Factors affecting the population viability of the burbot,Lota lota

Abstract Population viability analysis (PVA) is a frequently used conservation tool for the assessment of long‐term survival of populations. Based on demographic information from published literature, a PVA model using VORTEX was constructed for the burbot Lota lota (L.), a freshwater fish species believed extinct in the United Kingdom since the 1970s. The model was constructed to evaluate the persistence of a single burbot population over a 100‐year period as part of an assessment of the feasibility of reintroducing the species to rivers of its former distribution in England. Population persistence was highly variable and dependent on juvenile survival and spawning regularity. Under high juvenile survival scenarios, all populations persisted and were maintained at the carrying capacity. At low juvenile survival, population persistence was highly influenced by spawning regularity. Sensitivity analysis indicated that females must successfully spawn approximately every second year to guarantee 95% population survival. The analysis suggests that the long‐term viability of any potential reintroduced burbot population will be dependent on the environmental conditions related to spawning success.