PhD candidate Cory Becher along with Stu Ludsin and Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW) colleagues recently published a paper in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management entitled, Alternative Prey Reduces Largemouth Bass Predation Mortality on Newly Stocked Channel Catfish Fingerlings.

The ability to stock fingerlings instead of yearlings, however, could benefit fisheries management agencies by lowering the costs associated with hatchery production. Not having to overwinter Channel Catfish in hatchery ponds would not only save personnel time and lower feed expenses, it would open more space in the hatchery for production of other fishes.

Becher, C., S.M. Tyszko, R.D. Zweifel, J.D. Conroy, J.J. Pritt, and S.A. Ludsin. 2021. Alternative prey reduces largemouth bass predation mortality on newly stocked channel catfish fingerlings. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41(5): 1322-1333. doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10647