Norfolk Fishing Network 2004 - 2024 - Pike and Their Prey Relationship

The data from numerous sources demonstrate that on stable fisheries there is a weight-to-weight relationship between pikey fish and prey which are available to them. Pike biomasses of 10-13% of that of their available prey have been cited. Using the ratio of 1:10, one can predict that 300lb of prey fish would be able to support some 30lb of pike without any long term adverse effects on the abundance of either type of fish.

This balance is a so-called dynamic equilibrium. It will swing one way or another in response to entirely natural phenomena (such as spawning success or outbreaks of disease). Equally, if the balance swings markedly in favour of one 'side' ecological pressures ensure that, eventually, it will swing back in the other direction.

If this were not the case there would be countless examples of fisheries in which pike have become dominant or have totally eradicated the stocks of prey fish, and this would be a continuing situation on unmanaged waters. There is only one known example of pike eating themselves 'out of house and home' and eradicating their prey.