Fish of Low Commercial Value in Lakes of Different Trophic Status (Poland)

Abstract

In a commercial fishery, some fish are classified as low-value, but their classification varies in different countries. The aim of this study was to determine the abundance, contribution, and dominance of low-value fish species, such as Abramis brama Alburnus alburnus, Blicca bjoerkna, Gymnocephalus cernua, Perca fluviatilis Rutilus rutilus Scardinius erythrophthalmus Perca fluviatilis and R. rutilus were the most frequent low-value species (100% and 99%, respectively). The contribution of all low-value fish to the total biomass of caught fish was relatively high, ranging from 37% in the mesotrophic lake to 100% in the eutrophic lake (mean of 77 ± 14%). Lakes in which the contribution of low-value species exceeded 90% were relatively numerous (24 lakes, 17% of the studied lakes). Among a total of about 437.5 thousand low-value fish, 261 thousand specimens (60%) had a body weight of below 10 g. All low-value fish species, except for P. fluviatilis and S. erythrophthalmus, were related to the studied environmental variables. The relative biomass of these species increased with increasing lake productivity, while it decreased with the increasing maximum and mean depth of the studied lakes. The high contribution of low-value fish to the total biomass in many lakes indicates the need for the constant monitoring of the abundance and structure of fish communities and the use of appropriate actions (biomanipulation and stocking with piscivorous fish species) to improve the ecological condition of lakes.

Keywords

• small-bodied fish
• cyprinids
• percids
• morphometry
• trophy
• freshwater ecosystems