Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

The St. Louis Urban Fishing Program

Kevin Meneau

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874042.ch18

Abstract.—The St. Louis Urban Fishing Program (UFP) was established in 1969 to provide close-to-home fishing opportunities for urban anglers in St. Louis, Missouri through regular fish stockings at five lakes, totaling 8.4 hectares. Urban Fishing Clinics (UFC) were added for children and therapeutic patients in 1971 and 1979, respectively. Since 1973, UFP has been funded and administered by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) with cooperation from municipal partners. Stocking rate, stocking schedule, and fishing regulation changes were made in the early 1990s. Since 1993, Community Assistance Program agreements have enabled MDC to improve UFP lake habitats and amenities. Subsequently, similar urban fishing programs have developed in Kansas City, St. Joseph, Sedalia, and Springfield, Missouri. Sportfish lakes are stocked with common carp Cyprinus carpio, channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, hybrid sunfish Lepomis macrochirus x L. cyanellus, brown trout Salmo trutta, and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss from MDC hatcheries and commercial sources to create year-round angling opportunities. Annual fish stockings average up to 263 kg/ha, with a total of 1,119,105 kg since 1969. Completion of habitat improvement projects and subsequent successful natural reproduction of sportfish have allowed nine UFP lakes to provide additional opportunities for bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus, and white crappie Pomoxis annularis. The UFC lakes are stocked with hybrid sunfish and channel catfish, averaging 152 kg/ha, with a total of 26,771 kg since 1978, and offer fishing program opportunities from April through October. In 2007, UFP lakes consist of 20 sportfish and six UFC lakes, totaling 30.1 hectares. All sportfish and most UFC lakes are partner-owned and located in municipal parks. Annual fishing pressure ranges from 439 to 12,019 h/ha and averages 109,470 trips/ year. Over 48,000 children and therapeutic patients have attended UFC since their inception; however, UFC impacts to angler recruitment and knowledge of aquatic conservation are unknown. So, a new program, GO FISH! was launched in 2007.