Enhancing a walleye population by stocking: Effectiveness and constraints on recruitment

Authored by BM Johnson, M Vogelsang, RS Stewart

Date Published: 1996

Sponsors: Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

A long term project to evaluate the potential for food web manipulation to improve water quality in Lake Mendota, Wisconsin began in 1987. intensive walleye Stizostedion vitreum stocking and harvest regulations were used to enhance walleye biomass. Over 60 million walleye fry and 2.4 million 50-mm walleye fingerlings were stocked during 1987-1992. Fry survival was negligible; mark-recapture estimates of small (< 275 mm) walleye abundance showed first year survival of stocked fingerlings to be variable but always less than or equal to 10\%. Direct (predator consumption) and indirect (prey abundance, predator biomass) evidence suggested predation to be a major constraint to augmenting walleye recruitment by stocking.
Tags
Individual-based model growth Success Framework Fish Survival Stizostedion-vitreum Oneida-lake