This is consistent with what I said long before the reg study or the angler use and harvest study…name the streams where this harvest problem is occurring and that is reflected in the existing population size structure and you know or even strongly suspect that it is because of harvest and not variable year class strengths.
The streams I would name are ALL stocked.
I don't think there's an overharvest problem in general on unstocked brook trout streams. Not saying nowhere, ever. But by and large, no. The brook trout enhancement regs were all put in place on unstocked streams.
People: Harvest is hurting some wild trout streams. Can we protect the wild trout better?
PFBC: Ok, lets set the bar real high on what we consider a viable wild trout fishery, and we'll conduct a test on the really good ones and see if C&R helps them.
People: That's great, but those streams are doing just fine, they aren't the streams we're talking about.
PFBC: Which streams are you talking about?
People: The ones that have wild trout and are stocked and thus see significant harvest.
PFBC: But you said wild trout streams. Those aren't wild trout streams.
People: Do they have wild trout?
PFBC: Well, yeah..... But... There's not that many wild trout, and the ones that are there aren't over 7 inches.
People: So.... We say we think these streams are impacted by harvest. You say they can't be, because we sampled it and there are wild fish present, but not very many of harvest size? Ummmm. And for good measure, you hand pick different streams where there was never a harvest problem to begin with, throw some C&R regs on it, and find that there isn't a harvest problem. And use it to tell us, see, C&R regs don't work, we have data!
PFBC: What would you have us do?
People: Stop stocking it. Reduce the limit from 5 to 2. Make all wild trout C&R. These are just a few ideas we think would help these streams. Try something!!!
PFBC: We just tried something on streams that are not impacted by overharvest. C&R didn't work, weren't you listening?
People: We're talking about the ones that are stocked, where overharvest is a problem.
PFBC: But, those aren't wild trout streams...
I swear, it's like talking to my ex.