May 2005 Lake Ontario Fishing Boat Census Results

Preliminary summary of fishing boat trips and fish harvested, and harvest rates per boat trip for trout and salmon among boats seeking these species, for the month of May, from the 1985-2005 DEC Lake Ontario fishing boat censuses.

	10-yr. avg.	5-yr. avg.			Yearly	Estimates
	1985-94	1995-99	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Fishing Boat Trips:	27,922	14,245	9,834	11,450	10,073	7,244	9,279	13,581

No. of Fish Harvested:
Coho Salmon	2,685	1,680	1,831	652	634	1,002	493	1,820
Chinook Salmon	11,794	1,353	1,354	4,281	2,630	3,629	8,471	14,209
Rainbow Trout	8,189	3,965	2,473	3,776	685	1,202	3,986	1,320
Atlantic Salmon	276	42	0	47	56	0	0	0
Brown Trout	14,820	8,437	10,075	11,384	7,025	5,098	4,382	9,655
Lake Trout	11,354	2,660	1,462	1,144	1,093	389	473	264
Total Trout & Salmon	49,120	18,136	17,195	21,283	12,124	11,319	17,806	27,268

Smallmouth Bass	118	5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Yellow Perch	1,545	509	0	1,386	0	378	29	1,588
Walleye	19	347	42	15	48	64	0	106

Coho Salmon	0.099	0.133	0.198	0.060	0.066	0.144	0.056	0.141
Chinook Salmon	0.430	0.099	0.146	0.396	0.275	0.523	0.959	1.098
Rainbow Trout	0.327	0.292	0.267	0.349	0.072	0.173	0.453	0.101
Atlantic Salmon	0.010	0.003	0.000	0.004	0.006	0.000	0.000	0.000
Brown Trout	0.540	0.624	1.085	1.053	0.736	0.707	0.488	0.746
Lake Trout	0.404	0.204	0.158	0.106	0.114	0.056	0.054	0.020
Total Trout & Salmon	1.810	1.354	1.853	1.968	1.270	1.603	2.010	2.105

Despite cooler than average weather throughout most of the month, fishing effort increased dramatically in May 2005. An estimated 13,581 fishing boat trips occurred within the area censused. This represented a 234.9% increase compared to April 2005, was the highest May effort estimate since 1998, and was a 41.8% increase compared to the 2000-2004 May effort average (previous 5 years). Boats targeting trout and salmon accounted for 12,945 fishing boat trips in May 2005, 95.3% of the total May effort, and 42.6% above the 2000-2004 May average for boats targeting trout and salmon.

The number of trout and salmon harvested in May 2005 also increased dramatically, with an estimate of 27,268 fish. This was a 279.3% increase compared to the April 2005 harvest, the largest May salmonine harvest since 1994, and a 71.0% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average May harvest. Chinook salmon and brown trout were the most commonly harvested species, comprising 52.1% and 35.4% respectively of the May 2005 salmonine harvest.

Fishing quality for trout and salmon in May 2005, as measured by the total harvest rate, was excellent. The total trout and salmon harvest rate among boats seeking trout and salmon was over 2.1 fish per boat trip, the third highest May harvest rate among the 21 years censused, and a 20.9% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average May harvest rate. Comparisons by species show that May 2005 harvest rates were above their respective 2000-2004 May averages for Chinook salmon (+138.7%, and the second consecutive year with a record high May Chinook salmon harvest rate), and coho salmon (+34.0%), and below their respective 2000-2004 averages for brown trout (down just 8.3%), rainbow trout (-61.7%), lake trout (-79.1%), and Atlantic salmon (none observed in May 2005).

Preliminary summary of fishing boat trips and fish harvested, and harvest rates per boat trip for trout and salmon among boats seeking these species, for the months of April - May, from the 1985-2005 DEC Lake Ontario fishing boat censuses.

	10-yr. avg.	5-yr. avg.			Yearly	Estimates
	1985-94	1995-99	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Fishing Boat Trips:	50,608	20,792	16,407	16,150	15,987	10,346	13,032	17,636

No. of Fish Harvested:
Coho Salmon	7,910	3,964	2,497	1,411	1,020	1,421	675	2,659
Chinook Salmon	15,586	1,456	1,654	4,409	3,033	4,853	8,647	14,289
Rainbow Trout	10,798	4,630	2,869	4,350	970	1,694	4,188	1,580
Atlantic Salmon	461	77	24	71	56	18	19	15
Brown Trout	34,394	16,449	14,274	15,479	10,899	11,164	6,955	15,650
Lake Trout	17,225	4,462	2,333	2,170	2,547	882	609	264
Total Trout & Salmon	86,383	31,038	23,652	27,889	18,526	20,031	21,094	34,457

Smallmouth Bass	120	11	0	0	0	0	0	34
Yellow Perch	1,554	513	0	1,554	0	378	29	1,588
Walleye	19	347	42	15	48	64	0	106

Coho Salmon	0.155	0.208	0.159	0.092	0.067	0.141	0.054	0.158
Chinook Salmon	0.311	0.070	0.106	0.288	0.199	0.483	0.691	0.849
Rainbow Trout	0.240	0.228	0.183	0.284	0.064	0.169	0.335	0.093
Atlantic Salmon	0.010	0.004	0.002	0.005	0.004	0.002	0.002	0.001
Brown Trout	0.701	0.829	0.910	1.012	0.714	1.092	0.550	0.930
Lake Trout	0.320	0.235	0.149	0.142	0.167	0.088	0.049	0.016
Total Trout & Salmon	1.738	1.575	1.509	1.824	1.214	1.975	1.681	2.046

Fishing effort for the months of April and May 2005 was estimated at 17,636 fishing boat trips. This was the highest April-May (2-month) effort estimate since 1998, a 35.3% increase compared to April-May 2004,, and a 22.6% increase compared to the 2000-2004 April-May effort average (previous 5 years). Boats targeting trout and salmon accounted for 16,832 boat trips, 95.4% of the total 2005 April-May fishing effort, and a 22.4% increase compared to the 2000-2004 April-May average for trout and salmon fishermen.

Changes in fishing effort (both increases and decreases) have been in large part responsible for changes in numbers of fish harvested. The total number of trout and salmon harvested in April-May 2005 was estimated at 34,457 fish, the highest April-May total since 1998, and 54.9% higher than the 2000-2004 average April-May salmonine harvest. Brown trout and Chinook salmon were the most commonly harvested species, comprising 45.4% and 41.5% respectively of the total 2005 April-May salmonine harvest.

Trout and salmon harvest rates were generally very good in April and May 2005, contributing to the increase in numbers of fish harvested, and possibly to the increase in fishing effort. The total trout and salmon harvest rate among boats targeting trout and salmon in April-May 2005 was nearly 2.05 fish per boat trip. This was the third highest April-May salmonine harvest rate among the 21 years censused, and a 24.7% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average April-May harvest rate. Comparisons by species show that 2005 harvest rates were above their respective 2000-2004 April-May averages for Chinook salmon (+140.3%, and the second consecutive year with a record high April-May Chinook salmon harvest rate), coho salmon (+53.6%), and brown trout (up just 8.6%), and below their respective 2000-2004 averages for rainbow trout (-55.2%), Atlantic salmon (-66.1%), and lake trout (-86.8%, and the third consecutive year with a record low April-May lake trout harvest rate).