Abstract
In small experimental ponds, the stocking of 5–10 fry/m2 of northern pike Esox lucius yielded 0.9–2.6 young/m2 after 50 days in April‐May. A similar numerical density of young (0.9–4.0/m2) was attained by stocking one northern pike female and two males per pond in February and harvesting the fish in May. In the latter case, the stocking rate corresponded to an average egg density of about 60 eggs/m2. The two methods also provided comparable biomasses of juveniles (41 and 52 kg/hectare averages, respectively). Higher stocking densities might improve production by both methods, but the use of natural spawning may provide a less difficult and expensive—yet equally effective—means of producing young northern pike in small ponds, compared with traditional fry‐stocking procedures.

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