Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A contribution to the knowledge of the stunted growth of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in Holland

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The stunted growth of the Dutch perch was studied. To calculate the age and former growth the winterrings of the scales were used. The excellent growth of perch in some parts of Holland in contrast to the bad growth reported by foreign authors is discussed. It is pointed out that the latter growth may be ascribed to the existence of false winterrings, from which one can get rid by dipping the scales in a HCl-solution.

It appeared that the initial growth of the stunted perch up to about 13 cm is good. The stunted growth afterwards must be ascribed to a shortage of prey-fish. Especially the smelt seems to be very important. As, however, in Holland young roach are abundant it seems incomprehensible why these cannot serve for suitable perch-food. To investigate this problem the conduct of hunting perch was studied in an aquarium.

The results of the aquarium-experiments were in agreement with the change in food-diet at a certain length discussed by other authors; also with the assumption that middle-sized perch do not prey upon smaller congeners.

Concerning the preying upon roach it became clear that a single perch will scarcely or not succeed in seizing a roach. The hunting is accomplished by cooperation in open water stretches. Amidst plants perch does not hunt. Hence the stunted growth of perch in Holland must be ascribed to the many plants in Dutch waters, between which the roach may easily escape hunting by perch.

A short comparison of prey-sizing by wels, pike pike-perch and perch is made.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alm, G., 1946. Reasons for the Occurrence of stunted Fish-Populations. Rep. Swedish State Inst. Freshwater Fish. Res., Drottningholm, no 25.

  • Brouwer, A. B. Verslag over de Visserij gedurende het Jaar 1930. Verslagen en Mededelingen van de Afdeling Visserij en vat het Departement van Binnenlandse Zaken en Landbouw, no 17, The Hague, 1931.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geyer, F. and H. Mann, 1939. Limnologische und fischereibiologische Untersuchungen am Ungarischen Teil des Fertö. Arb. des Ungar. Forsch. inst. 11: 64–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havinga, B., 1945. Rapport betreffende de Visscherij en den Vischstand op het IJsselmeer. Unpublished.

  • Hartley, P. H. T. The coarse Fishes of Britain. 12th Sci. Publ. Freshwater Biol. Brit. Empire. Ambleside, Westmorland, 1947.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartley, P. H. T. 1947-'48. The natural History of some British freshwater fishes. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 117: 129–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leskien, J., 1942. Beitrag zur Biologie des Stintes (Osmerus eperlanus L.). Z. Fischerei 40: 49–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marre, G., 1931. Fischereiwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen über die Grundlage der Stintfischerei im Kurischen Haff. Z. Fischerei 29: 443–512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohr, E., 1924. Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte des Barsches und des Kaulbarsches. Mitteil. Zool. Staatinst. u. Zool. Mus. Hamburg 40: 79–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • — Stint (Osmerus Artedi) Handbuch der Binnenfischerei III, Lf. 7, Stuttgart, 1941.

  • Neahaus, E., 1934. Studien über das Stettiner Haff und seine Nebengewässer III. Untersuchungen über den Zander. Z. Fischerei 32: 599–634.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuhaus, E., 1936. Studien über das Stettiner Haff und seine Nebengewässer IV. Untersuchungen über die Plötze. Z. Fischerei 34: 63–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikolsky, G., 1945. The principal problems of the modern ichthyology. Bull. Soc. Nat. Moscou, Sect. Biol. 50, (5–6): 12–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nümann, W., 1939. Untersuchungen über die Biologie einiger Bodenseefische in der Uferregion und den Randgebieten des freien Sees. Z. Fischerei 37: 637–688.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ottestad, P., 1938. On the Relation between the Growth of the Fish and the Growth of the Scales. Rapp. et Proc. Verb. 108: 23–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redeke, H. C., 1921. Voorlopig Verslag over Onderzoekingen betreffende de slechte Groei van Baars in den Geestmerambachtpolder. Verslagen Inst. Biol. Visserij-onderzoek, 1920: 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • —1925. Rapport aan den Minister van Binnenlandsche Zaken en Landbouw betreffende de maat op baars. Unpublished.

  • Röper, K. C., 1936. Ernährung und Wachstum des Barsches (Perca fluviatilis L.) in Gewässern Mecklenburgs und der Mark Brandenburg. Z. Fischerei 34: 567–638.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segerstråle, C., 1933. Über scalimetrische Methoden zur Bestimmung des linearen Wachstums bei Fischen. Acta Zoologica Fennica 15.

  • Svetovidov, A., 1929. To the Question of Age and Growth of Perch, Rudd and Pike from the Lake Krugloe. Rev. Zool. Russe 9, (4): 21–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willer, A., 1926. Untersuchungen über den Stint (Osmerus eperlanus L.) in Ostpreussen. Z. Fischerei 24: 521–558.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Government Institute for Fishery-Research, Holland

    C. L. Deelder

Authors
  1. C. L. Deelder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Deelder, C.L. A contribution to the knowledge of the stunted growth of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in Holland. Hydrobiologia 3, 357–378 (1951). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00045560

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00045560

Keywords

Search

Navigation