Fecundity and length-weight relationship Pike (Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758) in the Anzali Wetland

The study was carried out to determine fecundity of Pike (Esox lucius L.) in Anzaliwetland and evaluate its relationships with body length and weight. A total of 22female specimens of pike were caught using a gill net from the Anzali wetland inDecember 2012 (at fourth maturation stage). The fork length was measured to thenearest 1 mm and body weight to the nearest 0.1 gram. Following dissection, gonadweight was measured to the nearest 0.001 gram. No significant difference in numberof ovum between anterior, middle and posterior parts of the ovary and left and rightgonads were observed. Therefore numbers of oocytes taken from the middle part theleft gonad were counted and generalized to total ovary weight. The absolute andrelative fecundity (mean± standard error) were 14592.0 ± 2467.1 eggs and 26.05 ±1.78 eggs per gram body weight, repectively. The relations between absolutefecundity and body weight (rP2P= 0.88) and length (rP2P= 0.63) of fish were positivelysignificant and linear (P<0.05). In this study fecundity showed positive correlationwith increase in weight and length.

Keywords:

Reproduction , Fecundity , Pike (Esox lucius) , Anzali wetland