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State Inspects Fish Stocks at Alford Lake

August 15, 2007 - Augusta -- Meteorologists will tell you that it's at this time of year that we experience the highest average annual temperatures.

Last week was a pretty good example of those temperatures, with a pretty good dose of humidity added to the mix. Despite the cross breezes from two fans, this office got fairly toasty by midafternoon on most days. Luckily, our open water and work plan calls for an opportune escape from the heat.

Fisheries biologists base management plans for water by collecting data on that water. Of the many methods of data collection available to us, one is the use of scuba.

SCUBA, also known as self-contained underwater breathing apparatus and snorkeling have wide applications in aquatic biology. For one, a diver or snorkeler is working in the fishes environment. Many species are less wary of the larger, often neoprene clad "fish" lumbering about. Some are drawn by curiosity to investigate the strange animal in their space.

A goal last week was to evaluate the small mouth bass population in Alford Lake in Hope. The work consisted of diving on specific areas of habitat preferred by smallmouth bass to get counts of certain age classes of fish.

After launching the boat at the rather challenging boat launch at the lake, we set up dive transects using GPS. We do this to be consistent in the areas evaluated and to be able to do follow-up dives.

Once making transects was complete, we set up a planar board. This allows a diver to be towed slowly behind a boat while counting fish of predetermined size classes and make habitat observations.

The skills involved require a diver to be able to do a number of things simultaneously - hang onto the board, observe and count fish on both sides, make notes on the habitat, keep an eye out to avoid snags and obstructions, and monitor depth and air consumption.

The boat operator must maintain a slow, safe speed, keep the boat on course and record the diver's observations upon surfacing.

Getting in the water was a definite relief from the heat of the day. All of the transects were completed easily with numerous fish observed. Most are under 7 inches, but we did see some that were 15 inches and over. We will return next year to compare what we count in comparison to this year's work.

Essentially, we were doing a scientifically oriented form of an activity called fish watching. Use of scuba requires training, equipment, and in the case of Alford Lake, experience with a specialized technique.

Fish watching need not require such elaborate equipment as an entire SCUBA setup, and can be as simple as sneakers and a bathing suit. One can observe fish by just wading in a place shallow enough to do so.

Sunglasses with polarized lenses help cut glare off the water. Snorkeling can easily be undertaken by a variety of inquisitive individuals. Remember to be aware of your surroundings and be safety conscious. Remember, this is fun, keep it in your comfort zone.

With the warm temperatures we've been experiencing, fish watching is a wonderful diversion that can both keep you cool while providing some very interesting insights into the world of fish and other aquatic organisms.

This article first appeared in the Camden Herald August 9, 2007, written by Robert Van Riper, a regional fisheries biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

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Regions: Belgrade


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