Post-release mortality of bonefish, Albula vulpes, exposed to different handling practices during catch-and-release angling in Eleuthera, The Bahamas

Abstract  Bonefish, Albula spp., are popular sportfish that inhabit shallow nearshore environments in tropical and subtropical seas. Although catch and release is a common voluntary practice for anglers seeking bonefish, the post-release fate of bonefish is poorly understood. Gastrically implanted acoustic transmitters were used to assess the short-term (<48 h) and long-term (>48 h) post-release mortality of bonefish, Albula vulpes (Linnaeus), in Eleuthera, The Bahamas, subjected to gentle handling (quick retrieval, 0–15 s of air exposure and brief handling time) or rough handling (longer retrieval, 30–60 s of air exposure and extended handling time). Of the 12 fish captured and released, one was preyed upon by two lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey), within the first hour post-release, and this fish was handled roughly. The transmitter from another bonefish was found on the substratum 2 days post-release near the site at which the fish was originally caught. Of the remaining 10 fish, all were tracked and alive for at least 13 days and up to 24 days, suggesting that the negative impacts of catch-and-release angling that lead to mortality for bonefish likely occur within minutes post-release.     

A mail survey to estimate the fishery dynamics of southern Florida's bonefish charter fleet

Abstract Bonefish, Albula vulpes (L.), support an economically important recreational fishery in southern Florida, USA that has received little scientific study and has never been adequately assessed. A mail survey of 322 captains that comprise the southern Florida bonefish charter fleet was conducted to acquire a baseline understanding of the primary fishery statistics. The response rate was 59% and a follow‐up telephone survey of non‐respondents indicated no non‐response bias. Experience in the fishery ranged from 3 to 61 years. The annual fishing effort was 30 875 boat days. The majority of the fleet fishing effort occurred in the northern Florida Keys and is presumed to reflect bonefish abundance. The instantaneous mortality rate of released fish was 0.11 year^?1. The majority of the respondents indicated that the bonefish stock had declined over the past decade.     

The influence of hook size, type, and location on hook retention and survival of angled bonefish (Albula vulpes)

Bonefish (Albula spp.) support a circum-tropical sport fishery in which anglers predominantly release angled fish. The influence of hook location, size, and type on hook retention, post-release feeding ability and survival were evaluated. Overall, 46% of bonefish held in large holding tanks expelled hooks within a 14-day observation period. Hooks located in the lip were expelled 2.6 times more frequently than hooks located in the gut. Barbless hooks were expelled 3.9 times faster when located deep in the oral cavity compared to barbed hooks, but there was no difference in expulsion rates among barbed and barbless hooks in shallow-hooked fish. For the two hook sizes studied, hook size had no impact on hook expulsion rates or duration of hook retention regardless of hook location or type. The presence of a hook had no significant effect on weight change, indicating the presence of a hook did not impede feeding ability. No post-release mortality was observed for bonefish during the short duration of this study. Leaving a difficult to remove hook in a bonefish is recommended to increase the likelihood of post-release survival, especially in cases where the threat of bonefish predators is high.     

An evaluation of the injury and short-term survival of bonefish (Albula spp.) as influenced by a mechanical lip-gripping device used by recreational anglers

Mechanical lip-gripping devices are becoming popular among recreational anglers as a means of holding fish for hook removal and photos prior to release in an effort to minimize scale or slime loss from handling. To date, however, there has been no actual evaluation of the consequences of using such a device on the health and survival of the fish. Using wild adult bonefish (Albula spp.) as the test organism, we assessed the impact of a commonly used mechanical lip-gripping device on fish injury, behavior, and survival in a seawater laboratory. Upon further review, this sentence would be more accurate if it read “A detailed assessment of injury and short-term (<48 h) mortality was conducted for bonefish handled with a mechanical lip-gripping device for 30 s either while being restrained horizontally in water or held vertically in the air. A control group was also handled, but only with bare hands. Although no fish died after 48 h, the lip-gripping device caused mouth injuries to 80% of bonefish restrained in the water and 100% of bonefish held in the air, always when fish thrashed while being held. Some of the injuries were severe (40%) and included separating the tongue from the floor of the mouth, creating tears and holes in the soft tissue of the lower jaw, and splitting the mandible. Anglers should use caution when using mechanical lip-gripping devices for bonefish, at least until additional studies are conducted to help tease apart how the risk of injury using mechanical lip-gripping devices on less exhausted individuals compares to the risk of post-release mortality for fish exercised to exhaustion.     

Population dynamics of roundjaw bonefish Albula glossodonta at a remote coralline Atoll inform community‐based management in an artisanal fishery

Fisheries management requires knowledge on the population dynamics of exploited stocks. To that end, the present study used a mark–recapture approach to characterise the population demographics of roundjaw bonefish Albula glossodonta (Forsskål) and their interaction with a data‐limited fishery on Anaa Atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia. Over the course of the study, 2,509 bonefish were tagged and 12.3% were recaptured. The L_∞ of bonefish was estimated at 71 cm fork length (FL) with a K of 0.17, based on changes in FL between capture events. Artisanal fish traps located in the migratory corridors of the atoll accounted for 94% of recaptures and these movements occurred during the waning moon. Fishing mortality increased as bonefish reach sexual maturity, recruiting to the trap fishery at age 4 with the onset of spawning behaviour. Bonefish abundance between ages 3 and 5 was estimated to be 29,079 individuals. This case study demonstrated the utility of mark–recapture in filling knowledge gaps that impede the management of data‐limited fisheries. Ultimately, these results supported the creation of an Educational Managed Marine Area and the resurgence of rahui (seasonal closure) to manage this fishery.     

The Effects of Live and Artificial Diets on Feeding Performance of Cultured Winter Flounder,Pseudopleuronectes americanus,in the Wild: Survival,Feeding, Growth,and Nucleic Acid Analyses

This research, which is part of a larger study designed to assess the feasibility of winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, stock enhancement in New Hampshire, identifies hatchery feeds that optimize feeding‐related performance of fish once released in the wild. Fish reared on post‐nauplii of brine shrimp, Artemia sp., white worms, Enchytraeus albidus, common burrower amphipods, Leptocheirus plumulosus, and formulated pellets were evaluated post‐release from in situ cages using survival, growth rate, feeding onset and incidence, stomach fullness, diet composition, and nucleic acid‐based condition as indicators of hatchery diet suitability. Amphipod‐reared fish had the highest mean stomach content index of all feed types, including wild fish. Wild and worm‐reared fish exhibited the most similar survival, overall stomach fullness, and diet composition profiles over time. Amphipod‐reared fish ranked highest in overall performance; however, if wild fish performance is viewed as the ideal for a stocked fish, worm‐reared fish performed optimally. This study describes hatchery feeding strategies that may ease the transition of flatfish released into the wild for stock enhancement.     

西藏鱼类增殖放流初报

西藏土著鱼类生长缓慢、性成熟晚并对环境变化高度敏感。近年来,受过度捕捞、水利工程建设等人类活动的影响,西藏渔业资源面临越来越大的压力。开展增殖放流活动是恢复当地渔业资源和生态平衡的重要手段。本文介绍了西藏鱼类增殖放流概况、苗种来源、放流实施、效果评估情况,分析了目前存在的基础研究不足、苗种来源不稳定、缺乏技术规范、效果评估有待加强等问题。提出了加强增殖放流基础设施建设和基础理论研究、建立西藏鱼类增殖放流与效果评估技术规范、重视放流后的管理与评估工作、加强专业技术人才队伍建设的建议。     

Forecasting the genetic influences of red drum stock enhancement in South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) began stocking red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus (Linnaeus), in 1989 to augment the abundance of juveniles available for recreational harvest in South Carolina estuaries. While stock enhancement can help supplement wild populations under high fishing pressure, releasing hatchery‐raised fish into the wild also presents the risk of decreased genetic diversity. An individual‐based model (IBM) was developed to forecast the genetic influences of stocking on the wild spawning population to inform responsible stocking strategies. Model results indicated the SCDNR red drum stock enhancement programme should maintain mean contributions of stocked fish no greater than 30% per year class over a 45‐year stocking period, coupled with at least 10 effective breeders in the hatchery replaced annually, to maintain current levels of genetic diversity estimated in the wild population. The IBM is a useful tool for hatchery managers to guide responsible stock enhancement.     

Economic,ecological and genetic impacts of marine stock enhancement and sea ranching: A systematic review

Hatchery release is one of the most popular management tools in fisheries, forestry and wild life management, while its negative impacts on wild populations are a global concern. Research and monitoring of its impacts are generally lacking, and the usefulness of hatchery release for fisheries and conservation objectives is unclear. Here, I evaluated positive and negative impacts of worldwide marine stock enhancement and sea ranching programmes in a systematic review associated with meta‐analyses with the goal of reducing bias of the review. Vast numbers of individuals of more than 180 species are released into the wild each year, but most studies are at experimental stages to assess its potential, and empirical studies are sparse for evaluating the impact on fishery production. Most cases are economically unprofitable except for a few successful cases or unevaluated. The effects of releasing juveniles can be dwarfed by the magnitude of natural recruitment when the spawning stock produces much larger recruitment than released juveniles. Density‐dependent growth caused by competition of food can be substantial, and growth rates of hatchery and wild fish and other competitive species can simultaneously be reduced when stocking exceeded the carrying capacity. Relative reproductive success can vary depending on the species, seed quality and environmental factors. Empirical studies show evidence of substantial gene flow from hatcheries, but fitness reduction in stocked populations has not been reported. The results represent the current state of worldwide marine stock enhancement and sea ranching activity and provide key information for growing fields of artificial propagation and conservation.     

Association with Underwater Structures in Hatchery-reared and Wild Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus Juveniles

Behavioral observations were conducted with red snapper juveniles to improve release strategies for stock enhancement of this species. Association with an underwater structure was compared between hatchery-reared and wild juveniles using video recording. Both hatchery-reared and wild fish tended to stay inside the structure in the daytime and outside it at night. Hatchery-reared fish spent longer periods inside the structure in the daytime, hut showed less association with the structure at night compared to the wild fish. We concluded that association behavior is innate but can be fine-tuned through experience.     

Fish stress and mortality can be predicted using reflex impairment

Fish stress and mortality can be significant problems in both capture and culture operations. In addition to inexpensive and real-time metrics, ones that are simple to use are also desirable for measuring fish stress and predicting mortality. Current methods to define stress rely on expensive, laboratory-based measurements of changes in fish pathology such as disease, necropsy and histology, in physiology such as plasma cortisol, lactate, glucose and ions and in complex behaviour determined from swimming, feeding and predator evasion. All of these methods are often not rigorously linked to fitness outcomes. An alternative is to observe reflex impairment as a direct sign of stress which can be easily and rapidly measured in free swimming or restrained fish responding to peripheral stimuli such as gravity, light, sound and touch. Reflex impairment is correlated with stress and mortality outcomes, eliminating the need for prolonged holding or monitoring of fish. A few examples of reflexes that may be impaired include orientation, startle responses, fin erection, body flex upon restraint, operculum and mouth clamping or gaping, gag response and vestibular–ocular response. Reflex impairment combines the effects of stressors and their interactions and is not dependent on fish size, motivation states and acclimation which make it a consistent sign of stress across a wide range of stressor types and fish ages. Use of reflex impairment to measure stress and predict mortality would significantly improve monitoring of fish health and welfare in many types of field operations such as commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, live transport, stock enhancement and tagging.     

Significance of Habitat and Stock Re-Testing for Enhancement of Natural Fisheries: Experimental Analyses with Queen Conch Strombus gigas

The queen conch Strombus gigas is a large, commercially important gastropod mollusc native to the Caribbean region that has become severely depleted because of overfishing and habitat destruction. Over the last 10 yr attempts have been made to rehabilitate conch stocks through releases of hatchery-reared stocks, but successes have been few. Some of the reasons for high mortality in hatchery-reared conch are elucidated by recent experiments conducted at Lee Stocking Island in the central Bahamas.
Field experiments with juvenile queen conch indicate that sites with similar depths, sediments, and macrophyte cover do not provide equivalent food and shelter for conch. Transplants of conch were successful only in sites known to be historically significant as nursery grounds. While small-scale transplants can be used to screen potential outplant sites, only comprehensive understanding of the habitat requirements, behavior, feeding ecology, and predator-prey relationships will lead to long-term enhancement of fishery stocks. Differences in morphology, behavior, and habitat utilization between wild and hatchery-reared stocks also had significant effects on the survivorship and growth of outplanted stock. Therefore, hatcheries must develop culture methods that do not reduce the natural fitness of wild stock. Successful enhancement of natural fisheries through outplanting of hatchery-reared stocks depends upon: 1) development of hatchery animals sufficiently well adapted to survive in the field; and 2) release of the stock in suitable habitats at the optimal time. Close linkage between laboratory and field research, and hatchery operators will he necessary for the ultimate success of stock enhancement efforts.     

Weaning methods using formulated feeds for snakehead (Channa striata and Channa micropeltes) larvae

The culture of snakehead fish (Channa striata and Channa micropeltes) in Vietnam is limited, and snakehead culture has been banned in Cambodia, because traditional practices include capture of fingerlings from the wild as seed, as well as capture of small‐size (also known as trash fish or low‐value) fish. As hatchery breeding technology has improved, we investigated the optimal weaning practices for these two species. Both laboratory experiments and farm trials were conducted. For C. striata, the optimal weaning procedure is to begin at 17 days after hatch (dah) and wean the fish at 10% replacement of live feed with formulated feed per day. However, for C. micropeltes, the optimal procedure is to wait until 40 dah to begin weaning and then to wean the fish with a 10% replacement of live feed with formulated feed every 3 days. These results should enable farmers to domesticate snakehead culture in Vietnam and Cambodia and eliminate reliance on fish captured from the wild as both seed and feed.     

Morphological conditioning of a hatchery-raised invertebrate,Callinectes sapidus,to improve field survivorship after release

For recruitment-limited, severely depleted fishery stocks, stock enhancement may become an important technique in the return of population sizes to sustainable levels. Aquaculture-reared individuals, however, may face some disadvantages upon release into the wild due to differences between natural conditions and the hatchery. The goal of this study was to test whether field survivorship of hatchery-raised blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, could be improved by simple conditioning steps, taking advantage of phenotypic plasticity in certain traits. This species is currently the focus of a preliminary stock enhancement program in the Chesapeake Bay. Results indicate that unconditioned hatchery crabs had lower survivorship than wild crabs in the field and differed in carapace color and lateral spine length. Both traits were plastic. Carapace color was changeable within 1–2 days, without a molt, upon the exposure of crabs to new substrates. However, colors within the range produced in this study did not significantly affect survivorship in a field or a laboratory experiment. Change in spine length required exposure to predators for 1–4 weeks. Exposure to fish predators resulted in increased spine length, though exposure to adult blue crabs had no significant effect. Crabs with lengthened spines had significantly higher survivorship in both laboratory and field experiments, suggesting that this feature may be one on which to focus large-scale conditioning efforts. Results of this study suggest a level of phenotypic plasticity that may contribute to the blue crab's ability to take advantage of multiple estuarine habitat types. On a more applied level, results of this study suggest that at least some deficiencies in hatchery-raised organisms can be alleviated and would likely lead to improved success and efficiency of stock enhancement efforts. Similar studies on other hatchery-raised invertebrates and finfishes may also lead to improvements in their enhancement programs.     

Inland fish stock assessment: Applying data‐poor methods from marine systems

Inland fisheries can be diverse, local and highly seasonal. This complexity creates challenges for monitoring, and consequently, many inland fish stocks have few data and cannot be assessed using methods typically applied to industrial marine fisheries. In such situations, there may be a role for methods recently developed for assessment of data‐poor fish stocks. Herein, three established data‐poor assessment tools from marine systems are demonstrated to highlight their value to inland fisheries management. A case study application uses archived length, catch and catch‐per‐unit‐effort data to characterise the ecological status of an important recreational brown trout stock in an Irish lake. This case study is of specific use to management of freshwater sport fisheries, but the broader purpose of the paper was to provide a crossover between marine and inland fisheries science, and to highlight accessible data‐poor assessment approaches that may be applicable in diverse inland systems.     

日本鹿儿岛湾真鲷的资源评估和增殖策略

通过世代分析对1990年至2002年鹿儿岛湾真鲷（Pagrus major）自然种群和放流种群的种群大小进行了评估,评估模型考虑了渔业资源管理和增殖放流措施。结果表明放流种群的规模有所减少,而自然种群的规模维持不变。真鲷自然种群的捕获量日趋减少,而放流种群的捕获量已超过50吨。研究结果表明增殖700000—800000尾真鲷种苗与其50吨的捕捞量相协调。在各种捕获量和放流量情况下,采用种群动力学模型预测了2017年真鲷的捕获量,其结果表明提高放流真鲷的数量能增加其捕获量。     

大水面鳜增殖放流技术及效果评估研究进展

鳜(Siniperca chuatsi Basilewsky)是淡水生态系统中的顶级捕食者, 也是我国传统的渔业对象。多年来由于人类活动的过度干扰导致现阶段湖泊、水库等大水面鳜自然资源衰退严重。增殖放流作为水生生物资源养护和恢复的重要措施在世界各国大量开展。近年来针对鳜增殖放流开展了一系列基础性研究工作, 切实提高了鳜增殖放流的综合效益。本文综述了基于合理放流规格、放流时间、放流地点和放流数量的鳜增殖放流技术, 从经济效益、 生态效应、社会效益 3 个方面系统阐述鳜增殖放流效果评估研究的最新进展, 并对该领域未来的研究方向进行了展望, 以期为我国大水面鳜增殖放流工作提供借鉴和参考。     

Comparative susceptibility among three stocks of yellow perch,Perca flavescens (Mitchill), to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus strain IVb from the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes strain of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus IVb (VHSV‐IVb) is capable of infecting a wide number of naive species and has been associated with large fish kills in the Midwestern United States since its discovery in 2005. The yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), a freshwater species commonly found throughout inland waters of the United States and prized for its high value in sport and commercial fisheries, is a species documented in several fish kills affiliated with VHS. In the present study, differences in survival after infection with VHSV IVb were observed among juvenile fish from three yellow perch broodstocks that were originally derived from distinct wild populations, suggesting innate differences in susceptibility due to genetic variance. While all three stocks were susceptible upon waterborne exposure to VHS virus infection, fish derived from the Midwest (Lake Winnebago, WI) showed significantly lower cumulative % survival compared with two perch stocks derived from the East Coast (Perquimans River, NC and Choptank River, MD) of the United States. However, despite differences in apparent susceptibility, clinical signs did not vary between stocks and included moderate‐to‐severe haemorrhages at the pelvic and pectoral fin bases and exophthalmia. After the 28‐day challenge was complete, VHS virus was analysed in subsets of whole fish that had either survived or succumbed to the infection using both plaque assay and quantitative PCR methodologies. A direct correlation was identified between the two methods, suggesting the potential for both methods to be used to detect virus in a research setting.     

The influence of risk factors on the abundance, egg laying habits and impact of Argulus foliaceus in stillwater trout fisheries

Fishery managers perceive the ectoparasitic crustacean, Argulus foliaceus to be a cause of significant economic loss through reduced fish capture rates. This study investigates the influence of previously identified risk factors on the abundance, egg laying habits and impact of this parasite through a longitudinal study of five trout fisheries of varying management intensity. Low water clarity, slow stock turnover and high temperatures showed a significant association with a high abundance of A. foliaceus. High infection levels, low water clarity and low temperature were also associated with reduced rates of fish capture, suggesting abundance of A. foliaceus alone may not affect the catch rates. Depth of egg laying varied in each site throughout the study, increasing in depth as temperature and water clarity increased. Eggs were found to be most abundant in natural fish holding areas and it is hypothesized that the location of egg laying is determined by the habitat usage of host fish.     

基于渔业资源群落结构稳定性对崂山湾增殖放流种类甄选的设想

合理选择增殖放流种类是实施增殖放流的首要环节,也是确保增殖放流效果的前提条件。以恢复自然生态系统为目标的增殖放流种类甄选是未来的研究重点。本研究采用数量与生物量累积曲线法（ABC曲线）,通过分析2013—2015年春季和夏季崂山湾鱼类与游泳生物群落结构的稳定性,探讨增殖放流品种的甄选,研究发现：（1）2013—2015年春季和夏季崂山湾鱼类群落结构都相对简单,稳定性差,基本处于扰动状态;（2）2013—2015年春季和夏季崂山湾游泳生物群落结构较鱼类群落结构相对复杂,稳定性较好,基本处于稳定状态;（3）崂山湾鱼类与游泳生物群落结构稳定性年度与季度对比发现,双斑蟳（Portunus Trituberculatus）分别在春季和夏季崂山湾游泳生物群落结构中起着重要的维稳作用。总体而言,崂山湾鱼类生物群落结构变化大,相对简单,虾蟹类丰富了该水域的渔业资源,使渔业资源群落结构相对更合理,甄选该海域增殖放流品种时应重点考虑。实践证明青岛市每年春季在崂山湾放流的三疣梭子蟹,增强了该海域夏季游泳生物群落结构的稳定性。本研究方法与研究结果旨在为水产生物增殖放流种类的甄选提供科学参考。