An assessment of burbot ( Lota Iota ) weight - length data from North American populations

• Main Authors: Fisher, Shannon J., Willis, David W., Pope, Kevin L.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 1996
• Subjects: Other Environmental Sciences; Lola; Burbot; lota
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ncfwrustaff/33; https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/ncfwrustaff/article/1032/viewcontent/Fisher_et_al._1996_CJZ74.pdf

Declining buroot (Lola lola) abundance across some portions of North America has prompted a search for additional evaluation tools, including a measure of condition. Weight - length data were compiled for 10293 burbot from 79 North American populations. These data were used to develop a 75th percentile standard weight (W,) equation using the regression-line-percentile technique. The proposed equation is log10 W3 = - 4.868 + 2.898 log10 TL, where Ws is the standard weight in grams, and TL is the maximum total length in millimetres. The equation is valid for burbot ≥20 cm and will allow calculation of relative weights (Wr) for this species. Based on the length of the longest burbot in our data set ( 104.3 cm), we propose minimum standardized length categories of 20, 38, 53, 67, and 82 cm for stock, quality, preferred , memorable, and trophy length, respectively. The standard length categories will allow I determination of mean W, by length group, as well as calculation of stock density indices. Differences in W, values , were present between lentic and lotic burbot populations, suggesting variation in body shape and a need for establishment of different W, objective ranges.