<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Most research to date on the status of the river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis L. in Latvia has been done based on catch statistics data. The aim of this study was to explore the present status of the river lamprey fishery in Latvia to improve the understanding of catch statistics data. Currently, river lamprey fishing in Latvia is carried out at 24 fishing grounds located on 17 rivers. The most popular fishing gear is the lamprey fyke net, but lamprey weirs and lamprey trammel nets are also used. The type and design of the fishing gear depends on the parameters of the fishing ground. The catch size is highly variable and is greatly affected by the number of non-resources related circumstances, such as fishing regulations and meteorological factors determining the intensity of lamprey migration during the fishing season and opportunities for fishing during periods of the most intense migration. The fishing effort and the type of fishing gear have also largely changed since the 1960s and 1970s. Therefore, the fluctuation in both the long- and short-term catch data may not correspond to changes in the actual status of the lamprey population.</p></abstract>

Most research to date on the status of the river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis L. in Latvia has been done based on catch statistics data. The aim of this study was to explore the present status of the river lamprey fishery in Latvia to improve the understanding of catch statistics data. Currently, river lamprey fishing in Latvia is carried out at 24 fishing grounds located on 17 rivers. The most popular fishing gear is the lamprey fyke net, but lamprey weirs and lamprey trammel nets are also used. The type and design of the fishing gear depends on the parameters of the fishing ground. The catch size is highly variable and is greatly affected by the number of non-resources related circumstances, such as fishing regulations and meteorological factors determining the intensity of lamprey migration during the fishing season and opportunities for fishing during periods of the most intense migration. The fishing effort and the type of fishing gear have also largely changed since the 1960s and 1970s. Therefore, the fluctuation in both the long- and short-term catch data may not correspond to changes in the actual status of the lamprey population.

River lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis L., fishery in Latvia – insight into the origin of catch statistics data

Fish Resources Research Department, Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR” Daugavgr̄vas iela 8, Riga, LV-1048, Latvia

Fisheries & Aquatic Life

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Most research to date on the status of the river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis L. in Latvia has been done based on catch statistics data. The aim of this study...

River lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis L., fishery in Latvia – insight into the origin of catch statistics data

Published Online: Nov 05, 2014

Page range: 169 - 179

Received: Feb 24, 2014

Accepted: Jul 09, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aopf-2014-0017

© Archives of Polish Fisheries

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.