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2) Determine the effect of size at stocking on susceptability to <br />predation and/or overall mortality. <br />3) Determine if the presence of other forage fish serve as a buffer <br />to predation on squawfish, and if so, which species. <br />4) Determine whether time (season) of stocking influences the rate <br />of squawfish survival. <br />5) Determine the rate of growth of young squawfish while confined <br />in gravel pit ponds. <br />6) Characterize certain biotic and abiotic features of flooded <br />gravel pits in relation to their potential use as rearing ponds. <br />METHODS <br />A detailed outline of methods as well as a more thorough introduction <br />can be found in the formal study proposal included in the Appendix. To <br />fully understand the scope of the project, the reader is encouraged to <br />study the proposal before proceeding with the update of the results. <br />Eight major activities have been or are being conducted to accomplish <br />the stated objectives. These are: <br />1) To select five study ponds based on differences in resident <br />fish community composition and certain physical characteristics. <br />2) To quantify bass populations and alternate forage species <br />present in the ponds. <br />3) To monitor basic limnological features of the ponds. <br />4) To stock 50-150 mm long squawfish into the ponds three <br />different times at a rate of 1250 fish per surface acre. <br />5) To monitor bass food habits through collections of stomach <br />contents before and after squawfish stocking. <br />6) To monitor growth of squawfish while confined in the ponds. <br />7) To remove remaining squawfish by-seining after a given time <br />period for estimating overall survival in the different ponds. <br />8) To conduct controlled laboratory bass feeding studies to <br />determine if bass display a preference for a,certain size <br />of squawfish and whether they prefer squawfish over three other <br />commonly eaten forage fish. <br />RESULTS AND DISCUSSION <br />1. Study Ponds <br />Forty-three ponds were identified as possible-study sites. After visual <br />2