Outlooks of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacеpеde, 1802) aquaculture taking into account the adaptation to climate change and the development of recreational fishing and international fishing tourism (a review)

• Main Authors: I. Hrytsyniak, V. Guschin, Yu. Sytnik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Fisheries 2020-03-01
• Series: Ribogospodarsʹka Nauka Ukraïni
• Subjects: largemouth bass; micropterus salmoides; recreation; climate change; aquaculture; recreational fishing; sport fishing; international fishing tourism; investments; adaptation strategy; perspective species
• Online Access: http://fsu.ua/index.php/en/2020/1-2020-51/2020-01-005-027-iggritsinyak-ukr

Purpose. Modern fisheries of Ukraine faces many challenges, among which the adaptation to climate changes as well as the development of recreational fishery and international fishing tourism can be highlighted. The main purpose of the adaptation can be formulated as an improvement of fishery activities due to an increase in average annual temperatures and prolongation of the active growth period of aquatic organisms. Moreover, in the majority of developed countries all around the world, there is a tendency of the transition from perception of fish as a food product to the perception of fish as an object of recreational services. This makes possible to exploit fish stocks more effectively and sparingly, with only a little harm for fish. As a new object of aquaculture that has high adaptive potential to increases in average annual temperatures and takes an important place in recreational fishing across the world, we can consider the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). This fish species, which is native to freshwaters of North America, is currently reared in aquaculture in more than 50 countries, mainly for recreational and sport fishing. The development of methodologies for largemouth bass aquaculture in Ukraine could contribute to more effective fisheries management and to development of recreational fishing services. This in turn would result in income growth to local and general budgets and would contribute to more effective investment raising. Findings. The article contains brief information on the outlooks of reproduction and cultivation of the largemouth bass in Ukrainian aquaculture, ecological and fisheries characteristics of this species with the description of its natural habitats, feeding, growing potential of different age groups, and breeding process in its natural range. Moreover, this review mentions attempts of largemouth bass introduction to Ukrainian water bodies occurred in XІХ-ХХ centuries, and possible reasons of its total and partial failures. Furthermore, this article assesses the potential impact of the largemouth bass on local ichthyofauna and aquaculture conditions, and considers the measures aimed on the prevention of uncontrolled spread of this species during cultivation. Practical value. Information provided in this review can be further used for development of the methodology of largemouth bass aquaculture in Ukraine as well as for popularization of this species for recreational fishing and the development of international fishing tourism.