DOI: DOI: 10.2478/cjf-2025-0009
Short communication, Note
FIRST RECORD OF NORTHERN PIKE ESOX LUCIUS (ACTINOPTERYGII: ESOCIFORMES: ESOCIDAE) IN KUTI LAKE AREA (MALA NERETVA)
2025, 83 (2) p. 87-91
Jure Jurinović, Vesna Pilić, Kruno Bonačić, Mario Prečanica, Oliver Barić
Abstract
This paper describes the first record of northern pike, Esox lucius (Linnaeus, 1758) - a non-native fish species in river Neretva – Kuti Lake; a small lentic system situated in south-eastern part of Neretva Delta in Croatia. A single specimen was captured in the lake on November of 2024. The origin of the introduction is not known, but it was reported by local fishermen that the pike was present in the catch in the previous years. Therefore, it is important to access the aboundance of the species and determine wether a self sustaining population is present in the area.
Keywords
northern pike, alien species, Mala Neretva river, fish introduction, first record