Selective fishing campaigns of indigenous fish species were conducted in Lake Palić – Sector IV as part of the investment measure of the Biodiversity and Water Protection Lake Palić and Lake Ludaš project during the spring of 2019, as well as at the end of the summer of 2020. Basically, the goal of this measure is to reduce of the population of Prussian carp (babushka), the overpopulation of which significantly endangers the ecological balance.
It was extremely successfully conducted, but apart from that, the realization of this measure created a unique opportunity to analyze the presence, i.e. the number of individuals of indigenous fish species at several locations in a longer period of time. Considering that special trap nets were used to catch Prussian carps, the application of which ensures a high degree of fish survival, all indigenous species, that were caught, were counted and returned to the lake unharmed in the shortest time possible.
Comparing to what was registered during the first and second selective fishing campaigns, except for overpopulated Prussian carp whose number is decreasing, the results of the analysis currently showed that the presence of indigenous species (especially zander, and then carp slightly less) increases in the IV sector of Lake Palić.
Zander (Stizostedion lucioperca)
It lives in rivers and lakes and it is an indigenous predatory fish of the Danube basin. It feeds primarily on fish. Its body is yellow-green in color. 
It is covered with 8 to 12 dashed vertical stripes and elongated in shape with two serrated dorsal fins. His head is relatively large, while his oral cavity along the jaw is filled with sharp teeth with two pairs of distinctive oversized fang teeth. The largest specimens reach the length of over 1 m and weigh up to 15 kg. Their lifespan is about 16 years.
It spawns in spring when the water temperature reaches 12 to 15 ° C, mainly during March and April. It lays its eggs on the nest made by the male and the female, and after laying and fertilizing the eggs on the nest, the male stays there to protect the eggs from deposits and enemies, but the female leaves the spawning ground. The incubation period of the eggs, at the optimal temperature regime, lasts about ten days, and after twenty days, the juvenile fish is 20 mm long and is already capable of devouring the juveniles of other fish species. The female becomes sexually mature in the third year of life, and the male in the second. A fully mature female can have 75-90 thousand eggs per kilo of its weight. The eggs are sticky, pale yellow and 1.1-1.3 mm in diameter.
Zander is an extremely valued fish in gastronomy, but also as a catch among sport fishermen. It can be fished by applying various sport fishing techniques such as using a live fish as a live bait, fish fillets, or many types of artificial baits. The minimum prescribed fish measure in Serbia is 40 cm while the closed fishing season runs from March 1st through April 30th.
Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Just like perch, carp is the best known representative of the Cyprinid family and it belongs to the indigenous species of the Danube basin. 
It feeds on bottom fauna, plant material, but larger specimens feed on small fish, too. Its body is slightly elongated, flattened, covered with large scales and it has one dorsal fin. There are two pairs of barbels above the corner of the mouth, the last of which are considerably longer than the front ones. The largest specimens reach lengths over 1 m and 30 kg.
There are several varieties. The main division is into “wild” and “farm-raised” carp. They differ in body shape and the way they are covered with scales.
They spawn in groups in shallow parts of lakes and floodplains by the rivers, during April and May. The female lays between 200 and 700 thousand eggs whose incubation lasts from 3 to 6 days. It reaches sexual maturity between 2 – 4 years of age.
Carp is a fish that is one of the most common fish dish on the table in this area, i.e. it is practically inevitable. On the other hand, it is extremely important in sport fishing. Primarily, it is fished in depths and on floats, on traditional natural baits, as well as on the modern baits. Carp is especially significant within the sport fishing as a whole considering that there is a special subcategory, the so-called “modern carp fishing”. The commercial importance of carp fishing is very high. It is very popular and developed at all levels (competitions, specialized equipment, etc.).
