The ODNR-DOW is organizing a session at the upcoming 2025 Black Bass Symposium.  This symposium is being held in conjunction with the annual American Fisheries Society meeting in San Antonio, Texas from August 10-14. The title of the session is Exploring Agency Experiences With Non-Native Black Bass: From Enhancement to Mitigation. The goal of the session is to bring together individuals with diverse experiences in researching, managing, and mitigating non-native black bass. We seek all perspectives on the use of non-native black bass for enhancing fishing opportunities.

Contributions related to the local, statewide, and regional status of non-native black bass fisheries and management; fisheries enhancement through non-native black bass sources; non-native black bass mitigation; human dimension aspects of non-native black bass management; and black bass conservation, are desired.

Please consider submitting an abstract to this session. If interested, feel free to reach out to Kevin Page ([email protected]), Joe Conroy ([email protected]), or Rich Zweifel ([email protected]).

 

Abstract

Black Bass (Micropterus spp.) are a popular sport fish that have been introduced widely to create and enhance fishing opportunities. In particular, Florida Largemouth Bass and their hybrids (F1) have been used extensively as a means of improving the trophy potential of black bass fisheries. However, other species such as Alabama Bass and Smallmouth Bass have also been introduced outside of their native ranges. Numerous agencies have developed stocking and genetics programs to capitalize on the attributes of non-native black bass with some notable successes. However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that introductions of these species may pose a significant threat to local native black bass populations through competition and hybridization, potentially diminishing long-term fishing quality. Accordingly, disparate attitudes and approaches have developed among fish management agencies toward non-native black bass introductions—some agencies see a viable tool, others see an exigent threat.