Growth and diet of anadromous Arctic charr after their return to freshwater

Abstract – The post smolt of anadromous Arctic charr ( Salvelinus alpinus ) from Lake Storvatn, northern Norway (70°39'48"), continued to feed and grow after their return to freshwater in late summer, but in late autumn (October) both their growth rate and feeding intensity ceased along with the drop in water temperature. In contrast, adult, sexually mature anadromous charr did not appear to feed during their freshwater residency. The stomach fullness of post smolts were similar to that of resident Arctic charr during early autumn, and their diets were similar, being dominated by pelagic prey such as surface insects, Holopedium sp., Bosmina sp. and chironomid pupae. Later in the autumn, the resident charr also included some more benthic prey, in particular gastropods, whereas the post smolts continued to feed predominantly on zooplankton and surface insects, but with a lower stomach fullness than the resident fish. This suggests that after arrival in freshwater, the post smolts continue their pelagic feeding behaviour displayed during the sea-migration.     

The suitability of anadromous Arctic charr as host and vector of the monogenean Gyrodactylus salaris

Abstract –  In 2000, the Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) stock in the river Signaldalselva, North Norway was found to be infected with the monogenean Gyrodactylus salaris (Malmberg). This river system has a multispecies fish community of nine species in total. Low densities of Atlantic salmon parr were found during electrofishing in October (2003) with a prevalence of 94% and a mean abundance of 848 G. salaris. This watercourse also holds a riverine stock of anadromous Arctic charr ( Salvelinus alpinus ), which is not common in Norway. Among the parr of Arctic charr, 64% were infested with an abundance of 23 parasites per fish. The most heavily infected 0+ and 1+ juvenile Arctic charr had 469 and 534 parasites, respectively, indicating that the parasites are able to reproduce on Arctic charr in the wild. There was little variation in the rates of infestation of Arctic charr along the studied stretch of the river, even in areas with very low densities of Atlantic salmon parr. The parr of anadromous Arctic charr seem to be suitable as long-term hosts for G. salaris . Moreover, a few (22%) infested adult sea-running Arctic charr were captured after ascending the river in the autumn, which shows that large fish may also act as carriers of G. salaris . However, no parasites were recorded on potential anadromous Arctic charr before descending during early spring (April 2003 and April 2004). Thus, it is still not clear whether anadromous Arctic charr are able to disperse the parasite between watercourses. So far, it is uncertain whether G. salaris may increase the mortality rates of Arctic charr and thereby be a threat to these unusual occurring riverine anadromous Arctic charr stocks.     

Comparison of growth rate in Atlantic salmon,pink salmon,Arctic char,sea trout and rainbow trout under Norwegian farming conditions

Growth rates of Atlantic salmon, pink salmon, Arctic char, sea trout and rainbow trout were compared under Norwegian farming conditions. During the juvenile, freshwater period, growth was fastest in pink salmon, followed by rainbow trout and Arctic char. Freshwater growth of sea trout and, especially, Atlantic salmon, was slow. After transfer of smolts or fingerling to sea water, Arctic char failed to survive the autumn. Sea water growth of sea trout was slow, but the three species, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon and pink salmon, all grew rapidly through all seasons. When in sea water, rainbow trout and pink salmon were regularly attacked by vibriosis, while Atlantic salmon were rarely attacked, and sea trout never. It is concluded that, for commercial farming in Norway, rainbow trout are of value for production of fish of any size up to 3–4 kg, and pink salmon for production of small fish of 0.5–1.5 kg. Atlantic salmon is the only species suitable for production of a very large salmonid, i.e., more than 4–5 kg.     

The effect of lake morphometry on thermal habitat use and growth in Arctic charr populations: implications for understanding climate‐change impacts

Oxygen stable isotope temperature reconstruction methods were used to estimate mean experienced summer temperatures from growth zones within individual Arctic charr otoliths sampled from lakes with contrasting morphologies but proximate locations. For either lake, otolith‐estimated temperatures were not significantly related to back‐calculated growth. Fish in the smaller lake evidenced an increase in growth with age related to increasing use of cooler thermal habitats, with the use of thermal habitat possibly governed by predation risks. No relationships between age, growth or temperature were observed in the larger lake. Significant negative effects on back‐calculated growth were observed due to increasing air temperatures in the smaller and shallower lake, possibly owing to warmer surface and littoral waters and a limited amount of preferred cool‐water habitat. A similar relationship was not observed in the larger and deeper lake and indicated that resident Arctic charr were not as vulnerable to the impacts of temperature warming, possibly because of better behavioural thermoregulation opportunities in the cooler, deeper lake. Results provide evidence for differing climate‐influenced growth outcomes among proximately located populations, with outcomes likely to depend on the differences among habitats, including lake size and morphometry which may act to influence fish densities in available preferred thermal habitats.     

Lipid energy reserves influence life-history decision of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (S. trutta) in fresh water

Abstract –  Lipid density appears to influence life-history decisions in salmonid fishes. This study shows that parr and smolts of anadromous Atlantic salmon from a south Norwegian river have on average between 30 and 40% higher energy level than corresponding brown trout in spring and summer, which may explain differences in life-history traits between the two species. The higher energy density of young salmon was chiefly due to a 1.8 times higher lipid density in parr and 2.4 times higher lipid density in smolts. The difference was smaller among immature parr in the autumn, with only 1.4 times higher lipid density in salmon than trout. The reason for the decreased difference was probably that the more energy rich salmon parr had attained maturity at the time. Among mature male parr, the somatic energy density was approximately 10% higher in trout than salmon. However, the gonadal energy content was more than twice as high in salmon than in trout. The higher somatic energy allocation in parr of Atlantic salmon probably influences protein growth of the two species in fresh water, and increases the ability of salmon relative to trout to undertake long distance feeding migrations and make large investments in reproduction.     

Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., brown trout Salmo trutta L. and Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.): a review of aspects of their life histories

Abstract – Among the species in the family Salmonidae, those represented by the genera Salmo, Salvelinus, and Oncorhynchus (subfamily Salmoninae) are the most studied. Here, various aspects of phenotypic and life‐history variation of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., brown trout Salmo trutta L., and Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) are reviewed. While many strategies and tactics are commonly used by these species, there are also differences in their ecology and population dynamics that result in a variety of interesting and diverse topics that are challenging for future research. Atlantic salmon display considerable phenotypic plasticity and variability in life‐history characters ranging from fully freshwater resident forms, where females can mature at approximately 10 cm in length, to anadromous populations characterised by 3–5 sea‐winter (5SW) salmon. Even within simple 1SW populations, 20 or more spawning life‐history types can be identified. Juveniles in freshwater can use both fluvial and lacustrine habitats for rearing, and while most smolts migrate to sea during the spring, fall migrations occur in some populations. At sea, some salmon undertake extensive oceanic migrations while other populations stay within the geographical confines of areas such as the Baltic Sea. At the other extreme are those that reside in estuaries and return to freshwater to spawn after spending only a few months at sea. The review of information on the diversity of life‐history forms is related to conservation aspects associated with Atlantic salmon populations and current trends in abundance and survival. Brown trout is indigenous to Europe, North Africa and western Asia, but was introduced into at least 24 countries outside Europe and now has a world‐wide distribution. It exploits both fresh and salt waters for feeding and spawning (brackish), and populations are often partially migratory. One part of the population leaves and feeds elsewhere, while another part stays as residents. In large, complex systems, the species is polymorphic with different size morphs in the various parts of the habitat. Brown trout feed close to the surface and near shore, but large individuals may move far offshore. The species exhibits ontogenetic niche shifts partly related to size and partly to developmental rate. They switch when the amount of surplus energy available for growth becomes small with fast growers being younger and smaller fish than slow growers. Brown trout is an opportunistic carnivore, but individuals specialise at least temporarily on particular food items; insect larvae are important for the young in streams, while littoral epibenthos in lakes and fish are most important for large trout. The sexes differ in resource use and size. Females are more inclined than males to become migratory and feed in pelagic waters. Males exploit running water, near‐shore and surface waters more than females. Therefore, females feed more on zooplankton and exhibit a more uniform phenotype than males. The Arctic charr is the northernmost freshwater fish on earth, with a circumpolar distribution in the Holarctic that matches the last glaciation. Recent mtDNA studies indicate that there are five phylogeographic lineages (Atlantic, Arctic, Bering, Siberian and Acadian) that may be of Pleistocene origin. Phenotypic expression and ecology are more variable in charr than in most fish. Weights at maturation range from 3 g to 12 kg. Population differences in morphology and coloration are large and can have some genetic basis. Charr live in streams, at sea and in all habitats of oligotrophic lakes, including very deep areas. Ontogenetic habitat shifts between lacustrine habitats are common. The charr feed on all major prey types of streams, lakes and near‐shore marine habitats, but has high niche flexibility in competition. Cannibalism is expressed in several cases, and can be important for developing and maintaining bimodal size distributions. Anadromy is found in the northern part of its range and involves about 40, but sometimes more days in the sea. All charr overwinter in freshwater. Partial migration is common, but the degree of anadromy varies greatly among populations. The food at sea includes zooplankton and pelagic fish, but also epibenthos. Polymorphism and sympatric morphs are much studied. As a prominent fish of glaciated lakes, charr is an important species for studying ecological speciation by the combination of field studies and experiments, particularly in the fields of morphometric heterochrony and comparative behaviour.     

Evidence for spatial coherence in time trends of marine life history traits of Atlantic salmon in the North Atlantic

A hierarchical Bayesian life cycle model is presented that considers spatial covariation of marine life history traits of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations in the North Atlantic. The model is based on a collective analysis of the dynamics of 13 stock units (SUs) from two continental stock groups (CSGs) in North America and Southern Europe in a single hierarchical model over the period 1971–2014. The model sets up a new assessment framework for Atlantic salmon stocks. It also provides a framework to investigate the drivers of changes in Atlantic salmon population dynamics including disentangling the effects of fisheries from those of environmental factors in a hierarchy of spatial scales. It is used to test the hypothesis of a strong spatial synchrony in marine life history dynamics of Atlantic salmon populations. The trends in two key parameters associated with the early marine phase of the life cycle are estimated: (i) the marine survival during the first summer–autumn spent at sea and (ii) the proportion of fish maturing after the first winter at sea. The results provide evidence of a decline in the marine survival together with an increase in the proportion of fish that mature after the first winter at sea, common to all SUs. Our results show an increased coherence in the covariations of trends in these two marine life history traits related to geographic proximity of SUs which support the hypothesis of a coherent response of geographically proximate Atlantic salmon populations that likely share similar migration routes.     

Culture du saumon de l'Atlantique Salmo salar en eau salée dans l'estuaire du St-Laurent,Québec (Canada) avec hivernage en eau douce

On most of the eastern coast of Canada, the seawater is too cold during the winter to keep the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar continually. The authors therefore reared salmon in the St Lawrence estuary during the summer of 1983 and during the winter transferred them to the aux Outardes river and subsequently to a fish rearing station. They were put back in seawater the following summer until the fall of 1984. In 1983, a group of salmon, used for comparison, was reared in freshwater only. Starting with a mean weight of 43 g, an average weight of 1·28 kg after 17·3 months and a mean instantaneous growth rate of 0·64 % day⁻¹ were reached. The fish in seawater showed a better growth, ratio of feed to flesh conversion and rate of survival than the fish in freshwater. Despite a low survival of 32 %, it is concluded that the rearing of Atlantic salmon in seawater involving a wintering in freshwater is technically and biologically feasible. The heavy mortalities and the low growth can be explained by the fact that the fish were underfed at the beginning of the experiment.     

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Brittany and Lower-Normandy: Preliminary Observations on the General Characteristics of Adults

This paper presents some characteristics (length, weight and age) of adult Atlantic salmon in rivers of Brittany. The data were derived from 1,578 fish caught mainly by rod and line; the remainder being from net catches in estuaries and small samples taken outside the fishing season. The bulk of the fish spent 1 or 2 years in freshwater before smoltifying. Those fish becoming smolts at the end of 1 year were the most numerous (54%). The majority of the fish sampled were spring fish (82.4%). Very few summer fish were identified and those found were mainly grilse. The high proportion of spring fish in the sample is due to the high proportion of rod-caught fish. Probably a complete census over the year would show a larger proportion of grilse and summer fish as these are not subject to heavy rod-fishing the season being closed at the beginning of June. The relationship between sea age and river age and the influence of freshwater life upon the sea life were tested in four rivers. It seems probable that sea life depends chiefly on the river and the year of smoltification rather than on the freshwater stage. The biometric characteristics of Brittany salmon were compared with data from some foreign rivers. The angling exploitation of the spring Atlantic salmon in Brittany and the lack of data about summer migrations are discussed in regard to the future of this stock.     

Temperature–growth patterns of individually tagged anadromous Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus in Ungava and Labrador,Canada

Individual measurements of annual, or within‐season growth were determined from tag‐recaptured Arctic charr and examined in relation to summer sea surface temperatures and within‐season capture timing in the Ungava and Labrador regions of Eastern Canada. Differences between two years of growth (2010–2011) were significant for Ungava Bay Arctic charr, with growth being higher in the warmer year. Growth of Labrador Arctic charr did not vary significantly among years (1982–1985). Regional comparisons demonstrated that Ungava Arctic charr had significantly higher annual growth rates and experienced warmer temperatures than Labrador Arctic charr. The higher annual growth of Ungava Bay Arctic charr was attributed to the high sea surface temperatures experienced in 2010–2011 and the localised differences in nearshore productivity as compared to Labrador. Within‐season growth rates of Labrador Arctic charr peaked in June, declined towards August and were negatively correlated with the length of time spent at sea and mean experienced sea surface temperatures. A quadratic model relating growth rate to temperature best explained the pattern of within‐season growth. Collectively, results suggest that increases in water temperature may have profound consequences for Arctic charr growth in the Canadian sub‐Arctic, depending on the responses of local marine productivity to those same temperature increases.     

Feed intake,growth and osmoregulation in Arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus (L.), transferred from freshwater to saltwater at 8°C during summer and winter

The purpose of the current study was to examine seasonal changes in seawater tolerance and growth performance of anadromous Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) held at the same temperature (8°C) during winter and summer. Charr (20–27 cm), previously reared in freshwater under natural photoperiod, were transferred either directly (DT) from freshwater to seawater (35 ppt), from freshwater to brackish water (20 ppt), or were gradually adapted (GT) to seawater over a period of 10 days. Control fish were held in freshwater. Feed intake and osmoregulatory ability were then monitored on three occasions during the following 59 days. Two experiments were carried out, one during winter (December–January) and the other during summer (June–July). In both experiments fish mortality was low. Plasma osmolalities recorded in fish transferred to seawater were within normal ranges, but osmolalities on day 10, were significantly lower in summer (313 mOsm/kg (DT), 328 mOsm/kg (GT)) than in winter (323 mOsm/kg (DT), 352 mOsm/kg (GT)). In winter, feed intake and growth rates were high in fish kept in fresh and brackish water, but charr transferred directly to seawater ate little and lost weight. Fish that were gradually adapted to seawater occupied an intermediate position. During summer the observed differences in feed intake were small and all fish had relatively high growth rates. These results suggest that Arctic charr display seasonal changes in feed intake and growth performance that parallel seasonal changes in hypoosmoregulatory capacity. The ability to survive and hypoosmoregulate in full strength seawater does not, however, seem to be a particularly good indicator of successful seawater adaptation with respect to the ability to display high rates of feed intake and growth. During winter, a gradual transfer to seawater appeared to lead to improved feeding and growth compared to direct transfer.     

Habitat and food choice of Arctic charr in Linnévatn on Spitsbergen, Svalbard: the first year-round investigation in a High Arctic lake

Abstract –  Habitat and diet of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) were studied by monthly sampling from late autumn to early summer in Linnévatn, Svalbard (78°3'N, 13°50'E). This is the first year-round study of a population of charr in the High Arctic, with samples being taken every 5–7 weeks. The ice cover lasted for more than 9 months, from mid-October to late July, with the greatest thickness in mid-May. Although most charr occupied the littoral zone during winter, the highest densities in April and October were found in the deeper areas (20 m) of the lake. The fish fed at all times of the year, but the number of stomachs with food and the stomach-filling indices were lowest during the darkest part of the season. The diet of smaller charr (<15 cm) varied strongly with season, showing a dominance of zooplankton in late autumn and chironomids in winter (larvae) and summer (pupae). The food choice was in accordance with the density of food items available. Larger fish (≥15 cm) were mostly cannibalistic during the entire year.     

Apparent digestibility of macro‐nutrients and phosphorus in plant‐derived ingredients for Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar and Arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus

Alternative protein sources for aquafeeds need to be indentified in order to increase the efficiency of production. Many studies have examined terrestrial plant meals/protein concentrates as alternatives. Recently the focus has turned to aquatic protists and plants as well as by‐products from other industries, such as breweries. Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, and Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, were fed diets containing canola meal, soybean meal, corn gluten meal, soy protein concentrate, barley protein concentrate, and solar dried algae included at 30% of the test diet. Barley protein concentrate had the highest apparent protein digestibility values for both species (96.3% for Atlantic salmon and 85.1% for Arctic charr), followed by corn gluten meal. Algae had the highest organic matter digestibility value for arctic charr (80.1%) while corn gluten meal had the highest organic matter digestibility value for Atlantic salmon (88.4%). Algae had a high energy apparent digestibility coefficient (82.4 salmon, 82.7 charr) along with corn gluten meal (78.5 salmon, 82.7 charr) for both species. In general, Atlantic salmon had higher apparent digestibility coefficients compared to Arctic charr for most of the tested ingredients. Both corn gluten and barley protein concentrate appear good candidates as alternative protein sources with both species.     

Changes in levels of GnRH in the brain and pituitary and GTH in the pituitary in male masu salmon,Oncorhynchus masou,from hatching to maturation

Levels of two types of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (salmon GnRH and chicken GnRH-II) in the brain and pituitary, and content of gonadotropin (GTHIβ and IIβ) in the pituitary were measured in male masu salmon from hatching to gonadal maturation for three years in order to clarify the involvement of GnRHs in precocious maturation. Underyearling precocious males were distinguishable in summer of year 1 and were marked by an increased GSI. Spermiation was observed among these individuals thereafter every autumn. Pituitary GTHIβ content in both precocious and immature males, and GTHIIβ content in precocious males showed seasonal fluctuations — high in autumn and low in winter. Pituitary GTHIIβ content was low in immature males. Pituitary sGnRH content in precocious males increased from spring to autumn during the three-year period. sGnRH concentrations in discrete brain areas showed seasonal changes — high during autumn to winter and low in summer. Concentrations in the olfactory bulbs and hypothalamus increased significantly in association with testicular maturation during year 3. sGnRH concentrations in the hypothalamus were significantly higher in precocious males than in immature males; this was possibly due to positive feedback of steroid hormones. cGnRH-II was undetectable in the pituitary and no distinct changes were observed in its concentration in the brain in relation to maturation. The phenomenon of underyearling precocious maturation is considered to be triggered before the onset of early summer. It is suggested that males which mature precociously are larger in size and contain much sGnRH in the pituitary before the outward signs of precocity appear; sGnRH may stimulate GTH II synthesis and induce precocious maturation.     

Seasonal adjusted diets to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): Evaluations of a novel feed based on heat-coagulated fish mince, fed throughout 1 year in sea: Feed utilisation, retention of nutrients and health parameters

The present paper reports the results of a 1 year experiment using Atlantic salmon with a starting weight of 1.7 kg, and final weight of 7.4 to7.8 kg dependent of diet group. The experiment aimed to evaluate a direct production method of feed where landings from fishing vessels are used directly in feed processing. The dietary compositions followed the natural rhythm in lipid level of the catches of herring in the North Sea (Catch group) adjusted to be stable throughout one season only, and compared to a control diet (constant composition throughout the year) and a designed diet (opposite to the natural biorhythm of salmon lipid stores) (diet group Design). Four seasons were defined: spring (March, April, May), summer (June July August), autumn (September, October, November), winter (December, January, February). All diets varied in protein and lipid due to the adjustment according to season. The experiment was run in triplicate sea cages for each diet, using natural light and temperature regimes (21°N). All diet groups showed equal growth throughout each season, except for the Catch group during autumn showing lower SGR-values. SGR values varied significantly also between seasons for all diet groups, ranging from 0.29 during spring to 0.81 during autumn. Feed conversion ratio varied dependent on season and the dietary protein to energy ratio, at all seasons except winter. Quite a large variation between diet groups and seasons were registered in condition factor. Whole body lipid varied between seasons, as a consequence of dietary lipid levels, and increased as fish weight increased. After autumn growth only, whole body protein levels were significantly lower in the Catch group compared to the two other diet groups. Muscle lipid levels did not vary as a consequence of fish size alone, but varied substantially between seasons in both the Catch and Control groups, but not in the Design group. Muscle alpha-tocopherol and fatty acid profile varied due to diet in spring and autumn seasons, but with minor variations due to diet in summer and winter periods. Only minor influences from diet were registered in liver and heart compositions. Haematological parameters and plasma nutrient values ranged within normal values for salmon, and together with close to no mortality throughout the experiment, fish health was concluded to be good in all diet groups at all seasons. However, plasma asparagine aminotransferase (ASAT) values were quite high during summer and autumn, especially in the control group. These results point to the need of optimizing antioxidant composition of diets during the summer and early autumn season. Overall results show the possibility to obtain acceptable production results when feeding Atlantic salmon a diet adjusted to each season, as long as the fish protein to energy (P:E) requirements are met, further that total body lipid stores varied more than muscle lipid concentrations, and that the lipid levels were highly dependent on season, diet composition and fish size.     

Feed-growth relationships of Arctic charr transferred from freshwater to saltwater at different seasons

Groups of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), originating from an anadromous stock, were transferred directly from freshwater to seawater (35 S), from freshwater to brackish water (20 S), or were gradually adapted to seawater over a period of 10 days. A control group was kept in freshwater. Feed intake and growth were then monitored during the following 59 days. Two experiments were carried out, one during winter (December–January) and the other during summer (June–July). Water temperature was maintained at 8 C. All fish had been held under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions from the end of the first feeding period (mid-April) until the experiments were carried out. Rates of growth did not differ between the groups of charr held in fresh- and brackish water, but growth of these groups was better than that of fish reared in seawater. Relationships between individual feed intake (FI) and individual specific growth rates (SGR), within groups were expressed as: ln (SGR+1) = a + ln (FI+1), and regression lines were compared using analysis of covariance. In winter, the regression line for fish transferred directly to seawater had a significantly steeper slope, and a lower elevation, than the lines for fish transferred to brackish water or held in freshwater. Fish transferred gradually to seawater had an intermediate position. In summer, the regressions for all groups were parallel with intercepts in the seawater groups being significantly lower than in the freshwater group. This indicates that the gross feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in Arctic charr was lower in seawater than in freshwater. The results are discussed in relation to digestion, gut function and osmoregulation. yc]Keywords xc]Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.)) xc]Feed utilization xc]Salinity xc]Season     

Assessing the food web impacts of an anadromous Arctic charr introduction to a sub‐Arctic watershed using stable isotopes

Anadromous Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), was introduced to a sub‐Arctic river–lake system near the village of Kujjuuaq, Nunavik, and the stable isotope values and diets of key resident fish species were used to assess changes in feeding patterns. Stable isotope values for most species did not differ significantly between the pre‐ and post‐introduction periods, with observed shifts being within the bounds of expected natural variation. Lake chub, Couesius plumbeus (Agassiz), were the single species to show a difference between study periods, with a small but significant increase in δ¹⁵N. No significant post‐introduction changes were seen in lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), omnivory or in any of the assessed quantitative food web metrics. Gut contents of major fish species similarly showed significant temporal overlap between the pre‐ and post‐introduction periods, and there was no significant change in species' weight–length relationships. The minor ecological impact was interpreted in relation to the availability of open niches exploitable by ecological generalists such as Arctic charr. The explanation accords with the known habitat and feeding flexibility of Arctic charr and the ecological immaturity of sub‐Arctic lakes known to have driven adaptive variation among Arctic charr. Findings suggest that anadromous Arctic charr may be introduced at moderate densities to other sub‐Arctic watersheds without major negative food web consequences for other resident fish species.     

The potential of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), for mariculture

There would appear to be considerable potential for Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), to be cultured in marine conditions in countries where coastal winter salinity is below oceanic, and temperatures remain above freezing. Sea lochs on the west coast of Scotland represent one such environment where freshwater run-off leads to depressed salinities (20-30 practical salinity units) and the North Atlantic Drift leads to winter sea water temperatures typically around 6-8^oC.     

The influence of physical watercourse parameters on the degree of anadromy in different lake populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.)) in northern Norway

The influence of physical watercourse parameters on the degree of anadromy was studied in 15 lake populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.)) in northern Norway. The anadromy of the different populations was scored based on the following criteria; marine parasites. fish length and length at maturity. There were significant negative correlations between the anadromy scores and both the length of the outlet rivers of the different lakes and a migration barrier index for the different watercourses (combining migration distance and water velocity). It is hypothsized that these correlations were due to differences in energy expenditure for charr during upstream migration and/or differences in predation pressure on charr during river migration. Short rivers with relatively high water velocity seem to be the most preferable conditions for the anadromous life-history strategy. There were no correlations between the degree of anadromy and mean river slope or minimum summer water discharge.     

Comparative feeding, growth and movements of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr from riverine and estuarine environments

Abstract– The diet composition, movcments and growth of Atlantic salmon parr rearing in the estuary of Western Arm Brook, Newfoundland were compared with those of parr from riverine habitats over 2 years. Estuarine parr consumed a variety of prey, including many freshwater taxa (mainly insects), which indicated a dependence on freshwater drift from the river. Prey of estuarine origin (amphipods and sticklebacks) were increasingly consumed between spring and autumn. Prey volume per fish and number of prey per fish increased significantly for estuarine parr between spring and autumn, suggesting an improvement in food availability. Riverine parr, however, realized a general decrease in both parameters between spring and autumn. The recapture of 16% ( n = 131) of the 829 parr marked in the estuary in 1987 and 1988 indicated a directed movement toward the head of the estuary and river mouth, as also suggested by the diet analysis. Parr from outer estuary sites were very mobile compared with parr from the estuary site closest to the river mouth, which behaved more like parr in the river proper in displaying strong site fidelity. Movement patterns of parr were primarily along the shoreline. Individual growth rates were highly variable in both environments but especially in the estuary. The mean growth of estuarine parr was 0.23 mm. d⁻¹ between May and October with some evidence of fastest growth having occurred in late spring and early summer (approx. 0.4 mm. d⁻¹); mean growth rate of riverine parr was slower, at 0.12 mm. d⁻¹. The results are discussed in the context that estuarine rearing by salmon parr represents an alternative life-history tactic for the species in river systems in eastern Canada.