Estimated Rates of Fish Consumption by Anglers Participating in the Connecticut Housatonic River Creel Survey

Abstract An analysis of data collected by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's (CTDEP) Fisheries Division during its roving creel survey of the Housatonic River from 1984 to 1986 was conducted to determine whether those data could provide useful information on the fish consumption behavior of Housatonic River anglers. The objectives of this analysis were to derive consumption estimates for the surveyed population and to determine if there were any subpopulations of Housatonic River anglers at the time of the survey who consumed considerably more fish than the general angling population. Estimates of consumption were based on the information collected concerning consumption practices, species and sizes of fish harvested, and the frequency of fishing trips by interviewed anglers. Annualized consumption estimates of 0.17 g/d (median), 2.6 g/d (mean), and 12 g/d (95th percentile) were derived by assuming that all harvested fish were consumed by 2.59 individuals per household, the mean hous...