Redbreast Sunfish - Management Recommendations

Management Recommendations

The Redbreast Sunfish is not an endangered species. Therefore, the species does not have to be managed as intensely as others. Nevertheless, this species still requires some attention to make sure the species receives the proper attention. One way to monitor and measure the species numbers is electro fishing. By shocking in shallow water where these fish naturally occur, this exercise could get an accurate estimate of the fish in a certain area. By conducting this experiment on every major reservoir and river in the native range of the redbreast sunfish numbers can be recorded and tallied to understand if there are any management practices needed. While numbers are still high with the sunfish and not endangered this experiment could be conducted just once to twice a year in randomly picked shallow water areas. When numbers are seen to be decreasing testing occurrences should increase to better understand what the species is experiencing to cause the decrease in population size. If the species ever becomes threatened or endangered areas should be set aside where they are intensely managed for sunfish species. Also if the population numbers are being drastically decreased due to invasive species, then the native species should be protected at all costs.