Anglers as Predators (short title Predator)

Humans as key predators that shape fish populations in aquatic ecosystems through exploitation and through non-lethal disturbances, such as those arising from noise or catch-and-release practices. In the "Predator" project, we aim to understand how recreational fishing pressure affects the behavior of natural fish populations.

The main questions are
(1) How do top predatory fish in a lake ecosystem behaviourally respond to recreational fishing?
(2) How effective are no-take freshwater protected areas in protecting predatory fish from fishing pressure in lakes?
(3) Will prey fish respond to behavioural changes shown by predatory fish in response to fishing?

To answer these and other questions, we are combining a field-based angling experiment and behavioral assessment using a whole-lake telemetry system. We are studying in two lakes in Brandenburg, where northern pike (Esox lucius) and Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) are the main predatory species. The project is funded by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and by internal funds of IGB and IFishMan.