Capture rate and distribution patterns of newly-stocked common carps (Cyprinus carpio) in a put and take lotic fishery: a multi-year case study

Document Type : Short communication

Authors

• Zoltán Vitál ¹
• Dorottya Lilla Fazekas ¹
• Béla Halasi-Kovács ¹
• Zsolt Udvari ²
• Zoltán Ugrai ²
• Flórián Tóth ¹
• Attila Mozsar ³

¹ Research Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries, Institute of Aquaculture and Environmental Safety, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Anna-liget str. 35. 5540 Szarvas, Hungary

² Ráckeve Danube Branch Angling Association, Kossuth str. 94. 2300 Ráckeve, Hungary

³ Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Klebelsberg Kuno str. 3. 8237 Tihany, Hungary; National Laboratory for Water Science and Water Security, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Klebelsberg Kuno str. 3. 8237 Tihany, Hungary

10.22034/iar.2022.1961028.1292

Abstract

Common carp is one of the most important game fish in Europe. Due to the high exploitation and limited natural recruitment, direct stockings became a common and widespread stock enhancement practice in recreational fisheries. Sustainable recreational fisheries management requires continuous monitoring programs to define the stocking size and distribution of newly stocked fish. In this study, we assess the capture rate and distribution patterns of hatchery-reared common carps in a dammed, lotic ecosystem using data from a seven-year tagging survey. Mean capture rate was 7.4% and one-third of captures happened within the first two months after release. High interannual differences were observed both in the capture rate and the temporal dynamics of captures. Movement patterns also showed interannual and interindividual differences; 30.8% of the fish were captured within 5 km of their release site, and 55.6% of the fish were captured within 10 km. More than ten per cent (12.8%) of fish caught more than 25 km far from release site. Distance travelled did not associate consistently with time between the release and capture. Our findings suggest that repeating surveys in more consecutive years would be preferable than increasing the number of tagged fish in one year in angler report-based tagging surveys, and that 15-20 km between stocking sites can ensure proper distribution of common carp in a lotic fishery even under high angling pressure.

Keywords

• Recreational fisheries
• Angling
• Tagging
• Movement
• Mark-recapture
• Fish

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