Biomass Class

[thedude1534]

Didn't see a set in stone description for this anywhere on the PFBC site, but what does this entail? I would assume a biomass class of A would be better than that of B or C, but you know the saying, when you assume........

 

[albatross]

Dude,

The class A definitions vary by species of trout see Changes to List of Class A Wild Trout Waters

I don't recall seeing definitions for class B and C, but as you suggested the biomass of fish should be less.

 

[shipnfish2006]

I dont know the definition of a class B or C, but you can get an idea of what makes up an A vs. a B vs. a C by looking at the wilderness trout streams list.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/wild98.htm

The better the biomass the more trout are in the stream per acre. I don't always like to go by what they list as A, B, or C, though. I've come up with my own scale based upon what I see when I'm fishing and I've found several streams that I dont even see on the natural reproduction list that should easily be a Class A compared to some of the ones on that list.

 

[JackM]

Within the PFBC Management Plan (http://www.fish.state.pa.us/trman98.htm) it appears one might find the classifications defined thus:


Class A
1. Wild brook trout fisheries
a. Total brook trout biomass of at least 30 kg/ha (26.7 lbs/acre)
b. Total biomass of brook trout less than 15 cm (5.9 in.) total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha
c. Brook trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of total trout biomass

2. Wild brown trout fisheries a. Total brown trout biomass of at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre)
b. Total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 in.) total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha
c. Total brown trout biomass must comprise at least 75% of total trout biomass

3. Mixed wild brook/brown fisheries a. Combined brook and brown fisheries trout biomass of at least 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre)
b. Brook trout biomass must comprise less than 75% of total trout biomass
c. Brown trout biomass must comprise less than 75% of total trout biomass
d. Total biomass of brook trout less than 15 cm (5.9 in.) total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha
e. Total biomass of brown trout less than 15 cm (5.9 in.) total length of at least 0.1 kg/ha

4. Wild rainbow trout a. Total biomass of rainbow trout less than 15 cm (5.9 in.) total length of at least 2.0 kg/ha


Class B
a. Total brook trout biomass of at least 20 kg/ha (17.8 lbs/acre) and less than 30 kg/ha (26.7 lbs/ acre).
b. Total brown trout or brown and brook trout combined biomass of at least 20 kg/ha (17.8 lbs/ acre) and less than 40 kg/ha (35.6 lbs/acre).

Class C
Total Trout biomass of at least 10 kg/ha (8.9 lbs/ acre) and less than 20 kg/ha (17.8 lbs/acre).

Class D
Total trout biomass less than 10 kg/ha (8.9 lbs/ acre).

 

[shipnfish2006]

Kind of a follow up after looking at the wildnerness list myself it looks like anything under the numbers in albatross provided link to 20lb/acre is class B, anything between 20 and 10lb/acre is class C, and anything under 10lb/acre is class D.

I'm sure if you wanted a clearer definition you could contact a fisheries biologist for a detailed explanation. Haha, looks like Jack figured it out 45 seconds before i did.