Performance of a bioenergetics model to predict growth of young-of-year walleye and saugeye

Aquaculture operations seek to maximize production of fish biomass per unit cost; however, production of biomass typically varies both within (e.g., among hatcheries) and among years. To better understand factors leading to variability in biomass production of fingering walleye (Sander vitreus) and saugeye (walleye ♀ x sauger ♂, S. canadensis) in Ohio percid hatcheries, we used a bioenergetics modeling approach. Using a previously developed model for larval and juvenile walleye, we 1) evaluated its performance at predicting observed growth and consumption of both walleye and saugeye fry and fingerlings in the hatchery, and 2) conducted simulations to evaluate the relative importance of prey production and temperature in driving differential percid production between two Ohio (Senecaville and Hebron) hatcheries during 2002-2008. Ultimately, we discuss limitations in the use of the extant walleye bioenergetics model to estimate percid growth and consumption, as well as the value of bioenergetics-based modeling as a tool for aquaculture production planning.