Diving into the Data: How Your Catch Monitors Lake Tinaroo’s Health
Our fishing competitions are not just about who catches the biggest fish—they are a critical fieldwork operation! Every time you compete, you are directly contributing to the scientific understanding and long-term health of the Lake Tinaroo ecosystem.
The Power of the Fish Capture App
Data is collected from the fish capture app which is used by all competitors competing in the competition.
We encourage all competitors to register all their fish to allow as much data as possible to be collected. Think of your phone as a vital piece of scientific equipment—the more data points you provide, the clearer our picture of the lake becomes!
What The Measurements Tell Us
We use scientific methods to determine the health of fish based on specific measurements of the fish. These careful records allow us to monitor two crucial aspects:
- Health Assessment: Specific measurements provide a snapshot of the current health and physical condition of the fish population.
- Growth Rate Estimation: We can correlate the size of the fish to the year fingerlings were released to provide an estimation of growth rates.
This information is invaluable. Growth rates are dependent on many variables including food source, predators, weather, dam levels, and habitat. By tracking these rates, we gain a deep understanding of the Lake Tinaroo ecosystem’s overall condition and how best to manage it for future generations.
