Proportion of Individuals as Trout

or

Proportion of Individuals as Piscivores (Top Carnivores)

 

Streams with slight or moderate water quality impairment generally contain several top

predator fish species. In cold water streams of New Jersey, predator fish such as bass and

pickerel are depauperate and typically replaced by trout. Thus, a metric is required which

measures both groups of top carnivores. A metric fulfilling this requirement is currently

used on Vermont streams (Langdon 1992) and has been adopted for use in New Jersey.

American eels are excluded from use in this metric. The ubiquity of American eels in streams

that have a wide range of water quality and habitat conditions limits their use as an indicator

of aquatic health.