Assessment of Potential Yield and Sustainable Management of Burbot, Lota lota (L.1758), in the Upper Heilongjiang River, China, Based on Population Parameters

We evaluated growth, mortality, and resource utilization of burbot, <i>Lota lota</i>, in the upper reaches of Heilongjiang River, China. The population has experienced significant decline, and, despite substantial recovery, concerns regarding resource management have arisen. A total of 638 specimens collected from October 2022 to October 2023 were used to calculate the relationship between body length and weight, which ranged from 107 to 529 mm and from 8.91 to 1474.17 g, respectively. FAO FiSAT II software was used to estimate population parameters based on body length frequency distribution of the samples. The calculated progressive body length value and the growth coefficient were 551.25 mm and 0.16, respectively. The natural mortality rate of burbot is 0.31 a^-1. Assuming a total mortality rate of 0.41 a^-1, the estimated current exploitation rate is 24.39%. Total biomass (94.76 t) and maximum sustainable yield (14.69 t) were estimated based on length-structured virtual population analysis. Burbot, of the upper reaches of Heilongjiang River, is a fast-growing fish that is well-suited to the ecology of the investigated area. The current research yielded suggestions for utilization of resources to ensure the preservation of the species, as well as the development of the local economy.