USE OF A FLOATING PUMP TO COLLECT AND TRANSFER LIVE ZOOPLANKTON AS FOOD FOR PERCID LARVAE REARED IN NET CAGES

A system for transfering live natural zooplankton to net cages contain ing percid larvae is described. The construction of this system is bas ed on a net cage system routinely used for coregonid larvae. The pump transferred zooplankton in proportion to zooplankton density in a lake and can be adjusted depending on fish size and stocking density. A fl oating pump transferred up to 55% of available zooplankton to a rearin g cage. The percentage of zooplankton groups in the control cage and i n the pumping water was similar. Zoo-planktonic organisms were not dam aged by the pump.