Pike-perch (Stizostedion lucioperca (L.)) brood-fish are captured from
natural populations just before and during spawning time. One to thre
e spawning pairs are put together with an artificial nest in a net-cag
e. After spawning the eggs attached to the nest are transported to a h
atchery 1 day before hatching begins. The production of newly hatched
fry, 30 million in 1994, is used for fingerling production in ponds wi
th natural food. The production of pike-perch fingerlings in Finland i
ncreased rapidly in the 1980s and reached 10 million fish in 1994. The
fingerlings are stocked into lakes particularly in central Finland, w
here many lakes lost their native pike-perch populations in the 1960s.
In some lakes pike-perch fingerling stockings have been profitable an
d new populations have been established. Experiments on intensive rear
ing of newly-hatched pike-perch fry have not been successful. However,
one-summer-old pond-reared pike-perch fingerlings are being reared in
tensively to provide captive brood fish.