– Lake Havasu

The Texas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society will host a
black bass management workshop featuring fisheries professionals and
representatives of the angling community Feb. 10 during the annual
meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society in
San Antonio.

“Our goal is to bring anglers, biologists and fishing-related
industry together to discuss important issues and to learn from each
other,” said Dave Terre of Tyler, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
fisheries biologist who is also president of the Texas Chapter of the
AFS. “We believe that successful fisheries management in the future
will depend on the establishment of good cooperative work relationships
and face-to-face communication about the issues.”

Terre noted that fisheries biologists from throughout the South will
present their findings on largemouth bass, the nation’s most popular
game fish. “We saw this as an opportunity to bring in our
customers–anglers–and discuss some things that are important to all of
us,” Terre said.

Any interested person may attend the special workshop for a $20 fee without having to register for the rest of the conference.

“The overall goal of this workshop is to enhance black bass
management techniques and improve fishing quality by increasing
cooperative efforts of biologists and anglers,” said Todd Driscoll of
Jasper, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fisheries biologist and
tournament angler.

Topics to be discussed at the workshop include habitat management,
fishing regulations, the impact of tournaments, tournament-related
mortality and the fisheries management process. Featured speakers
include Chad Brauer, a competitor in the Bassmaster Elite Series and
host of the Outdoor Channel’s “Academy Outdoors,” and Noreen Clough, Conservation Director for the Bass Angler Sportsman Society (BASS).

Representatives of Texas Black Bass Unlimited, the Louisiana BASS
Federation and the Texas BASS Federation will discuss successful
angler/conservation agency partnerships. A joint panel of fisheries
professionals and anglers from Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas,
Louisiana and Oklahoma will conclude the day-long workshop with a
discussion of ways to further cooperation in the future. Anglers will
be invited to ask questions of the experts during the session.

The American Fisheries Society is the oldest and largest
professional organization representing fisheries scientists and
fisheries managers. The meeting will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
in San Antonio Feb. 9-12, 2006. The black bass management workshop is
sponsored by the Southern Division, AFS; Texas BASS Federation; Texas
Chapter, American Fisheries Society; BASS; and Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department.

For information on the workshop, contact Tim Cook at (210) 414-3554
or mrbass@sanmarcos.net, Todd Driscoll at (409) 384-9572 or
todd.driscoll@tpwd.state.tx.us, or visit
http://www.sdafs.org/meetings/2006/workshops.htm and
www.texas-bass.com/cons. To register, call Paula Hawkins at (512)
389-4859, paula.hawkins@tpwd.state.tx.us.

– Lake Havasu