The central role of fish in lake restoration and management

Abstract

The central role of fish in lake restoration and management has a practical purpose: fish are much easier to manipulate than nutrients, phytoplankton and zooplankton, and therefore they are a relatively easy (additional) instrument in restoration and management. The management of the fish stock may be a measure of water quality, of fish stock composition or a measure of both and may vary from very drastic removal of planktivorous and benthivorous fish to a more gradual change in the population by continual predator management and less drastic reduction of inedible prey. For lake restoration, drastic removal is the most efficient in order to obtain clear water and vegetation and a subsequent fish community adapted to this. Continual management will result in a more gradual change and may be more acceptable to the interest of both fishermen and water quality managers.