(Stizostidion vitreum) to Otsego Lake: an executive summary

In June and July 2000, Otsego Lake was stocked with 80,000 Oneida Lake strain pond fingerling walleye (Stizostidion vitreum) averaging 48mm in total length (TL) (range= 32-56mm) with the primary goal ofre-establishing walleye to the lake. The yearly stocking ofthis number of walleye will continue to at least 2003. It is expected that walleye will forage primarily upon alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) , which are now the dominant planktivore (Warner, 1999) following their introduction to Otsego Lake in 1986 (Foster, 1989). Walleye pond fingerling stocking is preferred over fly as alewives consume walleye fly and small fingerlings «34mm TL) often on the first strike (Brooking et ai, 1998). BFS involvement relates to monitoring to ascertain the potential establishment of the walleye population and for changes that may result from trophic cascade effects (Cooke et al., 1993) brought about by reduced planktivory, leading to increased grazing upon algae, following a reduced alewife population.