Young-of-the-year fish assemblages as an alternative to adult fish monitoring for ecological quality evaluation of running waters

0342464 - ÚBO 2011 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Jurajda, Pavel - Slavík, O. - White, S.M. - Adámek, Zdeněk
Young-of-the-year fish assemblages as an alternative to adult fish monitoring for ecological quality evaluation of running waters.
Hydrobiologia. Roč. 644, č. 1 (2010), s. 89-101. ISSN 0018-8158. E-ISSN 1573-5117
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LC522
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519
Keywords : 0+ Fish * Water Framework Directive * Rivers * Biological quality element
Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour
Impact factor: 1.964, year: 2010

This study describes disadvantages of monitoring river health using adult fish in Czech Republic, which has widespread stocking of many fish species and to suggest the alternative strategy of young-of-the-year (YOY) fish monitoring for assessing river ecological quality regardless of the effect of stocking or river size. We conclude that even though YOY sampling is often a more logical and practical approach to water quality monitoring under specific conditions, no method is perfect and caution should be taken. The suitable time for sampling YOY fishes in late summer is much shorter than for the adult fish community, and therefore must be considered when designing a successful monitoring strategy. Monitoring of YOY fishes does not provide direct information about age structure of fish populations, which is required by WFD. YOY sampling is a useful-albeit imperfect-method for providing a sensitive response to ecological status of rivers, especially under specific stocking conditions.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0185195