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Nearshore Community Index Netting (NSCIN

1. mart Substrate Composition Description of Fish Cover ites BOTTOM COVER 2 fom 0 295 UM list all substrate types in area 100 m each side of net list all cover types in area 100 m each side of net c Orem 3 moderate QS 7900 mecroptyles m caver MU S BO ots of MA a few BO 1 crib dock OT A ah gt 78 LT siege SET DESCRIPTION recorded at time of set to ensure compliance with NSCIN standards Set Date Set Time Leader Length Dist Off Shore Angle to Shore Start Depth Mid Depth Gap Depth EFFDTO EFFTMO IXLEADUSE XDISTOFF XANGLE GRDEPMIN XGRDEPMID GRDEPMAX 5m PE GERE 1 7 3 5 m 97 08 24 1415 hrs at time of lift Note a knot equals one nautical mile per hour or 1 9 knvhr 1 2 mph recorded Field Crew Lift Date Lift Time Effort Status Air Temp Water Temp Wave Height Eton Sums Cales M EFFDTI IEFFTMI EFFST AIRTEMI SITEMI XWAVEHT 1 no problem vy mmdd 24hh mm codes 3 i codes 1 5 27 mine preemie OK R Amen 97 08 25 1330 hrs 2 18 20 5 C 2 Ac rien Cloud Cover Precipitation Direction Wind is From amp Speed General Weather for Set Duration Duration PER PIANY ICLOUD PRECIP XWEATHER EFFDUR in cighths 616 codes 00 95 fishing hours TANT 06m 28 7 3706 095 G IN 4 9 Mim ETH COMMENTS 50
2. 5 0 PRE FIELD ACTIVITIES Before beginning the field work the following activities should be performed to ensure that the field crew is properly prepared 5 1 Random Site Selection Prior to the random site selection process field crews may want to visit the lake or examine lake contour maps and or aerial photographs to eliminate littoral zone areas that are definitely not suitable for setting trap nets see section 6 1 This technique can save the field crew a considerable amount of time as they will not be traveling long distances to obviously unsuitable locations e g too deep too shallow marine hazard etc Be careful not to eliminate areas that are marginal as the sampling specifications do allow some flexibility and site conditions will often vary depending on seasonal water levels and recreational activity The first step in the site selection process is to partition or divide the shoreline into sampling sites or units Two common methods include dividing the shoreline into equal length segments or delineating sites based on the boundaries of Universal Transverse Mercator UTM grids The shoreline segment method requires some preparation time to measure draw and number the equal length segments on a lake map see Figure 4 On large lakes this task can be quite time consuming The length of the segments must be determined such that there are enough segments to allow for the required number of net sets each segment provides so
3. precipitation wi if ime 10 mist Met adjacent property owners PI and gavethem our Info Sheet 35 at set 63 heavy rin Leader dightly bowed at lift 3 Sf now 75 heavy ur because a few small logs 30 fight min shower 35 hoary rin shower drifted intoit 83 thunder storm lissinianen Codes 1 no precipration dung set 2 lt 4 hours ot precipitation A gt hours of precipitation 4 conetant precipluten Ware Codes calm lt 0 3m V cube for entre nct 2 mostly calm some rough 3 monly rough some col 4 emire 31 was 6 6 Fish Sampling 1 2 3 4 5 6 Designate one person as the data recorder and another person as the fish handler The data recorder initiates the fish sampling process by completing the header on the NSCIN Length Tally Form Record the Waterbody Lift Date Sample and Net Location as they correspond to the information on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form for that set see section 6 7 Have a look in the fish holding tub or holding pen to identify the majority of the species caught Use this information to set up the NSCIN Length Class Tally Form by recording an appropriate species acronym or species number code at the top of each Species column see section 6 7 The fish handler should select a fish from the fish holding tub or holding pen
4. Ammocrypta pellucida 336 greenside darter Etheostoma blennioides 337 rainbow darter Etheostoma caeruleum 338 lowa darter Etheostoma exile 339 fantail darter Etheostoma flabellare 340 least darter Etheostoma microperca 341 johnny darter Etheostoma nigrum 342 logperch Percina caprodes 343 channel darter Percina copelandi 344 blackside darter Percina maculata 345 river darter Percina shumardi 346 tessellated darter Etheostoma olmstedi 347 Stizostedion sp 348 Etheostoma sp 349 Percina sp 350 ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus ATHERINIDAE Silversides 361 brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus GOBIIDAE Gobies 366 round goby Neogobius melanostomus 367 tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus 47 370 380 390 395 400 420 450 500 550 600 650 SCIAENIDAE Drums 371 freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens COTTIDAE Sculpins 381 mottled sculpin Cottus bairdi 382 slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus 383 spoonhead seulpin Cottus ricei 384 deepwater seulpin Myoxocephalus thompsoni 385 Cottus sp 386 Myoxocephalus sp 387 fourhorn seulpin Myoxocephalus quadricornis CYCLOPTERIDAE Lumpfishes 391 lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus PLEURONECTIDAE Righteye Flounders 396 European Flounder P atichthys flesus SALMONIDAE Hybrids SALMONINAE Hybrids COREGONINAE Hybrids ESOCIDAE Hybrids 501 Esox lucius x Esox american
5. Natural Resources Lester N P Dunlop and Willox 1996 Detecting Changes In The Nearshore Fish Community Pages 391 402 in Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Volume 53 Supplement 1 National Research Council of Canada MacKay L 1996 Field Manual Near Shore Community Index Netting Program 1996 Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Muskoka Lakes Fisheries Assessment Unit File Report 1996 5 27p Monroe B 1997 The Role Of Mesh Size In The Size Distribution Of Fish Caught In 5 Foot And 6 Foot Trapnets Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Algonquin Fisheries Assessment Unit Report 12p Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources 1987 Aquatic Habitat Inventory Surveys Manual of Instructions Queens Printers for Ontario 248 p Willox C 1992 Near Shore Community Index Netting On FAU Lakes A Proposal For Standardizing Methodologies Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit Internal Report 1992 10 13p Willox C C M Fruetel and N P Lester 1997 Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN in Ontario Year 5 Update Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Fisheries Assessment Unit Network Report 1997 1 29p Willox C C and N P Lester 1994 Development Of Netting Standards for Ontario Lakes Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Fisheries Assessment Unit Network Report 1994 1 10p 42 Appendix A Master List Of Species Codes And Common Names Of Ontario Fis
6. Trap net inspections repairs and field seasons should be recorded in a trap net gear log to document the net s status and history Since these nets are often stored for long periods of time and or loaned to other users it is very useful and informative to keep track of what happens to each net In this way project leaders are less likely to be surprised with costly repair expenses scheduling conflicts or biased fishing results that can arise from being unaware of a net s status 8 0 DATA MANAGEMENT The information recorded on the NSCIN forms are in a format compatible with the software package FISHNET2 provided by the Ontario Fisheries Information System OFIS Therefore data entry can be done directly from the NSCIN forms A copy of the FISHNET2 NSCIN Project Template a modified Index Adult template and data entry assistance can be obtained from the Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit LSFAU see section 9 0 Project Assistance for their address and telephone number Completed projects should be copied onto computer diskettes and forwarded to the LSFAU for submission in the provincial NSCIN database see section 9 0 The LSFAU will ensure that copies of completed projects are forwarded to OFIS annually for submission in the FISHNET data archive called FISHARC 9 0 PROJECT ASSISTANCE Please contact the LSFAU address below for assistance in any of the following areas Information on borrowing NSCIN standard trap nets C
7. identify the fish species and call out the species name to the data recorder Place that fish on the measuring board such that the snout is snug against the zero end of the board and the fish is laying flat across the graduated ruler see Figure 8 Figure 8 Measuring The Fork Length Snout tight against zero end of measuring board Measure fork length here Keeping the fish snug against the end and flat across the ruler measure the fork length to the nearest 10 millimeter 1 centimeter size class Call out the size class to the data recorder as per the NSCIN Length Class Tally Form categories e g a 312 mm fish would be called a 310 or a 31 depending on the crew s preference for conversing length classes in millimeters or centimeters The data recorder must record that measurement by placing a tally dot in the appropriate size class under the appropriate species column see section 6 7 32 8 If additional fish sampling is required by the project leader e g weights age tissue collections etc then the fish handler proceeds to collect that additional information while the data recorder documents the data separately from the length class tallies e g on scale envelopes 9 When all the required information has been collected release the fish by gently tossing it back into the water on the offshore side of the boat If fish are released on the nearshore side of the boat they may remain around the gap and heart of the
8. 38 4709 129 Gdn 5 312 pun Total Catch CATCN Biosampled recmiston Codes et it COMMENTS ro precipitation 10 gt must Met adjacent property owners dics o and gave them our Info Sheet P 55 hen dade 1 hpc 63 heavy run TI ight 757 heat snow 30 7 ight rain shower 357 heavy ruin shomer 95 thunder storm Dumnon Presimtanon Godes Vt precipitation dunng set 29 lt 4 hours of precipitation 3224 boun of pecptanos 4 constant precysianen Dumnon Wave Codes salm lt 0 1 ext br eine tet duration 2 enlm some eph So rough amp sor culm 4 rough for ewure set duration 26 6 4 Lifting The Net 1 2 3 4 5 6 To lift the spring haul trap net for fish removal approach the lift marker at a 90 angle to the king line and retrieve the lift marker Using the lift line bring the brail lines and king line up and over the bow of the boat and slide the lines back until they are across the boat amidship Turn the outboard motor off note the lift time and status of the net set With a person on each side of the brail lines pull the boat sideways towards the brails Continue to pull the boat toward the zipper by lifting the brails up across the boat and over the other side NOTE Keep the net up high enough to allow fish to slide back towards the zipper
9. Depth XGRDEPMID Record the measured water depth mid way along the length of the leader to the nearest 0 1 meter e g 7 5 m There is no target or acceptable depth specifications for this measurement However crews should avoid setting in areas where the leader drops into a deep hole or runs up over a very shallow shoal even though the start depth and gap depth are within acceptable ranges Gap Depth GRDEPMAX Record the measured water depth at the gap of the trap net to the nearest 0 1 meter e g 2 4 m Ideally the gap should be set in 2 0 to 2 5 meters 6 to 8 ft of water To accommodate more variable sites the gap can be set in 1 7 to 3 5 meters 5 to 1 ft of water An efficient NSCIN trap net set should be in water deep enough to allow the head to be fully expanded but less than twice the height of the head Comments gt This field is used to document any useful descriptions or additional information Crews should provide any information that may help to explain the uniqueness of a site the net set or events that took place while at this netting location e g Met adjacent property owners and gave them our Public Information Sheet 25 Figure 6 Information Recorded At Set On The NSCIN Effort Catch Form SITE DESCRIPTION Project Code xm Waterbody Name Sample Sic Tusc Substate Codes Sabnme Aces WBY NM SAM L grovel pebbhe vand mix SA gt 75 BR bedrock 2 bosl eriebbk co
10. Le x Eq 15 jenes on because a few small logs Vo S Ede rein shower 33 iens rin dier drifted into it 35 thunder storm 3 Rock Bass were COUNTED Duration Precipitation Codes 1 no ducing set ONLY because fork lengths were 2 gt lt 4 houn of praprsnn A gt d outs not obtainabledueto 4 constam precipit damaged caudal fins Derevan Wave Codes culm lt Pmi Vt eaten far entre xe duration 3 SMB released from TN heart 2 radi amp sure roe ph sily rough amp sore cul were NOT included in catch 4 rough for entire set duration 37 6 8 Moving Or Removing The Net 1 2 3 4 5 To remove the spring haul trap net for use at another site lift one wing buoy and its marker line and retrieve the anchor from the lake bottom Remove the anchor from the wing line Cast the wing line back into the water While traveling to the next wing separate the recently retrieved marker buoy from its marker line neatly wrap the marker line around the tines of the anchor and safely place the anchor and buoy out of your way some prefer to hang the anchors on the inside of the gunwale Repeat this step for the other wing Retrieve the king anchor by lifting its marker line and pull the boat towards the net along the king line The king anchor and marker buoy can remain attached if you are simply moving to another site to reset
11. e g trapped in hearts gilled in leader etc should be recorded as a comment only 34 Figure 9 A Completed NSCIN Length Class Tally Form For Small Fish lt 400 mm Waterbody Lake Couchiching Lift Date 97 08 25 Sample 021 SAM Net Location SITE 154 Fork Length Species SMB 316 SPC Species YP 331 SPC Species PKS 313 SPC Spec 14 SPC Fork Length Class mm 35 NSCIN Effort Catch Form The first part of the NSCIN Effort Catch Form is filled out at the time of set on the previous day Therefore the same form is required in the field to complete the lift data and fish catch summary sections The NSCIN Length Class Tally Forms that are completed to record fish data at a specific net set should correspond and be attached to the NSCIN Effort Catch Form for that lift The Fish Catch Summary section of the NSCIN Effort Catch Form should be completed as follows Fish Catch Summary gt These 5 fields summarize the catch by fish species Species SPC Record the appropriate heading to identify the fish species represented in that row This field is relatively short as it is designed to record a fish acronym or number code e g SMB or 316 for smallmouth bass Some crews prefer to use their own series of distinguishable acronyms for recording fish species in the field as fish number codes can be difficult to remember and easily confused If ac
12. fontinalis timagamiensis 084 Oncorhynchus sp 085 Salmo sp 086 Salvelinus sp COREGONINAE Whitefish subfamily 091 lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis 092 longjaw cisco Coregonus alpenae 093 cisco lake herring Coregonus artedi 094 bloater Coregonus hoyi 095 deepwater cisco Coregonus johannae 096 kiyi Coregonus kiyi 097 blackfin cisco Coregonus nigripinnis 098 Nipigon cisco Coregonus nipigon 099 shortnose cisco Coregonus reighardi 100 shortjaw cisco Coregonus zenithicus 101 pygmy whitefish Prosopium coulteri 102 round whitefish Prosopium cylindraceum 103 chub Coregonus sp Cisco species other than C artedi 106 Coregonus sp 107 Prosopium sp THYMALLINAE Grayling subfamily lit Arctic grayling Thymallus arcticus OSMERIDAE Smelts 121 rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax ESOCIDAE Pikes 131 northern pike Esox lucius 132 muskellungc Esox masguinongy 133 grass pickerel Esox americanus vermiculatus 134 Esox sp 135 chain pickerel Esox niger UMBRIDAE Mudminnows 141 central mudminnow Umbra limi HIODONTIDAE Mooneyes 151 goldeye Hiodon alosoides 152 mooneye Hiodon tergisus CATOSTOMIDAE Suckers 161 quillback Carpiodes cyprinus 162 longnose sucker Catostomus catostomus 44 180 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 17 172 173 174 176 177 178 white sucker Catostomus commersoni lake chubsucker Erim
13. is not applicable to this project Site SITE If using the shoreline segment method of shoreline partitioning record the segment number field length equals 4 characters used to identify the specific geographic location of the netting site e g 754 If using the UTM grid method of shoreline partitioning this field can be used to record a sub grid location within the larger UTM grid reference number recorded in the above Grid field e g C 3 If using the UTM grid method without any sub grids then this field may not be applicable Record N A if Site is not applicable to your project NOTE The NSCIN FISHNET2 data template can be modified to accept a 12 character coordinate in a data field called SILOC The Area Grid and Site fields on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form provide enough space to record these coordinates However use of the three FISHNET2 fields AREA GRID and or SITE appears to be the most common method to record NSCIN trap net locations 20 Site Type SITP Record the substrate code and cover code that best describe the lake bottom materials and availability of fish cover for the visible area 100 m 328 ft on each side of the net If water clarity is limited such that you can not see the lake bottom out to the depth of the trap net gap then describe the site based on the limited observations available in the shallow water and or use terrestrial indicators e g emergent vegetation shorel
14. leader bridles brails brail lines lift line and marker toggle ring brail ring and anchor lines are to be attached and a zipper installed at the house end of the crib such that the net is ready to fish Features identified by asterisks are at the net builder s discretion and may be substituted with products that provide equivalent results Float ropes or metal float cans are not recommended as substitutes for plastic floats Steel chain is a common and acceptable substitution for weights along the leader but may increase the total weight of the net NOTE For use in NSCIN Mesh size and colour should match these standards amp net dimensions should be within at least 10 of the standards found on The Standard NSCIN Trap Net Description Form 2 7 Figure 3 Standard Specifications For NSCIN Trap Nets Form 2 THE STANDARD NSCIN TRAP NET DESCRIPTION FORM 2 Diagrams Not Drawn To Scale Measurements are TOP VIEW OF TRAP NET HEAD the same for both the light and heavyweight nets Leader Head Height GRHT attached to head at gap 183 em 6 Number amp Loeation of Brails 1 set at the back of the crib i e at the offshore end of the net SIDE VIEW OF TRAP NET 3 fi 6 in 265 cm 8 fi 8 in 183 6 R Tunnel Opening 25 25 10 x 10 in 345 cm 11 ft 4 in 41 16 in Rope Extensions for attachment to the head 183 cm 6 ft
15. measure the water depth there with a graduated sounding line or depth sounder to determine a suitable placement for the trap net gap Use the offshore distance and water depth measurement to develop a net setting plan which will ensure that the trap net will be set within the acceptable NSCIN sampling specifications and as close to the target specifications as possible see section 6 1 For a new set with the spring haul trap net laying wood to shore across the bow of the boat untie the rope that was used to pack the net bundle during transportation and use this rope to attach the leader anchor to the shore end of the leader If resetting the leader anchor will still be attached from the previous set To reset the trap net does not have to be orientated across the bow but rather it can be reset out over the side of the boat the reverse of how it was retrieved Set the leader anchor as close to shore as possible such that the gap will be located within the target or acceptable depth ranges Set the leader by reversing the boat away from shore while maintaining a course that is as close to perpendicular from shore as possible Guide the leader material out to ensure that it does not get twisted tangled or snagged on the boat In some cases the leader can be tied directly to a tree or stump along the shoreline however this method should only be practiced on Crown Land Once the leader is set check the water depth before setting the win
16. of structure provides cover for fish e g docks rafts boathouses overhanging terrestrial vegetation abandon cribs etc then that specific cover type should be described and recorded In FISHNET2 enter OT in the cover field and use the comments field to describe the other cover types 23 NC no cover If there are no cover types in the area record NC to confirm your observation Set Description gt These 9 fields describe who set the net when and how Field Crew Record the names or initials of the field crew members that set the net e g M Stirling amp D Frazer Set Date EFFDT0 Record numerically the date that the trap net was set in the order year month day i e August 24 1997 would be recorded as 97 08 24 Set Time EFFTMO Record the time that the trap net began fishing to the nearest 4 hour 15 minutes on the 24 hour clock i e 2 15 p m would be recorded as 1415 hrs This time is noted after both wings have been anchored and the net has been checked at the gap to verify that it is indeed properly set see section 6 2 step 15 Leader Length XLEADUSE Record the length of leader that was set in the water to the nearest meter Ideally it is best to use the entire length of leader If absolutely necessary up to 16 meters 52 ft of leader can be piled on shore in situations where there is a significant lack of ideal sites If less than the full 46 meter 150 ft leader was
17. straightened and or tightened by pulling the king marker line and resetting the king anchor A wing can be adjusted by simply dragging the wing anchor to the correct location by pulling on the wing marker buoy The trap net can now be classified as set and fishing Note the set time While at the gap take this opportunity to accurately measure the gap water depth with a graduated hand line Continue by attaching or setting any extra markers i e leader markers and flashing caution light with information message and then measure observe and record the appropriate net set information see section 6 3 6 3 Information To Record At Set Net set information is recorded in the field with an HB pencil on the standard NSCIN Effort Catch Form see Figure 6 For each trap net sampling effort one Effort Catch Form is completed to document The site description the set description the lift data the fish catch summary and comments The first part of this form is filled out at the time of set while the remainder of the form is used on the following day to record the lift and catch data The acronyms in square brackets on all NSCIN forms correspond to the data entry field names in FISHNET2 The set information should be completed on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form as follows Site Description These 11 fields identify which net was set and where Project Code PRJ CD Record the unique project code that has been assigned to your NSCIN project Projec
18. the field crew with copies of both the lake map and sampling schedule for field use where the field crew will ultimately determine the specific netting location 5 2 Fish Sampling Requirements The minimum fish sampling required for the NSCIN program is to record the number of fish caught per species per net and the associated fork length class 10 mm size classes from as many of the fish as possible Ideally all fish should be measured and length classed by species from each net sampled Sometimes exceptionally large catches are encountered that require too much processing time In these cases after randomly length classing a predetermined by the project leader minimum sample size e g 300 fish per species per lift the remainder of the catch for that species would be counted only Therefore the number length class tallied plus the number counted only would be added together to calculate the total catch for that species from that particular net set This information should provide fish abundance and fish size information that can be compared to the NSCIN benchmark values from other NSCIN projects One of the benefits of this program is that after collecting the above fish information other fish attributes can also be sampled It is highly recommended that project leaders also plan to collect some weight age and more precise length data This additional data can provide a clearer picture of the fishery being sampled by providing a h
19. used calculate the length of leader used by subtracting the estimated length of leader piled on shore from the full leader length i e if 6 meters of leader is not used then the leader length would be 46 minus 6 and recorded as 40 m Dist Off Shore XDISTOFF Record the estimated distance between the shore and the start shore end of the leader to the nearest meter Short distances less than meter should be recorded to the nearest 0 1 meter e g 0 5 m Ideally it is best to start the leader at the shoreline To accommodate shallow netting areas the start shore end of the leader can be set up to 20 meters 65 ft off shore provided that it starts in an acceptable depth of water see Start Depth Angle To Shore XANGLE Record the estimated angle between the leader and the shore in degrees e g 90 The objective is to set the leader such that it intersects the bottom contours at right angles To accommodate irregular shorelines deep or windy netting areas the leader can be set up to 20 off perpendicular to shore making the acceptable range 70 to 90 from shore 24 Start Depth GRDEPMIN Record the measured water depth at the start shore end of the leader to the nearest 0 1 meter e g 0 3 m Ideally it is best to start the leader at the shoreline To accommodate steep shorelines small cliff edges and off shore sets the start shore end of the leader can be set in depths up to 1 0 meter 3 3 ft Mid
20. vessel etc Fish Identification It is essential that field crews are able to identify the fish they capture Project leaders should take the time before field work begins to ensure that the field crew can identify the fish species that are likely to be caught A reference identification key may be a useful tool to include in the crew s field gear If a unique species is encountered that is new to the lake or difficult to identify then a reference sample could be collected 6 0 FIELD PROCEDURES These standard procedures must be followed to properly conduct the field portion of the NSCIN program 6 1 Site Selection Use the sampling schedule and lake map prepared in section 5 1 Random Site Selection to determine where and when to set each trap net On reaching the predetermined random site assess whether the location is suitable by observing the area for marine hazards e g high traffic area swim area dock access etc If the site is free from marine hazards then measure the water depth at a distance offshore approximately equal to the length of the trap net leader Use the water depth and offshore distance values to determine whether this random site is a suitable sampling location as per the following NSCIN criteria Table 1 NSCIN Sampling Specifications CRITERIA Trap Net Separation Distance Reuse Of Trap Net Sites Trap Net Set Duration 24 hours Lender Length In Water 46m 150 ft 30 to 46 100 to 15
21. 0 fi ACCEPTABLE 1640 fi TARGET 500m 1640 A 500m no reuse of sites after 2 nights net free Leader To Shore Distance Om 0to20m 0 to 65 ft Leader Angle From Shore 90 pent 70 to 90 degrees Leader Start Depth i 0to0 3m Otol ft 010 1 0 0103 ft Water Depth At Gap 201t02 5m 6 to 8 ft 1 7t03 5m 5 AR Refer to the Set Description portion of section 6 3 Information To Record At Set for detailed description of the last 5 net setting criteria from Table 1 If the site is not suitable then use a predetermined method to select an alternate site An alternate site selection method must not introduce a bias to the selection process and should be easy to execute A common method is to assess the two adjacent sites and if neither of these is acceptable then go to the next closest randomly selected site that is a suitable distance away from any other sets A trap net must not be reset withiu 500 meters 1640 ft of where it or any other trap net was set over the previous 48 hour period i e after 2 nights net free This is to eliminate over fishing an area by providing at least a 2 net night break from sampling the same lake area 6 2 Setting The Net 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Survey the site to ensure that you are aware of all obstacles that may affect the trap net set Estimate 46 meters 150 ft offshore and
22. 75 of the area provides cover for fish 21 Substrate Composition BOTTOM Record a list of all the substrate types identified within the visible area 100 m 328 ft on each side of the net If water clarity is limited such that you can not see the lake bottom out to the depth of the trap net gap then describe the site based on the limited observations available in the shallow water and or use terrestrial indicators e g emergent vegetation shoreline substrate etc Note any limited visibility situations in the comments section of the Effort Catch Form The following substrate descriptions have been taken from the OMNR Manual Of Instructions for Aquatic Habitat Inventory Surveys OMNR 1987 and expanded for quick effective field assessment Use the following FISHNET2 substrate acronyms as found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form to record the substrate composition Substrate Acronyms BR bedrock Exposed bedrock with no overburden i e solid bedrock not individual rocks BO boulder Large rocks estimated to be over 25 cm 10 in in 4 diameter Visualize rocks larger than volleyballs RC rubble cobble Stones estimated to be 8 to 25 cm 3 to 10 in in diameter Visualize stones ranging in size from tennis balls to volley balls GP gravel pebble Smal stones estimated to be 0 2 to 8 cm 1 12 to 3 in in diameter Visualize stones smaller than tennis balls SA sand A grit like material of crystalline rock origin es
23. 9 9 99 9 9 9 99 99 99 99 9 Optional fish sampling equipment knives scale envelopes weigh scales weigh bags etc Personal gear rain suit rubber boots sun block lotion hat sun glasses lunch etc 5 6 Rigging The Trap Net Before selecting any trap net for use in NSCIN it must be checked to ensure that it conforms to NSCIN standards NSCIN Trap Net Description Forms see Forms section should be completed for each trap net and compared to the Standard NSCIN Trap Net Description see section 4 2 Mesh size and colour should be identical to the standard NSCIN trap net Net building is a hand craft that results in slight variations between nets however all net measurements except mesh size should be within at least 10 percent of the NSCIN Standard Trap Net Description Both the leader and head should be labeled with a unique identifier to ensure that the performance of each net can be tracked and its history of use and repairs documented Before using the trap nets in the field the nets must be inspected for any rips or holes in the mesh Minor repairs to the mesh and lashing can be made during the pre field inspection using size 15 treated black nylon twine Spring haul trap nets should come from the supplier complete with wood and metal brails brail lines toggle ring brail ring lift line lift marker king line leader bridle wing bridles and wing lines see Figure 1 section 4 0 If an
24. Continue this procedure until the boat s momentum has pulled the net tight and straight Be careful this surging technique requires sure footing good balance and a strong back boat drivers must always pay close attention to the net setter and be prepared to quickly reduce the amount of reverse thrust When the net is tight and straight continue to slowly reverse while letting the anchor sink to the bottom by carefully letting out the king marker line Ensure that the king anchor does not get flipped upside down while being lowered if you are using one sided anchors When the anchor hits bottom give it a couple of tugs in order to drag it back along the bottom as far as possible before releasing the marker line with the marker buoy attached NOTE If the reverse tugging method does not result in a tight set then the king line may be tightened at the toggle ring brail ring by dragging the anchor towards the net so that the anchor tines will dig in or get caught on something This method is sometimes necessary in lakes with extremely soft or hard bottoms i e the anchor tines fail to dig into the substrate or the substrate in not stable enough to hold the tines Be careful not to lift the toggle ring brail ring too high when untying the king line knot Pull the king line through the toggle ring brail ring until the net is tight and then re tie the king line Be careful not to drag the king anchor too close to the net long king lines ar
25. Four 5x 10 244 cm 1 4x3 96 5 10x 244 cm 14 x3 x 96 In Metal Brail Steel Pipe Steel Pipe 4 5 x 244 cm 1 x 96 in 3 2 x 244 cm 1 4 x 96 in Black Plastic Cylinder Black Plastic Cylinder 482 g 17 oz buoyancy 482 17 buoyancy 23 x 6 cm 9x2 3 8 in 23 x 6 cm 9x2 3 8 in Weight Type irons Icads chains etc Cylindrical Lead Weights Cylindrical Lead Weights approx 250 g 8 8 oz each approx 250 g 8 8 oz each Dry Weight head amp leader combined Construction Specifications To ensure a well built and durable spring haul trap net 1 Double salvage lines of black polypropylene twine must be attached around the entire perimeter of the mesh netting before attachment to the black 0 95 cm 3 8 in polypropylene lines Double salvage lines are to be attached to the black 0 95 cm 3 8 in polypropylene lines with a minimum of 3 hitches per mesh using no less than 15 black treated nylon twine or equivalent Black 0 95 cm 3 8 in polypropylene chafing lines are to be attached aeross the entire bottom of the leader and head The chafing lines are to be attached to the 0 95 cm 3 8 in polypropylene lines that the mesh was attached to in 2 above with a minimum of 3 half hitches at every third mesh using no less than 15 black treated nylon twine or equivalent NOTE The chafing line may be omitted on the leader of the lightweight net at the purchaser s discretion Wing and
26. Manual of Instructions Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN Ontario Manual of Instructions Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN 1999 Mark R Stirling Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit R R 2 Sutton West Ontario LOE IRO 1999 Queen s Printer for Ontario Printed in Ontario Canada 51268 0 2K P R 1999 03 15 ISBN 0 7778 8400 3 Copies of this publication are available from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Fish and Wildlife Branch P O Box 7000 300 Water Street Peterborough ON 9 8M5 Cette publication sp cialis e n est disponsible qu en anglais Table Of Contents 1 0 INTRODUCTION eiie egeret e tpe Ee de 1 2 0 SURVEY DESIGN tot neges oio wend 2 3 0 SAMPLE SIZE nite etes res ce ie oben ea eias 3 4 0 GEAR DESCRIPTION herren 4 4 1 How Fish Are Captured esses eme 5 4 2 The Standard NSCIN Trap sss enean 6 5 0 PRE FIELD ACTIVITIES eee meme 9 5 1 Random Site Selection 5 2 Fish Sampling Requirements 10 5 3 Preparing A Public Information 11 5 4 Preparing The Field Forms 5 5 Equipment List 5 6 Rigging The Trap NAI ITA D 6 0 FIELD PROCEDURES oes 16 6 1 S
27. NSCIN Length Class Tally Form Large Fish gt 399 mm Electronic computer copies of the NSCIN forms are available for re printing purposes see sections 5 4 and 9 0 Photocopied or laser printed versions are often more field worthy than versions made with ink printers Ink printed versions tend to smear and the ink will run if the forms get wet The toner used in photocopiers and laser printers tends to hold up very well to water damage 50
28. SPC Record the appropriate heading to identify the fish species tallied in that column This field is relatively short as it is designed to record a fish acronym or number code e g SMB or 316 for smallmouth bass Some crews prefer to use their own series of distinguishable acronyms for recording fish species in the field as fish number codes can be difficult to remember and easily confused If acronyms are used in the field they must be converted into OMNR fish species numbers at or before the FISHNET2 data entry process See Appendix A for a complete list of OMNR fish species codes Dot Tally Use this space to record a dot tally on the appropriate size class rows Use the box ten method i e four dots in a square then four lines to connect the dots then two lines crossed in the middle of the box to form an X Total SIZCNT Record the sum for each species size class row i e count the dot tally and record the total number of fish measured in each size class for each species Use the bottom row of this column to record the total number of fish of each particular species that were length class tallied i e combine all size classes per species Each species total is copied to the Length Tallied column on the Fish Catch Summary section of the NSCIN Effort Catch Form NOTE Only fish that were captured by passing through the tunnel and into the crib can be considered part of the catch Other improperly caught fish
29. areful when developing a fish sampling regime for additional attributes that your sampling method does not introduce a sampling bias Do not rely on the field crew s ability to select a random sample from the net or fish holding tub A good sampling regime should provide representative samples from the entire size range of fish captured Document your sampling regime to provide clear direction to the field crew Determine where the field crew will record this data e g scale envelopes and how they wili keep track of any sampling quotas e g additional attribute summary forms or tally sheets The appropriate sampling regime i e species to sample age tissue to collect precision of lengths and weights size class quota size class interval for additional fish attribute data depends on the unique concerns the project leader has for each particular lake This manual does not attempt to instruct project leaders about what additional information to collect or how to collect it However considering the expense of conducting any field project it is highly recommend that this opportunity for data collection should not be overlooked 5 3 Preparing A Public Information Sheet If working on a lake with extensive shoreline development it is a good idea to prepare an Information Sheet to give to property owners and other members of the public when encountered near your sampling sites see Figure 5 Public Information Sheets can be left on docks or betw
30. arshore side of the boat Keep the net up over the boat such that the tunnel opening is out of the water to prevent any fish from entering or exiting the crib Some crews prefer to remove all the fish at once and place them in a large mesh holding pen alongside the boat Record the appropriate net lift information see section 6 5 and sample the catch see sections 6 6 and 6 7 After the fish have been removed from the crib of the net pull the remainder of the crib area into the boat to verify that all the fish have been removed Close the zipper and seal it plastic cable ties work well in preparation for the next sampling occasion 27 NOTE If you want to leave this net where it is but you do not want it to continue fishing then the tunnel can be sealed off This technique is valuable when the net must be abandoned due to severely inclement weather To seal off the tunnel simply tie a rope tightly around the tunnel which is accessible through the zipper opening A method that does not require breaking the zipper seal is to wrap a rope around the entire house area and cinch the rope tight 7 When you are ready to remove the trap net from this site return the net to the water by simply sliding the net off over the bow of the boat Begin removing the net immediately as otherwise it will begin to catch fish again see section 6 8 6 5 Information To Record At Lift Net lift information is recorded at the time of lift on the NSCIN Ef
31. aterproof paper for working in inclement weather It is recommended that a small set of weatherproof or waterproof forms be made available to the field crew for the days when such forms would be 12 required A supplier of both weatherproof photocopy paper Rite in the Rain Copier Pak 18 75 US 200 sheets and waterproof photocopy paper Rite in the Rain Dura Copy 52 45 US 100 sheets is the J L Darling Corp 2614 Pacific Highway East Tacoma Washington USA 98424 1017 253 922 5000 5 5 Equipment List The following gear should be checked serviced and organized in preparation for the field activities Standard NSCIN trap nets see section 4 2 Trap net anchors 4 per net 1 king 2 wings and 1 on leader 1 for caution info buoy Marker buoys 5 to 6 per net 1 king 2 wings and 2 to 3 along leader Flashing caution light and information buoy light used to warn boaters during poor visibility Snap hooks optional to attach marker buoys amp or wing anchors Plastic cable ties to seal the trap net zipper Sounding line at least 5 m long with 0 1 m graduations Depth sounder optional simplifies the site selection process Thermometer attach 1 m string if using a hand held model for water temperatures Tele thermometer optional excellent for water temperatures Compass fo measure wind direction Anemometer optional provides accurate wind speeds Dip net recommend a fine knotless mesh to capture small
32. bbke mx BO RC gt 75ti boulder SA 1A97 COU LAKE COUCHI CHING 021 SA gt RC TN Head TN Leader Area ft rid Site d Site Type mA CL gt 78 GP gmeipebie KETADI AREA GRID SITE ISITP 5 bedrock BR 7593 L COVET 6 cer oder combina CL cay MU mock DE decis Sus Toss Cover Codes MA mad Substrate Composition Description of Fish Cover NER BOTTOM COVER Ham list all substrate types in area 100 m each side of net List all cover types in area 100 m each side of net See MM NS 1 made rie 25 7586 MA mo cover 4 high gt 75 LT bop vee SET DESCRIPTION recorded at time of set to ensure compliance with NSCIN standards Set Date Set Time Leader Length Dist Off Shore Angle to Shore Start Depth Mid Depth Gap Depth Sirting EFFOTO EFFTMO XLEADUSF XDISTOFF XANGLE GRDEPMIN XORDEPMID GRDEPMAX ERE yy mm dd 24hh mm 30 46 m 0 20 m Q 90 0 10 m 1 7 3 5 m 0 3m E 2 4m o Note a knot equals onc nautical mile per hour or 1 9 1 2 mph Lift Date Lifi Time Effort Status i Water Temp Wave Height sles Situs Codes EFFOT1 EFFTM1 EFFST SITEMI XWAVEHT 1 0 pation Gymm d 4hhma CO co 2 nr reb itch 37 major problem affected catch Waye Hege Codes 1 lt 03m in 12 03 05 0 20 3206 095 Q
33. cess the fish and reset at least two spring haul trap nets per day At that rate at least 16 random sites could be sampled in 9 consecutive working days or in 2 standard 5 day work weeks Time requirements are directly affected by travel distances i e between sites and or to and from the lake and fish sampling targets i e amount of fish caught plus the amount of fish sampling required On small lakes with low to moderate catch rates crews could likely handle up to 4 spring haul trap nets per day Spring haul trap nets cost about 2 250 to 2 500 each see section 4 2 and should easily last 15 or more years 150 to 167 per year If gear costs are a deterrent to conducting NSCIN trap nets may be available from other users of the NSCIN program The FAU network has some standardized spring haul trap nets available for others interested in conducting NSCIN studies 3 0 SAMPLE SIZE While sample size is affected by costs and other logistical considerations appropriate sample size for assessing fish abundance depends on the purpose of the survey If the purpose is to statistically test a hypothesis then sample size should be chosen so that the test is performed at a reasonable level of power Power is the probability of detecting a difference if it exists If the purpose of the survey is not to test a specific hypothesis but to obtain estimates of fish abundance at a point in time i e a snap shot then sample size should be dictat
34. d as more projects are submitted to the provincial NSCIN database NSCIN may not be suitable for all lake or fish community types The standard trap nets used are size selective Small fish that are less than approximately 90 mm fork length can pass through the mesh and extremely large fish may be excluded by the limiting 25 x 25 cm tunnel entrance Lake size littoral zone slope and the amount of aquatic vegetation are just three factors that may limit the number of acceptable netting sites for the NSCIN standard trap nets Anyone considering this standard netting program should familiarize themselves with this manuals Gear Description section 4 0 and Site Selection sections 5 1 and 6 1 sections to determine if the NSCIN program is suited to the Jake and fish community they wish to study Examination of a lake contour map or an actual visit to the lake may be required to determine whether a particular lake is suitable for assessing with this program 2 0 SURVEY DESIGN A successful index netting program requires stringent standardization of gear and methods in order to reduce sampling variability A study to assess fish abundance usually requires many netting efforts but does not require the collection of fish attribute data Conversely a study to collect fish attributes is usually designed to obtain large catches of fish from a minimal amount of netting effort The objective of this program is to provide both an index of fish abundance and f
35. d that any water running off will drain away from the net Ensure that your storage room is sealed to prevent mice or squirrels from getting to the nets These nuisance animals tend to damage the nets by chewing on the netting materials and will often build nests and over winter in the net bundles 39 If a net has weeds or algae clinging to it the net should be unpacked and cleaned by pressure spraying and or hanging on a drying rack If quickly dried algae will break down and fall off the net If drying outside do not expose the net to the sunlight for a long period of time as the sun will deteriorate the netting materials Do not leave a dirty net tightly bundled The plants and algae will hold moisture in the bundle and cause the net to rot Polypropylene nets are more resistant to rotting than other traditional materials and will last much longer if properly maintained and stored in a building where they are protected from sunlight moisture and nuisance animals The trap nets must be carefully inspected during the off season for rips and tears This inspection should be completed at the beginning of the storage period to provide ample time to conduct or budget for the appropriate repairs Watch for areas where the mesh has separated from the lead line bottom of net as a result of damaged lashing When feasible major repairs should be done by the manufacturer to ensure that the correct techniques and materials are used 7 3 Gear Log
36. d wings that are relatively tight at proper angles and not twisted The sides of the heart and house should be taut The tunnel must be clear of obstructions and suspended in the crib There must not be any holes in the mesh netting that will allow fish to escape from any area of the net The net should be well secured with anchors to prevent wind and wave action from loosening the net and thus reducing its efficiency 4 2 The Standard NSCIN Trap Net Any trap net e g spring haul or down haul used to conduct the NSCIN program should conform to the standard set of specifications These standard mesh sizes colours measurements etc are provided on the following two Standard Trap Net Description Forms see Figures 2 and 3 Mesh size and colour should be identical to the NSCIN standards Net dimensions should be within at least 10 percent of the standards 1f your trap nets do not conform to these standards then your fishing results will not be valid for comparative purposes The spring haul NSCIN trap net can be constructed using either heavyweight or lightweight materials The lightweight net is less bulky and about 18 percent lighter and may be preferred for lakes where access is more difficult e g fly in or portage access lakes or when smaller boats are being used The heavyweight net is likely more durable and is recommended for more severe conditions when strong winds and hard lake bottoms can result in greater net wear The lightwei
37. e to successfully maneuver the boat while setting and lifting trap nets and to navigate between netting sites Such tasks involve operating a vessel often very close to shore and often near its maximum load capacity while coping safely with the effects of inclement weather and high waves While setting the trap net the boat is often reversed with the transom traveling directly into large on shore waves which if large enough can swamp the boat Therefore extreme care good judgment and safe boating practices should be exercised at all times This manual does not include safe boating instructions nor does it attempt to identify the legally required marine safety equipment First Aid As with any field project professional medical services are seldom close by Therefore all staff should receive standard first aid training before beginning their field work Likewise all crews should carry a fully equipped first aid kit Knowledge of Applicable Laws This program involves both fishing and boating activities that require knowledge of a variety of legislation These include but are not limited to the Canadian Fisheries Act Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act Canadian Boating Regulations Trespass To Property Act Field crews should be fully aware of their responsibilities with issues such as Scientific Collectors Permits setting nets that may interfere with boat traffic speed limits on lakes proper safety equipment required aboard a
38. e usually more helpful in poor anchoring situations While traveling to the wing line prepare a wing anchor by unraveling the marker line from the anchor s tines and attach the marker buoy with a secure knot or snap hook Retrieve one of the floating wing lines with the boat orientated so that you can reverse away from the gap wing area at about a 45 angle towards shore and away from the leader 12 13 14 15 i e extend the wing away from the net Pull the wing line and wing mesh to the water s surface to ensure that the wing is not twisted or tangled If the wing is not twisted attach the wing anchor to the wing line using either a clove hitch with a locking half hitch or a large heavy load snap hook Reverse away from the net while lowering the wing anchor by means of the marker line so that the anchor is dragged along bottom until the wing is snug Ensure that the anchor does not get flipped upside down and be careful not to over pull this line as it can sometimes pull the head out of shape and cause a slack leader Repeat steps 10 to 12 for the other wing Carefully approach the net near the gap to verify that the net is properly set Ensure that the leader is not slack or bowed The wings should be tight and at the correct angles such that the gap opening in not restricted The house and crib should form a box that is not collapsed or slack on any side 1f adjustments are required the leader and head can usually be
39. ed by a desired level of precision in estimating the mean catch For instance a fisheries manager may want to know if a lake fits into a good or bad category for a certain fish species compared to other lakes in the province Relative comparisons based on such categories usually require less precision and therefore fewer net sets than most hypothesis testing analyses When the number of samples per lake increases the precision level increases Therefore the appropriate number of samples to collect i e nets to set depends on the purpose for doing the NSCIN program A minimum sample size of 16 sets per lake is recommended for making relative comparisons of fish abundance i e comparing results to provincial benchmark categories More sampling should be considered for relatively large lakes and spatial stratification may also be advantageous to reduce the logistical problems associated with long travel distances between sites Based on within year variability in catch from previous NSCIN projects 16 sets per lake will usually produce on average a 9596 confidence interval whose total width is approximately 100 of the mean Increasing the sample size to 20 sets per lake should produce 95 confidence intervals that are approximately 88 of the mean A minimum sample size of 30 sets per lake is recommended where higher precision is required e g FAUs statistically testing for differences between years or lake characteristics For h
40. een doors of residents that appear to be away for the day These Information Sheets tend to satisfy most people s curiosity and significantly reduce the occurrence of negative reactions which can lead to net tampering or unnecessary complaints In some cases project leaders may want to contact local interest groups e g cottage associations First Nations angler groups etc prior to conducting the field program to inform them about the NSCIN program that will be taking place on the lake A typical Information Sheet or contact letter should identify who is conducting the NSCIN program why for how long and provide a telephone number to contact for more information Be gure to mention that NSCIN is a live release program Figure 5 Example Of A Public Information Sheet TO LAKE COUCHICHING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS The Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit of the Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources monitors the abundance and health of the fish populations of Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching This Summer we will be collecting information on smallmouth bass yellow perch black crappie and other fish species that inhabit the nearshore areas of Lake Couchiching For this purpose live release trap nets will be set during the month of August They extend 60m 75m 150 to 200 feet from the shoreline out into the water These nets will be moved to a new site every day and are clearly marked with a yellow flashing light and numerous orange flag
41. fish Fish holding tub fish packers large coolers or mesh holding pens work weil Pail recommend 10 litre plastic pails for filling amp emptying the fish tub Fish measuring board metric Cotton gloves assists fish handling and protects hands while pulling nets and anchor lines Measuring tape back up for measuring board long enough to measure large fish Net twine 15 treated black nylon twine for minor net repairs Twine shuttle net needle optional simplifies net mending process Spare rope 0 95 cm 3 in polypropylene 3 strand twist Spare batteries for caution lights depth sounder tele thermometer anemometer etc Knife amp or wire cutters to remove the plastic cable ties which seal the trap net zipper Watch Clipboard HB pencils recommend several pencils amp a pencil sharpener NSCIN Manual Of Instructions NSCIN Effort Catch Forms one per net set NSCIN Length Class Tally Forms both small and large fish sizes several per net set Sampling schedule list of randomly selected trap net sites Sampling lake map with trap net site boundaries i e shoreline segments or UTM grids Fish identification reference key optional may assist inexperienced crews List of user designed fish acronyms or OMNR fish species code numbers optional Storage box and plastic bags fo protect forms and other gear from water damage Boat Outboard motor Gasoline Safety equipment as appropriate for the waterbody 13 9 9 9 9 9 9
42. fort Catch Form see Figure 7 The first part of this form is filled out at the time of set on the previous day The same form is therefore required in the field on lift day to complete the lift data and fish catch summary sections The lift data section should be completed as follows Lift Data gt These 11 fields describe who lifted the net when and under what conditions Field Crew Record the names or initials of the field crew members that lifted the net e g M Stirling amp R Allen Lift Date EFFDT1 Record numerically the date that the trap net was lifted in the order year month day i e August 25 1997 would be recorded as 97 08 25 Lift Time EFFTMI Record the time that the trap net was lifted to the nearest 1 4 hour 15 minutes on the 24 hour clock i e 1 30 p m would be recorded as 7330 hrs This time is noted after the net has been lifted and before the fish are processed see section 6 4 step 5 Effort Status EFFST Record the condition of the set as per the codes found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form Effort Status Codes 1 problem i e the net fished properly 2 minor problem likely OK e g small log drifted into the leader 3 major problem affected catch e g the net was tampered with NOTE 1f codes 2 or 3 are used record an explanation in the comments section 28 Air Temp AIRTEM1 Record the air temperature in degrees Celsius as measured with a dry thermometer at
43. ged marker buoys The nets and sampling procedures we use are not harmful to the fish The fish are measured for length and weight aging tissue is collected and all fish are released alive at the site of capture It is very important for your safety and for the integrity of our programs that the nets are not disturbed If these nets cause any inconvenience or you have any questions or concerns about our monitoring programs please call the Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit at 905 722 5512 5 4 Preparing The Field Forms Prior to the first field sampling day crews will need to prepare enough NSCIN Effort Catch Forms and NSCIN Length Class Tally Forms to record their results while in the field see sections 6 3 6 5 and 6 7 One Effort Catch Form and several Length Class Tally Forms will be required for each net set Blank copies of these standard NSCIN forms and tips on photocopying and printing are included at the back of this manual in the Forms section If additional fish sampling is required e g scale samples weights etc then the appropriate paperwork for that task should also be prepared at this time Al paperwork forms manual maps schedule scientific collectors permit information sheets scale envelopes etc should be placed in plastic bags and sealed in a suitable storage container for protection from wind and water damage NSCIN forms can be printed laser printers only or photocopied on weatherproof or w
44. ght trap net is about 10 percent cheaper to build at approximately 2250 while the heavyweight net costs approximately 2500 as of 1996 Two net builders in Ontario that can supply these specific NSCIN trap nets are Niagara Netting Superior Net and Twine Company 1838 Port Robinson Road 2095 B Paquette Road RR 1 Port Robinson Ontario Thunder Bay Ontario L0S 1K0 P7B 5E2 905 384 9807 807 767 4064 Net Builder Mr John Radford Net Builder Mr George Sameluk The specifications in the following Standard Trap Net Description Forms provide the information necessary to build either version Figure 2 Standard Specifications For NSCIN Trap Nets Form 1 THE STANDARD NSCIN TRAP NET DESCRIPTION FORM 1 FEATURES DESCRIPTION Heavyweight Trap Net i Mesh Cotour GRCOL Mesh Material GRMAT knotless Twine Size on leader on top amp bottom of house amp heart on remainder of head Mesh Size MESH stretched knot centers 6 4 cm 2 in 6 4 cm 2 in on leader 6 4 2 V in 6 4 2 in on top amp bottom of house amp heart 4 4 cm 124 in 4 4 cm 15 in on remainder of head Net Preservative not used on polypropylene nets not used on polypropylene nets Line Material rope frame amp brail lines Black Polypropylene Black Polypropylene 3 strand twist rope 3 strand twist rope 0 95 cm 3 8 in in diameter 0 95 cm 3 8 in in diameter Wooden Brail Common Two by Four Common Two by
45. gs to ensure that the gap will indeed be set within the acceptable depth range If the depth is unacceptable retrieve the leader and adjust the leader anchor accordingly If the depth looks good throw the wings out on their appropriate sides of the leader and as far out as possible to avoid any chance of tangling Ensure that the wing lines are floating freely as they must be retrieved later in the net setting process Continue to reverse the boat while letting out the remainder of the trap net head When it is time to let out the brails make sure the brail lines are free from tangles and not looped an extra turn or two around the ends of the brails While holding the four brails lines this is a good time to double check that the zipper is indeed closed and sealed If all looks good i e no tangles zipper sealed ease the brails into the water and grasp the king line If the lake bottom is at all rough and not conducive to allowing the head to slide along the bottom then this is a good place to carefully pull the net tight in a straight line while the head is being pulled up off the lake bottom Carefully use the power of the reversing boat in combination with a few strong arm pulls to achieve a taut set With king line in hand double check that the king line knot at the toggle ring brail ring is secure and throw out the lift marker and line ensuring that it too is not tangled as this marker must be floating for future retrieval If se
46. h may 1998 010 PETROMYZONTIDAE Lampreys 011 American brook lamprey Lampetra appendix 012 northern brook lamprey Jchthyomyzon fossor 013 silver lamprey ichthyomyzon unicuspis 014 sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus 015 Ichthyomyzon sp 016 chestnut lamprey Jcthyomyzon castaneus 020 POLYODONTIDAE Paddlefishes 021 paddlefish Polyodon spathula 030 ACIPENSERIDAE Sturgeons 031 lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens 032 caviar 040 LEPISOSTEIDAE Gars 041 longnose gar Lepisosteus osseus 042 spotted gar Lepisosieus oculatus 043 Lepisosteus sp 050 AMIIDAE Bowfins 051 bowfin Amia calva 060 CLUPEIDAE Herrings 061 alewife Alosa pseudoharengus 062 American shad Alosa sapidissima 063 Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum 064 Alosa sp SALMONIDAE Trouts 070 SALMONINAE Salmon and Trout subfamily 071 pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha 072 chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta 073 coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch 074 sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka 075 chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha 076 rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss 077 Atlantic salmon Salmo salar 078 brown trout Salmo trutta 079 Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus 080 brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis 081 lake trout Salvelinus namaycush 43 090 110 120 140 150 160 082 splake Salvelinus fontinalis x Salvelinus namaycush 083 Aurora trout Salvelinus
47. hudsonius rosyface shiner Notropis rubellus spotfin shiner Cyprinella spiloptera sand shiner Notropis stramineus redfin shiner Lythrurus umbratilis mimic shiner Notropis volucellus pugnose minnow Opsopoeodus emiliae bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus fathead minnow Pimephales promelas blacknose dace Rhinichthys atratulus longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae creck chub Semotilus atromaculatus fallfish Semotilus corporalis pearl dace Margariscus margarita silver shiner Notropis photogenis 45 230 250 260 270 280 290 300 216 central stoneroller Campostoma anomalum 217 striped shiner Luxilus chrysocephalus 218 ghost shiner Notropis buchanani 219 grasscarp Ctenopharyngodon idella 220 rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus 221 Phoxinus sp 222 Hybognathus sp 223 Nocomis sp 224 Notropis sp 225 Pimephales sp 226 Rhinichthys sp 227 Semotilus sp 228 Hybopsis sp 229 Luxilus sp ICTALURIDAE Bullhead Catfishes 231 black bullhead Ameiurus melas 232 yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis 233 brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus 234 channel catfish etalurus punctatus 235 stonecat Noturus flavus 236 tadpole madtom Noturus gyrinus 237 brindied madtom Noturus miurus 238 margined madtom Noturus insignis 239 flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris 241 detalurts sp 242 Noturus sp 243 Ameiurus sp 244 northern madtom Noturus stig
48. igh precision targets increasing the sample size to 30 sets per lake should produce 9596 confidence intervals that are approximately 70 of the mean In addition to the number of sets per lake it is recommended that NSCIN be conducted on each study lake for at least 2 consecutive years Using the mean of two years greatly increases the chances of obtaining a mean catch value that more accurately reflects the actual population abundance rather than a mean catch value influenced by unique weather conditions or some other phenomena that occurred during only one sampling period A detailed discussion of sample size is presented in the FAU Network Report 1997 1 entitled Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN in Ontario Year 5 Update Willox et al 1997 4 0 GEAR DESCRIPTION A trap net is a passive fishing device that entraps fish as a result of their own movement and subsequent reactions to the net The net consists of two main parts a leader and a head The leader constructed of mesh netting is designed to impede the normal movements of fish and subsequently lead fish out to the head The head also constructed of mesh netting is designed to capture fish by funneling them into a box shaped crib The most common type of trap net used to conduct the NSCIN program is spring haul trap net Spring haul refers to the method of setting the net without the use of pulleys down hauling lifting the net by bringing it in over the boat and the
49. ine substrate etc Note any limited visibility situations in the comments section of the Effort Catch Form Use the following Site Type Substrate Codes and Site Type Cover Codes as found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form to categorize the area in which the trap net is fishing Site Type Substrate Codes 1 gravel pebble sand mix At least 75 of the area must be represented by a combination of gravel pebbie and sand mixed together If sand alone makes up more than 75 of the area substrate then use code number 3 sand 2 boulder rubble cobble mix At least 75 of the area must be represented by boulder or rubble cobble or any combination of these two substrate types 3 sand At least 75 of the area must be represented by sand substrate only 4 soft mix At least 75 of the area must be represented by silt or muck or detritus or soft clay or any combination of these four substrate types 5 bedrock At least 75 of the area must be represented by bedrock substrate only 6 other At least 75 of the area must be represented by a substrate type or a combination of substrate types that do not fit into any of the above five categories e g gt 75 marl or 30 bedrock amp 30 sand amp 40 muck Site Type Cover Codes 1 no cover The area does not provide any cover for fish 2 low 1 to 25 of the area provides cover for fish 3 moderate 25 to 75 of the area provides cover for fish 4 high More than
50. ion 3 mostly rough waters with some calm periods during the set duration 4 rough waters wave height gt 0 3 meters for the entire set duration 9 unknown Duration EFFDUR Calculate and record the total duration that the trap net was fishing in hours e g the number of hours that passed from EEFTMO of 1415 hrs until EFFTMI of 1330 hrs equals 23 25 hrs At the project leader s discretion the Duration field on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form can be competed at the time of lift or at another more convenient time e g at the end of the day at the end of the field program or during the computer data entry process Comments This field is again used to document any useful descriptions or information Crews should provide any information that may help to explain the uniqueness of the net set e g Leader slightly bowed at lift because a few small logs drifted into it 30 Figure 7 Information Recorded At Lift On The NSCIN Effort Catch Form SITE DESCRIPTION CD _ NMI A gavel pehble smd mix SA gt 755 BR bedrock SAjAsricou LAKE COUGHTGHING abana hele m he taal TN Head TN Leader Areal Grid Site Site Type Aso nix 1 MU DE so CL 7593 OP gravel pebble XLEAD AREA GRID SITE sip S tudot BR gt 1888 i edil id H tag id substr cover ern 6 eher any thor cert nai MU mick Ste Cover Codes
51. ish attribute data from one field survey program such that the results are comparable between lakes and or over time The NSCIN program was designed with consideration for the following criteria Sampling should occur during a time when fish distribution is least affected by environmental conditions or fish behavior The sampling gear should be standardized effective at catching common nearshore fish species relatively easy to move and set and preferably non lethal to the fish captured The net setting criteria should be standardized while allowing for some versatility to accommodate different netting sites Sampling sites should be selected in a spatially random fashion to avoid any biases in the site selection process e g to avoid selecting sites that are closest to the lakes access point or sites that represent preferred habitat for a particular fish species To satisfy the above criteria the following key components of the NSCIN survey design were selected The field sampling season is from August 1 to whenever the surface water temperature cools to 13 degrees Celsius usually late September in south central Ontario Each net set duration is approximately 24 hours i e overnight sets The sampling gear used is a standardized six foot trap net see section 4 2 Standard net setting criteria have been developed e g water depths minimum net separation distances guidelines for reuse of sites gear orientation fro
52. ite Selection aiiin 6 2 Setting The Net 6 3 Information to Record t Set 6 4 Liting The Net eee ee 6 5 Information To Record At Lift 6 6 Fish Sampling 6 7 Recording Fish Data cuis dene e Rom 6 8 Moving Or Removing the Net 7 0 POST FIELD ACTIVITIES 1 s 39 7 1 Net Storage 72 Gear Log 8 0 DATA MANAGEMENT sse ere 40 9 0 PROJECT ASSISTANCE Re eem 40 Acknowledgements erem eene 41 Bibliography MO 42 Appendix A Master List Of Species Codes And Common Names Of Ontario Fish 43 Appendix B NSCIN eee nemen nennen 50 1 0 INTRODUCTION Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN is a standard live release trap netting program designed to evaluate abundance and other attributes of fish species that inhabit the littoral zone of Ontario lakes A properly conducted NSCIN program should at a minimum provide fisheries managers with mean catch and fish length data that can be used to make relative comparisons to provincial benchmark values from other lakes in Ontario These benchmark values are presented in the Fisheries Assessment Unit Network Report 1997 1 entitled Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN in Ontario Year 5 Update Willox et al 1997 Additional netting effort can supply more preci
53. lace it safely out of your way A tight carrying bundle can be created by laying the last meter 3 ft of leader over the net pile like a hair net and tucking the sides and ends in under the mesh piled on the platform This helps to keep pieces of the net from falling out of the bundle Next use a reasonable length of rope leader anchor line works well to wrap around the bundle Starting at one end wrap the rope around the bundle and link each subsequent wrap with one turn around the previous wrap Use a wrap about every 30 to 40 cm 12 to 16 in along the length of the bundle Pull each wrap tight to make the bundle as small and compact as possible One person can help to steady the net and provide enough room to get the rope around the bundle by lifting one end at the brails Wrap any extra rope around the ends of the bundle where most of the weights or floats are packed 7 0 POST FIELD ACTIVITIES The following activities should be conducted within a couple days of completing the field portion of the NSCIN program 7 1 Net Storage Trap nets must be thoroughly dried before being transported to another waterbody to prevent transporting any exotic plant or animal species e g Eurasian watermilfoil spiny water flea zebra mussel etc If the trap nets are clean at the end of the field work they can be dried by being blocked up in a warm storage room Make sure that each net is exposed to the air all the way around the bundle an
54. location of the zipper near the house end of the crib Down haul trap nets may also be used but are not recommended due to the extra rigging and net handling time required For this reason the gear requirements and net handling methodology presented in this manual are based on the spring haul trap net see Figure 1 4 Figure 1 Spring Haul Trap Net flashing caution leader anchor wing marker light amp information 47 buoy message buoy leader anchor line _ Snap hook leader identification tag B wing marker line float leader marker wing linc a wing tunnel funnel shaped wall head identification tag between house and wooden brail N i king marker king marker line f buoy bes i marker lift line l Secret ripest H HEHEH wing bridle NE wing Psi heart Sy lt house Se dB head SIE fh h 7 metal braii i Diagram Not king line Drawn To Scale brail line PAAIE weight j toggle ring king anchor or brail ring or head anchor 4 1 How Fish Are Captured Fish moving in the littoral zone often travel parallel to shore and lake bottom contours where they encounter the trap net leader that is set perpendicular to shore Very small fish may pass through the mesh leader while larger fish swim around
55. m shore etc The sampling specifications provide both target values and acceptable ranges see sections 6 1 and 6 3 Sampling sites are randomly selected see section 5 1 Netting site descriptions set descriptions lift information and fish catch information is documented separately for each netting effort on standard NSCIN data forms Acronyms in square brackets identify FISHNET2 field names on all NSCIN forms to facilitate the data entry process The acceptable ranges of the net setting criteria in round brackets are also included on the forms to provide a quick reference for field crews The required data collection for each netting effort has been selected and designed to minimize observational error and subjectivity without requiring an inordinate amount of field collection time In an attempt to explain catch variability information about the sampling site substrate available fish cover and weather conditions is also recorded for each netting effort All users of the NSCIN program should collect this information to improve the provincial NSCIN database Eventually these easily collected data elements may be useful in explaining catch variability and may provide new benchmark standards for comparisons between lakes and or over time e g compare catches from similar substrate or cover categories Substrate is categorized into one of six categories and all observed substrate types within the visible area 100 meters on each side
56. manuals Allen 1992 Fulford 1993 and MacKay 1996 Many of the classifications and data coding conventions were adapted from standards reported in the OMNR FISHNET User Manual Lester et al 1996 and the OMNR Manual Of Instructions for Aquatic Habitat Inventory Surveys OMNR 1987 Special thanks go to the following list of individuals who provided constructive reviews of earlier drafts of this manual Ron Allen Chuck Brady Mike Fruetel Frank Hicks Peter Hulsman Brian Jackson Butch Wayne LaFrance Mike Powell Henk Rietveld and Cam Willox 4l Bibliography Allen R J 1992 Lake Simcoe Nearshore Community Index Netting Manual Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit File Report 1992 14 20p Allen R and C Willox 1997 FAU Network Recommends Trap Net Standard for NSCIN Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Fisheries Assessment Unit Network Update 6p Fulford P J 1993 Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN 1993 Sampling Methods Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit Report 1993 1 13 Hubert W A 1996 Passive Capture Techniques Pages 157 192 in B R Murphy and D W Willis editors Fisheries Techniques 2 Edition American Fisheries Society Bethesda Maryland Lester N P P Chen M E Daniels C Deary R Korver R Kushneriuk and F McNeil 1996 Ontario Fisheries Information System FISHNET User Manual Ontario Ministry of
57. me leeway within the site for net placement and the segments are at a workable scale For FISHNET2 data entry compatibility segment numbers should not exceed 4 characters in length Common shoreline segments used on previous NSCIN projects range from 100 to 250 meters in length The UTM grid system is provided on both Topographic Maps Canada Department of Energy Mines and Resources and Ontario Base Maps OMNR The UTM grid system is geographically referenced which can simplify the process of transferring the netting sites and associated data into a Geographic Information System GIS Use of UTM grids will result in netting sites of different sizes depending on the shoreline orientation with the UTM grid system note the different lengths of shoreline in each grid on the island in Figure 4 UTM grids are 1000 meters or I kilometer long on each side of the grid The UTM grids may be divided into smaller sub grids which are more suitable for the size of waterbody being sampled e g 4 sub grids 500 m per side 16 sub grids 250 m per side 100 sub grids 100 m per side A convenient method to divide a UTM grid is to use a clear plastic overlay sheet with the sub grid boundaries marked on it The grids or sub grids that actually overlay or intersect the lake shoreline must be labeled with a numeric code and recorded on a list for the random site selection process For FISHNET2 compatibility the numeric codes used to identify grids and sub grid
58. mist 61 light rain 80 light rain shower 40 fog 65 heavy rain 85 heavy rain shower 51 slight drizzle 71 light snow 95 thunderstorm 29 Direction Wind is From amp Speed WIND Record the wind direction expressed in degrees and the wind speed expressed in knots at the time of lift Use a compass to measure the direction that the wind is coming from Record the wind direction to the nearest degree e g a wind originating slightly south of due west may be measured and recorded as 264 While measuring the wind direction estimate or measure with an anemometer the velocity of the wind Record the wind speed to the nearest knot e g 7 knots A knot equals one nautical mile per hour or 1 9 kilometers per hour 1 2 mph General Weather for Set Duration XWEATHER Use the following Duration Precipitation Codes and Duration Wave Codes as found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form to document the weather that occurred at the trap net site over the duration of the net set Duration Precipitation Codes 1 no precipitation occurred during the entire set duration 2 precipitation occurred for less than 4 hours during the set 3 precipitation occurred for more than 4 hours during the set 4 constant precipitation during the entire set duration 9 unknown Duration Wave Codes 1 calm waters wave height lt 0 3 meters for the entire set duration 2 mostly calm waters with some rough periods during the set durat
59. mosus ANGUILLIDAE Freshwater Eels 251 American eel Anguilla rostrata CYPRINODONTIDAE Killifishes 261 banded killifish Fundulus diaphanus 262 blackstripe topminnow Fundulus notatus GADIDAE Cods 271 burbot Lota lota GASTEROSTEIDAE Sticklebacks 281 brook stickleback Culaea inconstans 282 threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus 283 ninespine stickleback Pungitius pungitius 284 fourspine stickleback Apeltes quadracus PERCOPSIDAE Trout perches 291 trout perch Percopsis omiscomaycus PERCICHTHYIDAE Temperate Basses 46 310 330 360 365 301 white perch Morone americana 302 white bass Morone chrysops 303 Morone sp CENTRARCHIDAE Sunfishes 311 tock bass Ambloplites rupestris 312 green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus 313 pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus 314 blue gill Lepomis macrochirus 315 longear sunfish Lepomis megalotis 316 smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu 317 largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides 318 white crappie Pomoxis annularis 319 black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus 320 Lepomis sp 321 Micropterus sp 322 Pomoxis sp 323 warmouth Lepomis gulosus 324 orangespotted sunfish Lepomis humilis PERCIDAE Perches 331 yellow perch Perca flavescens 332 sauger Stizostedion canadense 333 blue pike blue pickerel Stizostedion vitreum glaucum 334 walleye yellow pickerel Stizostedion vitreum 335 eastern sand darter
60. n or flag attached to a highly visible marker buoy To warn boaters traveling in poor visibility conditions e g in fog or at night a flashing caution light can be attached to the information message buoy The flashing light should be pre assembled tested and affixed to the information buoy On large bodies of water the bulky flashing light and message buoy should be rigged to be anchored separately such that the extensive wave action on this buoy will not affect the net set The light sensitive switch on the flashing light can be turned off until the first day of use Lastly the net s zipper should be closed and sealed plastic cable ties work well prior to packing the net for transportation to the lake These ties prevent the zipper from coming undone accidentally and indicate if tampering has occurred 14 When packing or setting a spring haul trap net the standard procedure is to ensure that the wooden brail is at the bottom of the bundle and is closest to the shore i e wood to shore This practice ensures that the head will not be accidentally set upside down after setting the leader 5 7 Training This manual describes the techniques and provides the information necessary to conduct the NSCIN field program However to successfully perform this survey at least one of the field crew members should have the following skills and knowledge Safe Boat Operation This program requires a host of safe boating skills and knowledg
61. of the net are documented This approach allows for post stratification by substrate category and could also allow for more detailed analysis by substrate composition Actual quantitative measures of substrate i e percent composition were experimented with in the original NSCIN design but these techniques were found to be very subjective and not repeatable Less subjective techniques of assessing habitat were thought to be too time consuming for such a netting program 1f substantial substrate information exists for a given study lake then the sampling effort could be allocated to the different substrate categories based on their actual proportions in the lake Fish cover is categorized by how much cover is present e g low medium high and all observed cover types within the visible area 100 meters on each side of the net are documented This approach allows for post stratification by amount of cover and could also allow for more detailed analysis by cover types Effects from weather are measured at each sampling site by recording temperatures wave heights cloud cover precipitation and wind when the trap net is sampled A general weather observation is conducted to describe the conditions that occur at each site over the duration of the netting effort These observations have been designed to be as descriptive and repeatable as possible without requiring an inordinate amount of sampling time A crew of two people should be able to lift pro
62. oo close to shore Following the side lines you should retrieve the net working your way along the outside of the crib house heart and wings NOTE A few fish may be trapped in the hearts and should be shaken back down the heart to the gap where you can reach in and pull the fish out These fish are not part of the catch as they did not find their way into the crib via the tunnel Be careful not to lift the heart too high when shaking fish towards the gap There is a chance that you could shake fish down into the tunnel and eventually into the crib The crib is buried under the piled net and sealed shut making the removal of these fish very difficult 38 6 Continue retrieving the wings placing each wing separately on each side of the pile so that you will not be confused about which wing belongs to which side of the net when resetting Similarly continue retrieving the wing lines and place them on top of their respective wing 7 With one person pulling on the float line and the other person pulling on the lead line retrieve the leader folding it neatly back and forth on top of the net pile Be sure not to allow a twist to occur in the leader at this point 8 Lastly pull in the leader anchor and safely place it on the floor or over the inside of the gunwale This anchor can usually remain attached for the next set NOTE If removing the trap net for transportation to another lake or back to the office untie the leader anchor and p
63. opies of the FISHNET2 NSCIN Project Template modified Index Adult template 40 e FISHNET2 data entry procedures for NSCIN e Submission of completed projects to the provincial NSCIN database e Copies of the standard NSCIN forms in colour if preferred computer file available Any other NSCIN inquiries gt Ontario Ministry Of Natural Resources Lake Simcoe Fisheries Assessment Unit R R 2 Park Road Sutton West Ontario LOE 1R0 Telephone 905 722 5512 Fax 905 722 3797 Acknowledgements The original NSCIN design evolved thanks to the commitment of all program participants Development of the NSCIN program from 1991 to 1997 was a cooperative effort involving OMNR staff from FAUs Fisheries Research OFIS and District Offices Sample Size recommendations and other NSCIN results were previously reported in the FAU Network Report 1997 1 entitled Nearshore Community Index Netting NSCIN in Ontario Year 5 Update Willox et al 1997 Some information on the background of the NSCIN program was taken from the Lake Simcoe FAU Internal Report 1992 10 entitled Near Shore Community Index Netting On FAU Lakes A Proposal For Standardizing Methodologies Willox 1992 The Standard NSCIN Trap Net Description was previously reported in a FAU Network Update entitled FAU Network Recommends Trap Net Standard for NSCIN Allen and Willox 1998 Portions of the Gear Description and Field Procedures were adapted from previous FAU
64. or away from the obstacle Other fish may actually be attracted to the net as it offers a source of cover and some fish may be attracted to fish already trapped in the net Eventually some of these larger fish will encounter the heart or wing of the trap net To follow the heart wing or leader away from the net requires that the fish swims back towards shore Alternatively there is a gap between the leader and heart Fish that pass through the gap enter into the heart and house of the net where they may continue to move about Due to the shape and location of the gap opening created by the trap net hearts fish rarely encounter the gap opening at the appropriate angle to exit the nets enclosure The funnel shaped tunnel at the back of the house gradually leads fish into the narrow restricted end of the tunnel where there is another opening Fish dart through the final tunnel opening and into the crib Once trapped in the box shaped crib the only available escape route is the tunnel opening suspended in the middle of the crib Due to the shape and location of the tunnel fish following the crib walls rarely encounter the tunnel opening and thus rarely escape The entire net must be set properly in order for fish to successfully make the journey along the leader through the gap through the tunnel and into the crib A proper set requires that the leader is relatively straight tight and not twisted The gap opening must be held open by the heart an
65. ost of other indicators e g mortality growth condition age structure etc Also there is a need for more fish age and 10 weight data to be submitted to the provincial NSCIN database to develop potentially more meaningful benchmark values There may not be enough time for field crews to collect all this additional data from all the fish captured while handling two to four nets per day Therefore most field crews sub sample their catch to reduce the number of additional samples required per net and yet provide a suitable number of weights ages etc The most common method of sub sampling tends to be size stratification for species of interest Project leaders identify which species to collect the additional information from and then identify a quota of samples required by size class If for example a quota of 15 smallmouth bass per size class were sampled across the duration of the program i c all catches combined for weight and age data and quotas were filled from 10 different size classes then a total of 150 weight and age samples would be available for further analysis Prior to beginning the NSCIN field work project leaders should determine what if any additional fish attribute samples e g weights age tissue etc will be collected from which fish i e Which species to sample Use size stratified sampling If size stratifying what should the quota per size class be What is the best size class interval to use Be c
66. ronyms are used in the field they must be converted into OMNR fish species numbers at or before the FISHNET2 data entry process See Appendix A for a complete list of OMNR fish species codes Counted Only Record the total number of fish per species that were counted only i e these fish are not included in the Length Tallied column Length Tallied Record the total number of fish per species that were length tallied as per the totals on the NSCIN Length Class Tally Form Total Catch CATCNT Record the total number of fish per species that were captured in the crib of the trap net i e the sum of the Counted Only and Length Tallied columns for that species Biosampled BIOCNT This is an optional column used to record the number of fish per species that were sampled for additional biological information i e the total number of fish per species that had weights and or scales etc collected Comments gt This field is again used to document any useful descriptions or information Crews should provide any more information that may help to explain the uniqueness of the catch e g 3 SMB released from TN heart were not included in the total catch 36 Figure 10 A Completed NSCIN Effort Catch Form ITE DESCRIPTION Project Code gt Waterbody Sie Subate Codes Sinn Aces PRJ CD IWBY N SAI OP beck SA 1497 COU LAKE COUCHI CHING 1 boulder tebble cobble mi
67. s should not exceed 4 characters in length The NSCIN FISHNET2 data template can be modified to accept a 12 character coordinate in a data field called SILOC and the Area Grid and Site fields on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form provide enough space to record these coordinates However use of the three FISHNET2 fields AREA GRID and or SITE appears to be the most common method to record NSCIN trap net locations 9 Figure 4 Random Site Selection By Shoreline Segments And UTM Grid Overlay Shoreline Segmentation UTM Grid Overlay 30 The second step of the site selection process is to randomly select the appropriate amount of numbered segments or numbered grids or sub grids using a random table of numbers Randomly selected sites can then be used to prepare a sampling schedule that will direct the field crew about which sites to use on each sampling day Remember to select more sites than the target number of net sets as some sites may be unsuitable when visited in the field and alternate sites may be required Avoid selecting the same site more than once i e make selection without replacement unless the number of useable sites on your lake is severely limited If the same site is selected more than once and when preparing the sampling schedule keep in mind that a trap net must not be reset within 500 meters of where it or any other trap net was set over the previous 48 hour period see section 6 1 Project leaders should provide
68. se mean catch estimates sufficient to statistically test for differences between years trend through time analyses or lake characteristics habitat indices This program also provides project leaders with an opportunity to collect additional fish attribute data e g age weight etc which may be useful at the local level and could lead to more meaningful provincial benchmark values when included in the provincial NSCIN database This manual describes the standardized methods and provides the technical information necessary for project leaders and field crews to conduct the NSCIN field program Standard NSCIN data collection techniques have been designed to be compatible with the software package FISHNET provided by the Ontario Fisheries Information System OFIS of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources OMNR The NSCIN program was originally developed for the FAU network of the OMNR to provide trend through time information on warmwater and coolwater fish species that would be comparable with other FAU lakes Field sampling was first conducted in 1991 on Lake Joseph and Lake Simcoe in the south central region of Ontario and expanded to include 25 different lakes across the province by 1995 Many lakes were sampled more than once providing a total of 47 NSCIN projects that were used to develop the current provincial benchmarks of fish abundance and size classification These benchmarks will be improved and new benchmarks may be develope
69. side of the net Do not allow any fish to cross over to the other side of the boat Continue pulling the net over the boat until the net s zipper is accessible alongside the gunwale At this point the fish should be concentrated in a bag of netting formed by the wall separating the house and crib tunnel netting and the crib floor which has been pulled up over the boat This bag will work as a holding pen while you remove portions of the catch for processing NOTE Only fish that were captured by passing through the tunnel and into the crib can be considered part of the catch Other improperly caught fish e g trapped in hearts gilled in leader etc are not considered as part of the catch Prepare a fish holding tub with fresh lake water Remove the zipper seal plastic cable tie and open the zipper Use a dip net to remove as many fish as can be readily processed and place them in the holding tub NOTE The tunnel mesh is usually over top of the fish in the middle of the bagged holding pen area This tunnel tends to interfere with the dip netting process Therefore the mesh of the tunnel will often need to be pulled off to one side to create a large enough area to scoop up the fish with the dip net If the fish that remain in the trap net are at all stressed due to overcrowding common with large catches or high sided boats then close the zipper and lower the trap net further into the water by simply sliding the net back over the ne
70. t codes are created by combining the Fisheries Office acronym the Project Type acronym IA for index adult with NSCIN with the Year and the user defined Project Identification code or acronym e g 24 1497 Waterbody Name WBY_NM Record the official name of the waterbody in which the trap net was set e g LAKE COUCHICHING Sample SAM Record the sequential fishing effort number that refers to each particular net set i e the first set of the project would be Sample 00 and the next set would be Sample 002 TN Head GR Record the trap net head identification tag number or code that specifies which head was set e g 5 TN Leader XLEAD Record the trap net leader identification tag number or code that specifies which leader is attached to the trap net head e g 06 Area AREA Record the number or code field length equals 2 characters used to define the area of the waterbody e g sector 03 This field is usually only used on large lakes that are spatially stratified If the waterbody is not spatially stratified record N A to indicate that this field is not applicable to this project Grid GRID If using the UTM grid method of shoreline partitioning record the UTM reference number field length equals 4 characters used to identify the specific geographic location of the netting site e g 0802 If not using the UTM grid method record N A to indicate that this field
71. t to the depth of the trap net gap then describe the site based on the limited observations available in the shallow water and or use terrestrial indicators e g emergent vegetation shoreline substrate etc Note any limited visibility situations in the comments section of the Effort Catch Form The following list of cover types has been taken from the Stream Surveys section of the OMNR Manual Of Instructions for Aquatic Habitat Inventory Surveys OMNR 1987 Only those cover types that apply to lake habitat and the size of fish captured by the trap nets have been included Use the following FISHNET2 cover acronyms as found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form to record the cover description If any cover types fit into the other category be sure to describe those cover types in the comments section of the form BO boulder If boulders see substrate composition are large enough and distributed such that they provide cover to fish include BO in the description of fish cover LT log tree If fallen trees logs stumps and large branches that are sunken or floating are providing cover for fish include LT in the description of fish cover Old logs that are partially buried in the substrate are not included unless they offer cover to fish MA macrophytes If aquatic vegetation is large enough and distributed such that it provides cover to fish include MA in the description of fish cover OT other If any other type
72. the time of lift beside the trap net over the shady side of the boat and near the water surface Water Temp SITEMI Record the surface water temperature in degrees Celsius as measured with a thermometer or tele thermometer at the time of lift beside the trap net and at a depth of 0 3 to 0 5 meters 1 to I ft Wave Height X WAVEHT Record the estimated height of the waves from trough to crest as per the codes found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form Wave Height Codes 1 less than 0 3 meters lt 1 ft 2 0 3 to 0 6 meters J to 2 ft 3 0 6 to 0 9 meters 2 to 3 ft 4 0 9 to 1 2 meters G to 4 fi 5 greater than 1 2 meters gt 4 fi Cloud Cover CLOUD Record the estimated fraction of the sky in eighths that is covered by cloud at the time of lift as per the following descriptions 0 sky is clear no clouds 5 5 8 of sky is covered by cloud 1 8 of sky is covered by cloud 6 6 8 of sky is covered by cloud 2 218 of sky is covered by cloud 7 78 of sky is covered by cloud 3 3 8 of sky is covered by cloud 8 sky is totally covered by clouds 4 4 8 of sky is covered by cloud 9 sky obscured by fog snow etc cloud cover cannot be estimated Precipitation PRECIP Record the type of precipitation fog or mist occurring at the time of lift as per the following codes found on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form Precipitation Codes at lift 00 none 55 heavy drizzle 75 heavy snow 10
73. the net Lay the king line and brail lines neatly on the floor of the boat while you pull the boat up parallel to the brails NOTE If you are removing the net for transportation to another lake or back to the office remove the king anchor and marker buoy and safely store the gear out of your way With a person at each end of the brails grasp the metal brail in one hand the wooden brail in the other hand and pull the brails into the center of the boat Spread the brails about meter apart 3 ft to provide a platform to lay the rest of the net on NOTE If removing the net for transportation a tighter bundle can be created by flipping the brail formed platform over twice to retain the wood to shore arrangement Keep the brails 1 meter apart 3 ft while flipping This wraps the mesh of the crib around the brails and creates a more sturdy platform Neatly place the king line and brails lines on top of the mesh platform Grasping the net s side lines float and lead lines along each side of the net quickly pul the net into the boat and continue piling it on the platform created between the two brails A fast net retrieval will reduce the amount of drifting caused by the wind and thus reduce the probability of net tangles and snags In extremely windy and wavy conditions the leader anchor can be removed first while the boat is being controlled by the field crew This allows the crew to retrieve and pile the net without having to get t
74. the wide range of fish sizes One for small fish less than 400 millimeters fork length and one for large fish greater than 399 millimeters fork length There are also blank size class rows on each tally form to enable the crew to assign unique size classes if when exceptionally small or large fish are encountered Each tally form has four species columns Therefore if more than four species are captured more than one tally form will be required The NSCIN Length Class Tally Forms should be completed as follows Waterbody Record the official name of the waterbody in which the trap net was set e g LAKE COUCHICHING This field must correspond to the NSCIN Effort Catch Form 33 Lift Date Record numerically the date that the trap net was lifted in the order year month day i e August 25 1997 would be recorded as 97 08 25 This field must correspond to the NSCIN Effort Catch Form Sample SAM Record the unique and sequential fishing effort number that refers to the particular net set Le the first set of the project would be Sample 001 and the next set would be Sample 002 This field must correspond to the NSCIN Effort Catch Form Net Location Record the shoreline segment number or UTM reference number used to identify the specific geographic location of the netting site e g Site 154 or Grid H0802 Site C13 This field must correspond to the information recorded on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form Species
75. timated to be less than 0 2 cm 1 12 in in diameter but large enough to be palpable as grit Sand feels gritty and settles quickly in water SI silt A fine inorganic material of various origins but not palpable as grit and without a greasy or sticky feel Silt is like a very fine powder almost impossible to mold or feel in the water but when dried it has a floury feel Silt is easily stirred up in the water where it remains suspended for a considerable length of time CL clay A very fine material of inorganic origin with a greasy or sticky feel and often a moldable plasticity MU muck A soft material consisting of well decomposed organic matter intermixed with mineral matter such as silt and clay but not sand or gravel Muck is dark in colour often gaseous and feels like a very soft mud 22 DE detritus An organic material in which large pieces of sticks leaves decaying aquatic plants etc form at least 85 of the total mass Detritus is like partly decayed compost MA marl A calcareous material composed principally of carbonates derived from mollusk shells and the photosynthetic activity of algae It is primarily light gray in colour It is not a widely distributed substrate type Description of Fish Cover COVER Record a list to describe all the cover types identified within the visible area 100 m 328 ft on each side of the net If water clarity is limited such that you can not see the lake bottom ou
76. trap net and thus may be recaptured during the net removal procedure 10 Continue the length class sampling by species until the entire catch i e all fish that were captured in the crib has been processed NOTE Sometimes exceptionally large catches are encountered that require too much processing time In these cases after length classing a predetermined by the project leader minimum sample size e g 300 fish per species per lift the remainder of the catch for that species would be counted only Therefore the number length class tallied plus the number counted only are added together to calculate the total catch for that species from that particular net set 11 Once all the fish have been processed the fish handler resumes net handling by closing the zipper and re sealing it see section 6 4 steps 6 and 7 The data recorder totals the tally sheet s and transfers the totals to the Fish Catch Summary section of the NSCIN Effort Catch Form see section 6 7 6 7 Recording Fish Data Fish catch information is recorded with an HB pencil while processing the catch on NSCIN Length Class Tally Forms see Figure 9 After sampling the entire catch i e all fish that were captured in the crib of a particular net set a catch summary is completed on the NSCIN Effort Catch Form see Figure 10 The following is a description of each of these forms NSCIN Length Class Tally Forms There are two Length Class Tally Forms to cover
77. tting the net for the first time 1 not resetting then this is a good time to attach the king anchor to the offshore end of the 8 9 10 11 king line A clove hitch with a locking half hitch is recommended for securing the king anchor Attach the king marker buoy to the king marker line with a secure knot or optional snap hook and unravel the marker line from the tines of the king anchor so that the whole rig can be dispatched without any interruptions While maintaining some tension on the king line continue to reverse the boat and let the king line out When you reach the king anchor carefully pull the entire net tight so that the leader float line head center line and king line all form one long straight line NOTE On some boats this pulling can be done by hooking the anchor tines inside the front bow and letting the carefully controlled reversing boat motor do all the work be prepared to release the anchor by lifting the king marker line Otherwise the crew member will have to hold the anchor while their partner carefully reverses the boat When using a low powered motor the motors weak reverse thrust can be improved by surging the boat back and forth With a firm grip on the anchor and your feet well planted while the boat motor is thrusting backwards pull the anchor towards you about an arms length and then relax letting the motor surge backward with the slack rope you created until the rope pulls tight again
78. us vermiculatus 502 Esox lucius x Esox masquinongy CATOSTOMIDAE Hybrids 551 Ictiobus hybrids CYPRINIDAE Hybrids 601 Carassius auratus x Cyprinus carpio 602 Phoxinus hybrids 603 Phoxinus eos x Phoxinus neogaeus 604 Phoxinus eos x Margariscus margarita 605 Phoxinus neogaeus x Margariscus margarita 610 Notropis hybrids 611 Luxilus cornutus x Notropis rubellus 612 Luxilus cornutus x Semotilus atromaculatus 620 Pimephales promelas x Pimephales notatus ICTALURIDAE Hybrids 651 Ameiurus melas x Ameiurus nebulosus 48 700 CENTRARCHIDAE Hybrids 701 Lepomis hybrids 702 Lepomis gibbosus x Lepomis macrochirus 703 Lepomis cyanellus x Lepomis gibbosus 704 Lepomis cyanellus x Lepomis megalotis 705 Lepomis cyanellus x Lepomis macrochirus 706 Pomoxis annularis x Pomoxis nigromaculatus 750 PERCIDAE Hybrids 751 Stizostedion canadense x Stizostedion vitreum 800 COTTIDAE Hybrids 801 Cottus bairdi x Cottus cognatus 49 Appendix B NSCIN Forms The following blank copies of the NSCIN forms are required to record the results from your NSCIN program To facilitate direct photocopying for field use the forms are full size and intentionally not labeled with the instruction manual page numbers Save these forms as master copies for use in future NSCIN field programs NSCIN Trap Net Description Form 1 and 2 NSCIN Effort Catch Form NSCIN Length Class Tally Form Small Fish 400 mm
79. x BO RC 75 BO bonl er a ned SAD 952 RC mbbieicotble TN Head TN Leader Areal Grid Site Site Type 4 mix S14 MU DE sof CL gt 75 GP pave pebble GR IXLEAD AREA GRID SITE 151 S bedret AR 79 SAvsmd i tag id substr cover X MU much DE denims Subs T Suc Ivos Cover Codes MA mad ubstrate Composition 1 ao cover Cover Aernyms BOTTOM BO boulder OT omt list all substrate types in area 100 m each side of net He ee a de OL d pectic 29 2540 macrophvies Nom cover 4s high gt 7988 LT logue k Angle to Shore Start Depth Depth Gap Depth nanat tanp MN XGRDEPMID paren orded at time of Jif quals one nautical mule p Lift Date Lift Time Effort Status Air Temp Water Temp Wave Height Effort ststus Codes EFFDT1J EFFTMI EFFST AIRTEMI ISITEMIJ XWAVEHT 1 ro problem mm dd 24hh mm codes 1 3 codes 5 minor problem lel OK A Alten 97 08 25 1330 hrs 20 5 C 2 SEVA 1 Cloud Cover Precipitation Direction Wind is From amp Speed General Weather for Set Duration Duration Ware Indi Cates eal PRECIP EFFDUR lecam 2 203 05m 1 20 3706 09 Q 38 4 09 12 0 Seo dam Counted Only Length Tallied Total Catch Biosampled Codes aL SPC ICATCNT COMMENTS 00 pa prepa vh ume ese
80. y of these parts are missing from the net they can be attached during the pre field inspection using polypropylene 3 strand twist rope 0 95 cm 3 8 in in diameter Make sure the rope used on the wing lines will float when not submerged by an anchor The above mentioned polypropylene is good for this purpose Marker buoys snap hooks marker lines anchors yellow flashing lights information message signs or flags identification tags and leader markers are usually manufactured and purchased separately from the rest of the trap net see Figure 1 section 4 0 Also most of these items except identification tags are not attached to the net until it is being set in the water The king anchor and wing anchors should be rigged prior to field use by attaching the marker lines and then wrapping the marker line around the tines of the anchor Optional snap hooks can be rigged at this time and used in the field to attach wing anchors and marker buoys These quick release snap hooks will make attaching and removing these items faster and simpler On large bodies of water it may be necessary to attach a steel thimble to a braided loop in the rope where the snap hook is repeatedly attached This will provide protection from the chafing that occurs between the metal snap hook and the rope caused by the movement of the wave action An information message identifying the nets owner address and contact telephone number should be prepared in the form of a sig
81. yzon sucetta northern hog sucker Hypentelium nigricans bigmouth buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus spotted sucker Minytrema melanops silver redhorse Moxostoma anisurum black redhorse Moxostoma duquesnei golden redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum shorthead redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum greater redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi river redhorse Moxostoma carinatum black buffalo Ictiobus niger Calostomus sp Moxostoma sp Ietiobus sp CYPRINIDAE Carps and Minnows 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 goldfish Carassius auratus northern redbelly dace Phoxinus eos finescale dace Phoxinus neogaeus redside dace Clinostomus elongatus lake chub Couesius plumbeus common carp Cyprinus carpio gravel chub Erimystax x punctatus cutlips minnow xoglossum maxillingua brassy minnow Hybognathus hankinsoni eastern silvery minnow Hybognathus regius Silver chub Macrhybopsis stereriana hornyhead chub Nocomis biguttatus river chub Nocomis micropogon golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas pugnose shiner Notropis anogenus emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides bridle shiner Notropis bifrenatus common shiner Luxilus cornutus blackchin shiner Notropis heterodon blacknose shiner Notropis heterolepis spottail shiner Notropis

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