Characteristics of four Blue Catfish fisheries with implications for harvest management.

This article focuses on the population dynamics, angler susceptibility, and harvest management of introduced Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) populations in four Kansas reservoirs. Using capture–recapture methods and low-frequency electrofishing, the study estimated population size, growth, mortality, and angler exploitation rates, finding that densities of stock-length fish (≥300 mm total length) ranged from 2.79 to 20.14 fish per hectare, with growth rates and recruitment patterns varying among reservoirs. Angler data indicated that larger Blue Catfish were more vulnerable to capture but were less frequently harvested, and harvest regulation models suggested these populations are generally resilient to overfishing under current management scenarios. The findings support the continued development of recreational fisheries for Blue Catfish in Kansas while highlighting the importance of protecting large individuals and considering watershed-scale management due to fish movements beyond reservoir boundaries.