  To investigate possible errors, length-weight parameters from FishBase.org
were used to graph length-weight curves for six different species: channel
catfish, black crappie, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, flathead catfish, and
lake trout along with the standard weight curves (Anderson and Neumann 1996,
Bister et al. 2000). Parameters noted as doubtful by FishBase were excluded.
For each species, variations in curves were noted, and the minimum and maximum
predicted weights for a 30 cm long fish were compared with each other and with
the standard weight for that length. For lake trout, additional comparisons
were made between the parameters and study details reported in FishBase.org for
6 of 8 length-weight relationships and those reported in the reference
(Carlander 1969) for those 6 relationships. In all species studied, minimum and
maximum curves produced with the length-weight parameters at FishBase.org are
notably different from each other, and in many cases predict weights that are
clearly absurd. For example, one set of parameters predicts a 30 cm rainbow
trout weighing 44 g. For 30 cm length, the range of weights (relative to the
standard weight) for each species are: channel catfish (31.4% to 193.1%), black
crappie (54.0% to 149.0%), largemouth bass (28.8% to 130.4%), rainbow trout
(14.9% to 113.4%), flathead catfish (29.3% to 250.7%), and lake trout (44.0% to
152.7%). Length-weight tables at FishBase.org are not generally reliable and
the on-line database contains dubious parameters. Assurance of quality probably
will require a systematic review with more careful and comprehensive methods
than those currently employed.
