Effect of Population Density on Gillnet Catchability in Four Allopatric Populations of Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)

Abstract

The gillnet catchability of allopatric brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations was studied in four Norwegian high-mountain lakes, with large differences in population densities. The number of fish and the length composition of the populations were estimated by mark–recapture. The catchability coefficient and the catch per unit effort were described by power functions, and the catchability was inversely related to number of fish present. An important fisheries management implication is that brown trout populations with low densities are more vulnerable to gillnets than populations with high densities. Furthermore, the use of gillnet catches as an estimator of brown trout population density will be biased.