Value and structure of fish catches and stocking intensity in lake enterprises before and after fisheries ownership transfer in Poland [RESEARCH ARTICLE]

Abstract

The current report was written using data from the 1973-2004 period regarding fisheries catches and stocking. These data come from management logs for 300 lakes with a total surface area of 116,736 ha. In the 1973-1982 period, the mean annual value of catches for all species of fish was 226.33 PLN ha-1, and this was twice as high as that in the 1995-2004 period (113.77 PLN ha-1). Of stocked species, eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.) (46%), and vendace, Coregonus albula (L.) (17%), dominated the value structure of catches in the first decade, while eel (35%), vendace (15%), pike, Esox lucius L., (11%), and pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (L.) (9%) dominated in the second decade. The mean annual value of stocking material of all species in the 1973-1982 period, which was 385.91 PLN ha-1, was more than 7.5 times higher than that in the 1995-2004 period (50.40 PLN ha-1). This difference was determined by the value of eel stocking. With a share of more than 95%, the value of eel stocking dominated decisively in the first decade. In the second decade analyzed, the value of stocked eel (57%), vendace (15%), and pike (14%) dominated. After eliminating the value of eel catches and stocking, the value of stocking in comparison with the value of catches in the first decade analyzed was barely 15%, while in the second decade analyzed it was almost twice as high at 29%.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:

M. Mickiewicz [+]
Department of Fisheries Bioeconomics
Inland Fisheries Institute in Olsztyn
Oczapowskiego 10, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Tel. +48 89 524 10 65; e-mail: mmickiewicz@infish.com.pl