Long-term changes in commercial fish catches in Lake Mamry Północne (northeastern Poland) on the background of physical, chemical, and biological data [RESEARCH ARTICLE]

Abstract

Lake Mamry Północne, a part of the Great Masurian Lake System in northeastern Poland, is a valuable body of water from environmental, recreational, and economic points of view. The paper evaluates long-term physical, chemical, and biological parameters as well as commercial fisheries data. Nitrogen and phosphorus influx data as well as physical and chemical data indicate that the trophic state of Lake Mamry Północne can be described as moderate from 1967 to 2006, making the lake borderline b-mesotrophic and eutrophic. The lake’s trophic state increased with time, manifesting itself in an increasing concentration of biogenic substances, decreasing water transparency, and worsening oxygen conditions in the hypolimnion. Changes in physical, chemical, and biological parameters generally corresponded with changes in the commercial fish catches of selected species and groups of species indicative of the process of eutrophication.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

A. Wołos [+]
Department of Fisheries Bioeconomics
The Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn
Oczapowskiego 10, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Tel. +48 89 5241045; e-mail a.wolos@infish.com.pl
B. Zdanowski, M. Wierzchowska
Departament of Hydrobiology
The Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn, Poland