A History of Walleye Stocking: Lessons Learned Over the Past Century

Walleye (Sander vitreus) have been transferred or stocked into North American waters for more than a century.  Currently, almost one billion walleye are stocked into more than 2,000 North American waters on an annual basis.  The historic variability of walleye stocking success can largely be attributed to inappropriate stocking practices.  Stocking success can most directly be linked to habitat suitability and the composition of the resident fish community in the water being stocked. The age and size of walleye stocked should be based on the stocking objective and characteristics of the stocked water.  In most cases, stocking practices should involve the release of cultured walleye at a time when environmental conditions and food availability in the recipient water are optimized.  Stocking over an existing walleye population for supplemental purposes is relatively ineffective.  Walleye stocking will undoubtedly remain a popular management tool but fisheries managers may need to refine their strategies to maximize stocking success