Tiger muskellunge predation on stocked salmonids intended for recreational fisheries

Lepak, Jesse M.; Cathcart, Charles N.; Stacy, William L.

doi:10.1080/10402381.2014.912701

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…This is in line with other reports on the relationship between stocked hatchery produced salmonids and pike (Lepak et al, 2014), and indicates that strategies for brown trout stocking in waters with pike need to consider this additional and sometimes dramatic mortality factor.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Migration, growth patterns, and diet of pike (Esox lucius) in a river reservoir and its inflowing river

Sandlund

Museth

Øistad³

2016

Fisheries Research

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a b s t r a c tThe pike population in the Løpsjøen reservoir and the accessible 21 km section of the inflowing River Rena was investigated from 2003 to 2013. Telemetry and mark-recapture with Floy tags demonstrated that most fish had an annual home range of less than 2 km, while some fish performed quite extensive migrations (up to 14.4 km). Of fish radio-tagged in the reservoir, 57% were positioned in the river at least once. The population of pike ≥25 cm was estimated at 1002 fish, or 3.9 fish (3.17 kg) ha −1 . Mean length at age was significantly larger for pike caught in the river than in the reservoir for almost all age groups. CPUE during boat electro-fishing indicated significantly lower population densities and a lower proportion of juvenile fish in the river than in the reservoir. Diet analysis revealed that almost all available prey fish species were taken by pike, and that there was a clear diet differentiation between pike size classes, and between fish from the river and reservoir habitats. Small pike (<25 cm) in the reservoir had eaten mainly invertebrates, whereas smaller pike and Alpine bullhead (Cottus poecilopus) dominated in small pike from the river. Nine prey fish species were identified in the stomachs of medium sized pike (25-50 cm) in the reservoir, with brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) as dominant. Medium sized pike in the river had taken mainly lamprey and Alpine bullhead. Larger pike (>50 cm) in the reservoir had taken brown trout as well as a number of other prey fish, while river pike of this size had taken burbot (Lota lota), lamprey and brown trout. Species like perch (Perca fluviatilis), roach (Rutilus rutilus) and in particular grayling (Thymallus thymallus) were rarely found in pike stomachs. The construction of the reservoir in a fast-flowing river caused the establishment of a healthy pike population and additional predation pressure on the rheophilic salmonids in the system, both in the reservoir and in the inflowing river.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Migration, growth patterns, and diet of pike (Esox lucius) in a river reservoir and its inflowing river

Sandlund

Museth

Øistad³

2016

Fisheries Research

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“…Increased autochthonous production from~10,300 cal yr BP peaked at~9500 cal yr BP (Wooller et al, 2012a) and the development of this productive lacustrine environment probably provided a habitat and food web to support an aquatic predator such as a Northern pike. Certainly the trophic level of the fish specimen (1.8e2) from the core is consistent with the opportunistic, predatory feeding ecology of Northern pike (e.g., Beaudoin et al, 1999;Paradis et al, 2008;Cott et al, 2011;Sepulveda et al, 2013;Lepak et al, 2014). Our finding also shows Bold signifies the date for the pike specimen referred to in the paper.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Post-glacial dispersal patterns of Northern pike inferred from an 8800 year old pike (Esox cf. lucius) skull from interior Alaska

Wooller

Gaglioti

Fulton

et al. 2015

Quaternary Science Reviews

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a b s t r a c tThe biogeography of freshwater fish species during and after late-Pleistocene glaciations relate to how these species are genetically organized today, and the management of these often disjunct populations. Debate exists concerning the biogeography and routes of dispersal for Northern pike (Esox lucius) after the last glaciation. A hypothesis to account for the relatively low modern genetic diversity for E. lucius is post-glacial radiation from refugia, including lakes from within the un-glaciated portions of eastern Beringia. We report the remains of a Northern pike (E. cf. lucius) skull, including bones, teeth, bone collagen and ancient DNA. The remains were preserved at a depth of between 440 and 446 cm in a 670 cm long core of sediment from Quartz Lake, which initiated at~11,200 cal yr BP in interior Alaska. A calibrated accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon age of the collagen extracted from the preserved bones indicated that the organism was dated to 8820 cal yr BP and is bracketed by AMS values from analyses of terrestrial plant macrofossils, avoiding any potential aquatic reservoir effect that could have influenced the radiocarbon age of the bones. Scanning electron microscope images of the specimen show the hinged tooth anatomy typically of E. lucius. Molar C:N (3.5, 1s ¼ 0.1) value of the collagen from the specimen indicated well-preserved collagen and its mean stable nitrogen isotope value is consistent with the known predatory feeding ecology of E. lucius. Ancient DNA in the bones showed that the specimen was identical to modern E. lucius. Our record of E. lucius from interior Alaska is consistent with a biogeographic scenario involving rapid dispersal of this species from glacial refugia in the northern hemisphere after the last glaciation.

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“…), it is important to understand how turbidity may affect continued stocking efforts to establish tiger muskellunge (Lepak et al. ; Koenig et al. ; Sorel et al.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tiger muskellunge (Northern Pike × Muskellunge) are stocked into aquatic systems throughout North America (Crossman 1986;Wahl et al 2012) to control overabundant or undesirable fish species (Lepak et al 2014;Koenig et al 2015;Sorel et al 2016) or to create sport fisheries (Wahl et al 2012;Sorel et al 2016). Numerous studies have evaluated variables that may affect the survival of tiger muskellunge, including the use of artificial (pellet) versus natural (fish) diets administered prior to stocking (Gillen et al 1981); predation Wahl and Stein 1989); and predator acclimation (Wahl et al 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, no evaluations have been conducted to determine the effects of turbidity on tiger muskellunge foraging ability, which could affect fish survival and stocking success. Because turbidity is an environmental condition found in most aquatic systems (Vanlandeghem et al 2011), it is important to understand how turbidity may affect continued stocking efforts to establish tiger muskellunge (Lepak et al 2014;Koenig et al 2015;Sorel et al 2016). The purpose of this study was to test the effects of turbidity at four levels (Secchi depths of >84 [tap water], 53, 26, and 18 cm) on prey selectivity and foraging return of juvenile tiger muskellunge by using three different prey species (Goldfish Carassius auratus [a surrogate for Common Carp Cyprinus carpio], Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus) that are commonly found in southern U.S. reservoirs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Turbidity on Prey Selection and Foraging Rate of Hatchery‐Reared Juvenile Tiger Muskellunge

Snow¹,

Shoup

Porta³

2018

N American J Fish Manag

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Tiger muskellunge (Northern Pike Esox lucius × Muskellunge E. masquinongy) are stocked into aquatic systems across North America to control undesirable fish species or to create sportfishing opportunities. Because decreased water clarity can affect the poststocking foraging ability of an ambush predator like the tiger muskellunge, we evaluated the effects of turbidity on the foraging success of tiger muskellunge in a laboratory setting. We tested prey selectivity and total prey consumption by juvenile tiger muskellunge at four turbidity levels (Secchi depths of >84, 53, 26, and 18 cm) using three prey species: Goldfish Carassius auratus (a surrogate for Common Carp Cyprinus carpio), Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus. Tiger muskellunge consumed significantly less prey at Secchi depths of 26 and 18 cm than at a Secchi depth of >84 or 53 cm. Selectivity for or against all prey types decreased as turbidity level increased, such that all three prey types had similar neutral selectivity at the highest turbidity level even though Gizzard Shad were positively selected and Goldfish were negatively selected in clearer water. Green Sunfish were neutrally selected at all turbidity levels tested. These results suggest that increasing turbidity levels will negatively impact prey encounters and consumption rates, which likely will reduce growth rates of tiger muskellunge, ultimately reducing fish survival and stocking success.

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Tiger muskellunge predation on stocked salmonids intended for recreational fisheries

Cited by 6 publications

References 26 publications

Migration, growth patterns, and diet of pike (Esox lucius) in a river reservoir and its inflowing river

Migration, growth patterns, and diet of pike (Esox lucius) in a river reservoir and its inflowing river

Post-glacial dispersal patterns of Northern pike inferred from an 8800 year old pike (Esox cf. lucius) skull from interior Alaska

Effects of Turbidity on Prey Selection and Foraging Rate of Hatchery‐Reared Juvenile Tiger Muskellunge

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