Resumen
White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are anadromous and the largest fish occurring in fresh-water habitats in North America. The largest population is found in the lower Fraser River (LFR), British Columbia, Canada where anglers target the species in a catch-and-release (C&R) recreational fishery. Yet, little is known about the consequences of C&R on these wild fish. Sixty-three angled sturgeon had blood samples taken to assess the physiological stress response relative to fight times. Seven sturgeon were also fitted with acoustic transmitters equipped with accelerometer sensors to assess immediate post-release locomotor behaviour. To understand the relationship between accelerometry and fish behaviour, we calibrated the tags in a lab before deploying them in the field. A physiological stress response was apparent (i.e., increased whole-blood lactate and reduced plasma potassium) and was influenced by fight time. Post-release activity profiles showed a general decrease in activity over time. Post-release displacement was 2–75 m from the release site and all 7 sturgeon were relocated closer to shore. The possible preference we identified for nearshore areas after release should be examined in greater detail in the future as this may lend insight into optimal release locations for white sturgeon. Although C&R mortality rates are low for this species, there is some evidence of transient sub-lethal effects emphasizing the need to refine C&R practices to further improve fish welfare.
| Idioma original | English |
|---|---|
| Páginas (desde-hasta) | 65-75 |
| Número de páginas | 11 |
| Publicación | Fisheries Research |
| Volumen | 214 |
| DOI | |
| Estado | Published - jun. 2019 |
Nota bibliográfica
Funding Information:This work was supported by the Ocean Tracking Network via funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation , and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) . Additional support was provided by an NSERC Discovery Grant to G.T.C. and an NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canadian Graduate Scholarship to M.F.M. S.J.C. is supported by NSERC and the Canada Research Chairs program . We would like to thank E. Stoddard from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, B.C., for sharing his extensive knowledge of the study system and species, and for lending logistical and hands-on help in the field. We thank J. Beardsall, and N. Fowler for assisting with the calibration trials at the US Fish and Wildlife Abernathy Fish Technology Center. We also thank research assistants P. Szekeres and E. Lotto, as well as a number of volunteers, for their help in the field. Thanks to A. Taylor for helping with post-release triangulation, as well as T. Nettles, J. Hills and M. Shimomura for running the plasma assays. A special thanks to T. Nootebos and Y. Bisson of B.C. Sportfishing for field assistance, their expertise navigating the Fraser River watershed, and their dedication to the conservation of white sturgeon. Thank you to E. Stoddard and T. Nelson for reviewing our manuscript before submission. Lastly, we thank two anonymous reviewers and the editor for providing critical feedback to improve our manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier B.V.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Aquatic Science