Low-effort regression estimation of daily ration in young walleye, Stizostedion vitreum

• Published in: Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences Vol. 55; no. 9; pp. 2058 - 2066
• Main Author: Madon, Sharook P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa, Canada NRC Research Press 01.09.1998; National Research Council of Canada; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; Diet; Fish; Food; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Perca flavescens; Pisciculture; Stizostedion vitreum; Vertebrate aquaculture; Walleye (Fish); Freshwater environment; Breeding pond; Vertebrata; Animal feeding; Food intake; Regression model; Stizostedion vitreum; Pisces; Estimation; Daily variation; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0706-652X; 1205-7533
• DOI: 10.1139/f98-085

I used a low-effort regression approach to estimate daily rations of pond-reared age 0 walleye, Stizostedion vitreum (16.0-37.2 mm total length). The regression model predicted average 24-h food mass () from two or three consecutive point estimates of food mass (Ft) in fish guts taken at a sampling interval of 3 h. Predicted values were multiplied by gastric evacuation rates and by 24 h to yield daily ration estimates. Accuracy tests of the low-effort regression model for age 0 walleye based on resampling revealed that 93-100% of predicted values fell within 2 SEs of observed values determined from nine fish collections over 24 h. The age 0 walleye regression model provided estimates of daily ration that were within the 95% confidence intervals around observed daily ration values for conspecifics in an independent test pond (this study) and in other distinct pond systems. The age 0 walleye regression model also provided estimates of daily ration that were within the 95% confidence intervals around five out of seven observed daily ration values for age 0 lake yellow perch, Perca flavescens, also a diurnal feeder like walleye. The model reliably provided estimates of daily ration for fish that were 1.5-4.5 times the mean wet weight of the largest fish included in the model's domain.