Does boldness explain vulnerability to angling in Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis?

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Fisheries Science

Background:

• Consistent individual differences (CIDs) in behavior can drive evolutionary change.
• CIDs in fish behavior may influence vulnerability to fishing, potentially leading to selection on behavior.
• Understanding these links is crucial for fisheries management and evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if individual differences in boldness predict Eurasian perch vulnerability to angling.
• To determine if angling imposes selection on boldness-indicating behaviors in perch.
• To assess the role of body size in angling vulnerability.

Main Methods:

• Assessed boldness-indicating behaviors in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) through novel arena exploration with predator cues.
• Used individually tagged perch in outdoor pond experiments to measure vulnerability to angling.
• Analyzed behavioral data using principal component analysis to derive a boldness score.

Main Results:

• Perch exhibited repeatable individual differences in boldness-indicating behaviors.
• Individual boldness scores did not predict vulnerability to experimental angling.
• Larger body size was the only significant predictor of capture probability in perch.
• Angling was selective for larger fish but not consistently for bolder fish.

Conclusions:

• Angling in Eurasian perch primarily selects for large body size, not necessarily for boldness.
• The assumption that fishing consistently selects for bolder individuals may not hold true for this species.
• Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay between behavior, size, and fishing selection in fish populations.