Native distribution, introductions and risk screening of Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus 1758) in the freshwater ecosystems of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pike-perch Sander lucioperca is a native species originally present in the Black Sea basin of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the 1990s, it was introduced to the Neretva River and its reservoir system, and since 2009 the species has been recorded in Lake Boračko and Buško Blato Reservoir. The aim of this study is to analyse the distribution of S. lucioperca in Bosnia and Herzegovina based on literature data (1975–2024) and to define areas where the species has been introduced in order to assess the risk of potential invasiveness. The results indicate that S. lucioperca belongs to the high-risk category. Since the same risk ranking has been confirmed in recent studies on aquatic ecosystems in other geographical areas, the conclusion is that pike-perch could soon pose a potential threat to native species and aquatic ecosystems in Bosnia and Herzegovina if mitigation measures are not implemented.