The use of oxytetracycline marking to monitor stocking success of walleye fry in eastern Manitoba

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Date
2015
Authors
Groening, Laura D.
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Abstract
Walleye fry stocking is common practice but success is rarely monitored. Use of oxytetracycline (OTC) can be used as a marking tool to identify stocked fish from naturally produced fish and determine stocking success. Through a series of experiments, parameters in the marking methodology were assessed for their effect on mark quality and retention of the mark over time. Mark quality was improved by marking fry at three days post hatch. Water source also significantly affected OTC mark quality. The use of powdered OTC produced higher quality marks than the use of liquid OTC. Retention of OTC marks was related to the quality of the OTC mark. Electrofishing surveys conducted on five lakes found high recruitment (>80%) among stocked walleye on two lakes, with more 40% recruitment on a third lake. This study found that stocked walleye fry were successfully recruited into the age 0+ year class.
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Keywords
walleye, fish stocking, oxytetracycline
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