An Overview of Northern Pike Regulations in North America

Abstract

Northern pike (Esox lucius) is a popular sport fish in the United States and Canada that is currently managed for multiple angler uses. However, there has been increased concern over lower quality (i.e., smaller fish) northern pike populations. In 1997, the Esocid Technical Committee (ETC) of the North Central Division of the American Fisheries Society surveyed natural resource agencies about their northern pike management. In addition, a round‐table discussion on the quality of northern pike management was conducted in 1999. This paper is a summary of the ETC findings. In some cases, northern pike regulations have existed since the late 1800s, but most states and provinces did not use regulations until the 1950s or 1960s. Some agencies currently manage northern pike for angling quality (i.e., more large fish), others have few or no northern pike regulations, and some agencies manage for quality in some water bodies and do not manage northern pike at all in other water bodies. In general, states and provinces manage for quality northern pike when the public perceives the need. Experimental regulations (e.g., protected slot‐length limits) currently are being used on some waters. Although regulations can help create quality northern pike populations, angler compliance and environmental constraints on growth and recruitment also influence the success of management programs. Managers and anglers must realize the limitations of regulations for restructuring northern pike populations.

Behavioural and fitness consequences of direct and indirect non-lethal disturbances in a catch-and-release northern pike (Esox lucius) fishery

“…Consequently, the behaviour and fitness of fish might be influenced through indirect angler-induced disturbance stimuli (hereafter called indirect disturbance), but no study exists testing for such indirect effects. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of direct and indirect disturbances from non-lethal recreational angling activities on the behaviour and growth of fish using northern pike (Esox lucius) as a model of an important target species for recreational fishing in North America and much of Europe (Paukert et al, 2001;Arlinghaus and Mehner, 2004;Arlinghaus et al, 2008aArlinghaus et al, , 2008b. Using telemetry techniques we determined the extent of behavioural alterations in terms of habitat choice and swimming activity and how these alterations were reflected in growth rate depression as a correlate of fitness.…”

The impact of catch-and-release angling on short-term behaviour and habitat choice of northern pike (Esox lucius L.)

“…It is a popular target of commercial and recreational fisheries (Pierce et al, 1995;Arlinghaus and Mehner, 2004) and highly vulnerable to angling (Weithman & Anderson, 1978;Paukert et al, 2001). Across its geographic range, there are a variety of regulations that require release of some portion of the pike caught.…”

A lake as a microcosm: reflections on developments in aquatic ecology

“…It is hence fully plausible that pike predation directly affects the abundance of zooplanktivores, and keeps small fish, such as minnows, at comparably low densities. Pike further grow to very large sizes (Raat 1988), which is why they attract the attention of recreational anglers (Paukert et al 2001;Arlinghaus and Mehner 2004). Intuitively, angling on pike may reduce pike densities and thereby also the effects of pike predation on small zooplanktivore densities.…”