WINTER MORTALITY OF YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR PIKEPERCH (STIZOSTEDION-LUCIOPERCA)

The wintering success of young-of-the-year pikeperches (Stizostedion l ucioperca) was examined in the laboratory during the winter of 1993-19 94. From September to November half the fishes were offered artificial fishfood; the others received plankton with river water. Pikeperch di d not eat the fishfood properly, and poorer condition of the smallest fish fed artificially was reflected in a lower amount of lipid in the whole fish at the beginning of the experiment in November. The autumna l diet played an important role in determining the wintering success e ven when the effect of size was removed. In contrast, feeding during t he experiment did not affect survival. However, feeding fishes had mor e lipid at the end of the experiment in April than starved ones and th eir protein content also increased during the winter.