Contact: Bob Ratliff
The channel catfish is a principal Mississippi game fish, the subject of many a campfire tale and a Southern cultural icon.
Still, what do we really know about this whiskered river resident? Before too long, a whole lot more.
A new project in Mississippi State University's Forest and Wildlife Research Center is seeking to gain a better understanding of how channel cats relate to stream environments and what features influence these natural resources.
"Channel catfish are well known to river anglers for their fighting ability, edibility and potential for reaching respectable size," said project investigator Don Jackson, a nationally recognized fisheries biologist. "There is, however, little information about how their populations may relate to the specific environmental conditions in rivers and streams."
Jackson said the project, sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, will help determine, among other things, how fast channel catfish grow in streams throughout the state and at what age and length they reach maturity.
"Specifically, we're looking at the relative abundance of catfish in our rivers and how fast they grow and mature in every physiographic region of the state," Jackson said.
"Since rivers in each region likely have different environmental characteristics, we need to determine how these factors influence the age and length at which catfish mature," he added.
Jackson said the new information would enable the development of management programs to help sustain the native fish populations.
With the exception of flathead catfish, there currently are no limits on the size or number of catfish an individual can catch and keep from Mississippi rivers and streams. While some can handle the lack of restrictions, other bodies of water may need different approaches to avoid depleting river catfish populations.
Using geographic information systems and other high-technology tools, Jackson and other researchers are collecting data on the environmental features of a dozen Mississippi rivers. Over three to five years, the MSU and MDWFP personnel also will capture and examine individual channel cats from each of the 12 selected rivers.
One goal in this part of the project is to determine whether or not fish being caught through different fishing techniques have reached maturity. Additionally, the biologists will look at fishing gear, including:
--Recently legalized slat boxes used by commercial fishermen that allow fish to enter but not escape, and
--Recreational use of trotlines and how hook size can influence catfish catches.
"Once this research project is complete," Jackson said, "we will have a better understanding of channel catfish in our rivers and can determine the best management approach for each river.
"The ultimate goal is to ensure that this important element of our Southern culture continues to support Mississippi river and stream fisheries."
For additional information, contact Dr. Jackson at (662) 325-7493 or djackson@cfr.msstate.edu.