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AUTHORS: Zach Mohr, Fisheries Analysis Center University of Wisconsin Stevens Point; Connie Isermann, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Analysis Center; Daniel Isermann, U.S. Geological Survey Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit
ABSTRACT: Northern pike support popular fisheries across much of their range and estimation of pike population characteristics, including age structure and growth, is an integral component of northern pike management. Fin rays are frequently used by fisheries biologists to estimate the age of northern pike, but not all biologists use fin rays from the same location. We compared ages and between-reader precision estimated from anal, pectoral, and pelvic rays of northern pike collected from three Wisconsin lakes. Fin rays were embedded in epoxy, sectioned using a slow speed saw, photographed under magnification, and assigned ages by two readers. Age bias plots are being used to examine differences in age estimates between fin rays and coefficients of variation are being used to assess between-reader precision.Importance of Research: We need to determine if fin rays collected from different locations provide the same ages for northern pike because choice of fin ray is not consistent among biologists.
