A Management Strategy for Oneida Lake and its ... - CNY RPDB Home

The Atlantic Salmon Fish Creek Club, Inc.
(ASFCC), a non-profit organization that was
formed for the enhancement and protection of
salmonides species native to New York State,
participates in many activities such as stocking
Atlantic salmon fry in tributaries, electroshocking
streams to determine population, and
taking measurements to document stream
ecology. Native Atlantic salmon populations
in the Oneida Lake watershed were likely
eliminated due to the construction of dams
and the introduction of alewives in the Lake
Ontario system. Additional information about
the ASFCC can be found on their website
http://www.dreamscape.com/flyman, or by
calling toll-free (888) 531-5080.
(Source: www.metsa.fi/hiking/boating/fishing.htm)
species to waters they formerly occupied. Fish
distribution in the Oneida Lake watershed
(number and species) is available on the
Internet at www.dec.state.ny.us/website/
dfwmr/ fish/foe4clst.html.
The Oneida Fish Cultural Station located on
Scriba Creek in the Town of Constantia has a
goal of stocking 150 million newly hatched
walleye fry each year in Oneida Lake. This
number is sometimes exceeded depending on
the success of the egg take. For example,
2001 was a successful year and 160 million
fry were released. Almost 200,000 summer
fingerlings were also stocked in 2001 and
100,000 walleye that over wintered in the
hatchery were stocked in 2002.
The Cornell Biological Field Station has a
long history of research on the fish and fishery
of Oneida Lake. There are over 200 publications
in the scientific literature associated with
this lake since the 1950s. The table found on
the previous page provides a summary of the
current projects at the Cornell Biological Field
Station.
Studies by Cornell University and the NYS
DEC led to criteria established in 1978 that
have been the basis for the management of
Oneida Lake’s walleye fishery. The goal of
walleye management in Oneida Lake is to
optimize recreational fishing opportunities for
both walleye and yellow perch by maintaining
the walleye population at levels that have
proven to produce acceptable perch recruitment
in the past. Too low of a walleye
population is detrimental to the fishery and
can lead to overabundance of slow growing
yellow perch. Conversely, too many walleyes
may restrict perch recruitment. Bag limits and
length limits for other Oneida Lake fish
species follow the statewide regulations. The
statewide regulation for walleye is five fish of
15 inches or larger per day per angler.
Chapter 3: Priority Areas page 67