Fish length exclusively determines sexual maturation in the European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus species complex

Abstract

The probability that a fish matures at a certain age and length (the so-called probabilistic maturation reaction norm, PMRN) was analysed for a European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus species complex population living in the Austrian pre-alpine Lake Irrsee. Fish length was found to be the only relevant determinant of maturation probability, and females matured at slightly smaller sizes than males.

Keywords: biphasic growth; pre-alpine lake; probabilistic maturation reaction norm; recreational fishery.