Comparisons of Catch and Precision of Pop Nets, Push Nets, and Seines for Sampling Larval and Juvenile Yellow Perch

Abstract

Abstract Abundance estimates of larval and juvenile fish require unbiased and precise sampling techniques. Even if an appropriate sampling technique is chosen, fish abundance estimates can be inaccurate if there is no assessment of the gear precision. Our first objective was to compare catch characteristics of pop nets, push nets, and seines for sampling occurrence, abundance, and size of age-0 yellow perch Perca flavescens in shallow habitats with different vegetation densities. The second objective was to estimate the precision (coefficient of variation (CV)) with which each sampling gear measured larval and juvenile yellow perch abundance. Larval fish were collected in May 2003 via pop nets and push nets, and juveniles were collected in July 2003 via pop nets and seines. Significant differences in yellow perch occurrence and abundance were observed between sampling gears and sampling periods. May occurrence and abundance of larval yellow perch were higher for push nets than for pop nets in open-water h...