A Comparison Between South Dakota and North American Standard Sampling Gears in Lakes and Reservoirs

Developing a standardized sampling program was outlined as a strategic goal for South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP).  Funding was secured to perform a statewide gear comparison of current SDGFP sampling gears (i.e., experimental gill nets and modified fyke nets) with their North American Standard (Standard) equivalents to investigate the feasibility of adopting Standard gears for use in annual fish population surveys.  During 2013 and 2014 paired gear comparisons were performed in 30 lakes and reservoirs statewide.  Data collection required close cooperation between SDGFP biologists in all four fisheries management regions and South Dakota State University researchers and resulted in a clear understanding of biases between current SDGFP and Standard sampling gears.  Gear comparisons demonstrated the reliability of Standard gears for indexing catch per unit effort, size structure, and assemblage structure of freshwater fish populations in South Dakota and provided the necessary information to allow for a potential statewide transition to Standard sampling gears.  Our experience should provide a useful roadmap for other agencies facing similar gear standardization problems and highlights the importance of strategic planning and cooperation within resource management agencies in partnership with university researchers.