Bass Fishing Dec 2020 - Jan 2021 | Page 27

PHOTO BY MATT PACE
Based on a detailed review of the current science on climate change , the following is a list of ways that bass fishing will be impacted by climate change in the coming generations .
Altered fish assemblages As many studies have shown , average annual temperatures have been increasing consistently over the last 50 years across much of North America . Concurrently , average ice cover and snowpack data have also trended down across much of that time . This warming alters – and will continue to alter – the fish communities throughout the country . Areas that were once predominantly cold-water fisheries ( trout / cisco / burbot ), like the Northeast and vast swaths of the West , are expected to transition to coolwater fisheries ( think smallmouth / walleye / pike ). These are ecosystem-level changes , affecting not just game fish but also baitfish , aquatic invertebrates and vegetation . Since bass are both cool- and warm-water species , though , these changes are likely to offer minimal improvements in the state of bass fishing overall .
Range expansion
A recent comprehensive study of Ontario by biologists considered 120 possible climate change scenarios and led them to estimate a 300- percent increase in smallmouth bass occurrence rates across Ontario by 2070 – a great thing for Canadian bass anglers . On the other hand , similar expansions are predicted for the Asian carp , which have already altered much of the Tennessee River and its famed impoundments . For cold-water species like trout and salmon , the future may not look so rosy . Many climate models predict upticks in average stream and river temperatures , which will push them out of areas they were historically found . For bass anglers , this is positive news , as expanding range means more places to catch bass .
Increased season length The effects of climate change reach past the direct impacts on fish and fisheries . In the North , reductions in duration of ice cover will increase the length of fishing seasons and corresponding changes in management . In 2015 , the state of Michigan removed its closed season for bass , which had traditionally been April 15 in the lower portion of the state and May 15 in the Upper Peninsula – and instead opened a catchand-release-only season for bass year-round . Look for more regulatory organizations to adopt longer fishing
While hydrilla can be a boon for bass anglers , proliferation can cause serious problem for power generation and recreational boaters . seasons in coming years as regulators adapt to shorter and warmer winters .
Public access issues
One of the biggest unknowns about climate change is the observed increase in extreme weather events . Fires , floods , droughts and even blizzards have increased and will continue to increase in frequency in the coming years . These extreme events are costly and impact angler access and success rates . Record floods can negatively impact fisheries for years , as can periods of extreme low water .
A recent survey found that over one half of the marina owners on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes have had to conduct dredging operations since they purchased their facility . Out West , water has always been a commodity , but as drinking and irrigation water becomes more and more valuable , there have been increasing legislative and regulatory efforts that directly affect public fishing opportunities . One example : recent federal legislation approving increased water withdrawals from the famed Sacramento / San Joaquin Delta , which would most likely negatively impact its spectacular bass fishery .
Anglers will need to remain vigilant and organized to ensure public access remains a priority for elected officials .
If you had to use one word to describe how climate change is likely to impact bass fishing , the word “ complicated ” would probably be most accurate . Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are extremely versatile , effective predators , and they do well in both cool- and warm-water fisheries . By many direct measures , climate change impacts should lead to more and expanded fishing opportunities for bass . However , increasingly volatile weather and resulting regulatory changes may threaten access , as well as create areas of localized negative impact on populations and recruitment .

BIG MONEY ’ S AT STAKE

It ’ s easy to look at a topic like climate change as a problem only in far-away places , or to see it only as a meteorological or biological problem . However , it ’ s going to be a huge financial problem as well .
Take the concept of species assemblage changes . The Southern Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina are considered the natural southern limit of trout habitat in the eastern United States . Increasing average water temperatures are predicted to impact 82 percent of the 148 streams in North Carolina that are home to brook trout . As of 2017 , the trout fishery contributed an economic impact of $ 383 million and over 3,000 jobs to the mountain region of the Tarheel State .
In another example , lodges in northern Ontario were found to have a decrease in revenue of 8.5 percent when smallmouth bass were introduced into their lakes . The recreational fishing industry contributes $ 2.5 billion to Ontario ’ s economy , so even a small reduction in revenue becomes a significant sum of money .
It ’ s not all bad news , though . Other reports have estimated that additional open-water fishing days , along with regulatory changes , will create thousands more jobs and millions in additional revenue .
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