Anglers worried about crayfish harvest at Tahoe
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The trout-fishing community has their way of doing things and we have ours. But science is on our side, and myths on theirs,” Jackson said.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Anglers are expressing concern over expanded crayfish harvesting at Lake Tahoe, saying it will adversely affect fishing.
Gene St. Denis, operator of Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters, said mackinaw and other trout species rely on crayfish as a major food source, and regulators' approval of four more crayfish permits will put a dent in crayfish numbers.
He said 50 to 70 percent of the fish he catches have crayfish in their stomachs.
"They're a significant food source for the freshwater fish of Tahoe," he said. "Saying the crawdads aren't a primary food source for the fish isn't good science."
Other anglers say they're worried about snagging submerged crayfish traps or about currents that would shift the traps to deeper water and make them unrecoverable.
Tahoe Lobster Co. owner Fred Jackson told the Tahoe Daily Tribune ( http://bit.ly/W11yVW) that there are countless crayfish in Tahoe and the harvesting will not hurt trout.
http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20130112/ARCHIVES01/130119956/
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