Final answer:
To estimate the size of the fish population in the lake, we can use the mark and recapture method. Using the given data, the estimated population size is 2758 (rounded to the nearest integer).
Step-by-step explanation:
To estimate the size of the fish population in the lake, we can use the mark and recapture method. In the first phase, 400 fish were captured, tagged, and released. In the second phase, 159 fish were captured, and 23 of them were found to be tagged.
To estimate the population size (N), we can use the following formula:
N = (M * n) / R
Where N is the population size, M is the total number of fish tagged in the first phase, n is the total number of fish captured in the second phase, and R is the number of fish found to be tagged in the second phase.
Plugging in the values, we get:
N = (400 * 159) / 23 = 2758 (rounded to the nearest integer)