Current state of pikeperch populations in the Boginskoe and Dryvyaty lakes

The data of pikeperch commercial landings from the Dryvyaty and Boginskoe lakes in the last decades were analyzed. The growth, size and age of fish from the landings were studied. The usable stock of pikeperch in the lakes was determined. The biological analysis of studied fish was carried out using standard ichthyological techniques. It has been shown that last years the pikeperch become increasingly important in the commercial landings from the Dryvyaty and Boginskoe lakes. In 1990s-early 2000s its landings in Dryvyaty didn’t exceed 1-6 centners per year, and only a sporadic catch was in the Boginskoe lake. Last 10 years the annual pikeperch landings were between 11 and 73 centners in Dryvyaty, and up to 14 centners in Boginskoe lake. Its share in the landings increased even more sharply. The base of landings in Dryvyaty was composed of 5-years old specimens, with the 6-years old ones share also was high. The prevalent body length was 45–49 cm, and the observed landings structure seems to be reasonable because most of the specimens caught had already took part in spawning 1–2 times. Instead of it, the base of landings in Boginskoe was represented by 4- and 5-years old fish with prevalent length of 40–49 cm. That seems to be less reasonable because the part of 4-years specimens are being caught before their reproduction. Nowadays the pikeperch growth in both lakes is characterized as fast, but while the linear growth is nearly same in both lakes, the pikeperch from the Dryvyaty lake shows more rapid weight growth. The data obtained show the sufficient food supply for the pikeperch in bolt lakes and the possibility of its further number increase. The current estimated pikeperch usable stock in the Dryvyaty lake is 19,51 kg/ha, and in Boginskoe lake is 18,92 kg/ha that is significantly more that was in 1980s-1990s.

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