From supportive stocking to spawning protection: a process-based management framework for conservation of the endemic Ohrid trout (

Supportive stocking is widely used to compensate for perceived recruitment limitations in salmonid populations; however, growing evidence indicates that sustained reliance on artificial supplementation may obscure underlying ecological constraints and fail to ensure long-term population resilience. This challenge is especially pronounced for endemic species with specialized reproductive strategies, such as the Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica Karaman, 1924), an obligate lacustrine-spawning salmonid restricted to Lake Ohrid. This perspective paper proposes a precautionary, process-based management framework that shifts emphasis from stocking-dominated interventions towards protection of natural reproductive processes. The framework integrates key ecological characteristics of the species, including lacustrine spawning, strong spawning-site fidelity and spatially restricted reproductive habitats. It emphasizes protection of spawning grounds and aggregations, adaptive stocking and controlled broodstock management under scientific supervision. In a transboundary ecosystem exposed to habitat disturbance, climate-related pressures and persistent monitoring limitations, the framework further highlights the importance of adaptive governance and coordinated bilateral management. Rebalancing management towards protection of natural reproduction may provide a robust and ecologically grounded pathway for long-term conservation of endemic salmonid populations.