SIZE CHARACTERISTICS OF FISH FROM ANGLERS’ CATCHES IN THE KAKHOVKA RESERVOIR

Purpose: To determine the size composition of anglers’ catches in major fishing gears in the Kakhovka reservoir. Methodology: The work is based on ichthyological material obtained from anglers’ catches and commercial catches in gill nets with mesh size 36?120 mm during 2011?2013 in the upper and middle parts of the Kakhovka reservoir. Data collection and processing have been carried out based on generally accepted methods. In total, 7775 fish from 455 day anglers’ catches as well as 18165 fish from commercial catches for 6435 net-days have been analyzed during the study period. Statistical data processing was carried out in MS Excel. Findings: In the Kahovka reservoir, 76.96% in the anglers’ catches is by-catch of juvenile fish and this exceeds the respective value in commercial fisheries (5.97%). Catches from boats are characterized by the largest mean size of fish ? 19.27 cm as well as the maximum body length ? 74 cm, however, the by-catch of juvenile fish is the highest among the examined angling techniques ? 77.26%. The largest amounts of juvenile fish are caught during winter period. Among popular hook and line gears, leger rigs catch the lowest percentage of juvenile by-catch (58.61%) compared to float fishing (96.79%). The degree of the relationship between the fish caught and hook size is small and characterized by a correlation coefficient from 0.33 (for summer fishing) to 0.56 (for ice fishing). Originality: A complex assessment of size characteristics of major targets of recreational fishing with the most common techniques and fishing gears has been carried out for the first time for a Ukrainian water body. Practical value: It was found that the anglers’ catches consist mainly of fish, which did not reach the minimum legal sizes set by Fishing rules and allowed for angling. Measures for conservation of fish juveniles when practicing recreational fishing have been proposed.