questionnaires were used to survey sport fish use during the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch Walbaum) season on the Copper River Delta, Alaska from 2002 through 2006. Angler counts provided an index of use on individual streams and were used to develop a spatial database exhibiting patterns of use. In-person interviews and mail-in questionnaires were used to determine the effort, catch, and harvest of coho salmon by both local residents of Cordova and nonresident anglers. The estimated annual effort for nonresidents ranged from 5,230 to 5,663 angler-days from 2004 through 2006. The highest use occurred in 2005, and it appears that use has risen since 2002, but has remained relatively constant since 2004. Total annual effort for Cordova residents sport fishing on the West Copper River Delta ranged from 2,372 to 4,720 anglerdays from 2004 through 2006, and steadily declined over the 3 years. Sport fish use was concentrated on three stream systems of the West Copper River Delta: Eyak River, Ibeck Creek, and Alaganik Slough. Other streams had little to no use. Anglers were generally not found to use areas of streams with key spawning habitats.