Release of dissolved free amino acids from biofilms in stream water

We investigated the origin of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) in stream water focusing on biofilms in the river bed by means of incubation experiments in the laboratory. Stones were placed in the Toyohira River, Hokkaido, Japan, for 3 months, allowing formation of biofilms, and then incubated for 24 h in the laboratory at stream water temperature. After incubation, the composition and concentrations of DFAA in the incubation solution and total hydrolyzed amino acids (THAA) in biofilms were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The amount of chlorophyll a (Chl. a) and the number of bacteria were also measured. The DFAA concentration increased greatly in the biofilm incubation solution, but the DFAA composition (mol %) did not change relative to the inception of incubation, where it was similar to stream water. There was no correlation between the increase in DFAA concentration and the THAA concentration, Chl. a amount, or the number of bacteria in biofilms. These results suggest that biofilms are one of the major sources of DFAA in stream water.     

How juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., respond to falling water levels: experiments in an artificial stream

The responses of juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., to an experimentally imposed drop in water level were studied in an artificial stream. In a pilot experiment, 20% of fish which had a feeding station in an area of riffle remained there throughout the period of low water levels. The remaining riffle-dwelling fish moved into areas of deeper water, although not necessarily to the pool nearest their feeding station. Out of the fish which left the area, 89% moved in an upstream direction and 11% moved downstream. In a second experiment, which was designed to look in more detail at this response to de-watering, 95% of riffle-dwelling fish left when the water level dropped and moved into a pool, mostly within the 4-h period after water levels started to fall. Seventy-four per cent of fish which left moved upstream and the remainder moved downstream. There was a strong tendency to leave in an upstream direction as shallow areas began to dry out, and this tendency persisted irrespective of variability in fish size, prior social experience and the size of the home range prior to de-watering. It is suggested that the prior opportunity to explore alternative habitat may be an important determinant of response of riffle-dwelling salmon to a sudden drop in water level.     

Return migration of adult Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in relation to water diverted through a power station

Abstract  The migration of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., returning to the River Suldalslågen, Norway, was studied in relation to redirection of freshwater flow through a power station. The outlet of the power station is situated in the Hylsfjord, a fjord adjacent to the river mouth. Seventy-two salmon were tagged with acoustic transmitters, released in the outer part of the fjord system and automatically recorded when entering the Hylsfjord or the river. Data were collected during one period when the power station was running and two periods when the power station was closed. The release of water from the power station did not greatly attract the salmon during their return migration. Proportions of salmon entering the river or time from release to entering the river did not differ among salmon tagged in the different periods. The salmon were recorded in the Hylsfjord both when the power station was running and closed and there were no differences in number of times, number of days or hours recorded in the Hylsfjord among salmon tagged in the three periods. The only significant difference found among periods was duration of continuous stays in the inner part of the Hylsfjord. This may indicate a slight attraction to the freshwater release, but the difference seems small (1.8 vs. 0.7 h) compared with the time the fish stayed in the fjord system before entering the river (16–85 days).     

Effects of habitat and internal prey subsidies on juvenile coho salmon growth: implications for stream productive capacity

Abstract –  To evaluate the effects of habitat, foraging strategy (drift vs. limnetic feeding) and internal prey subsidies (downstream transport of invertebrate drift between habitats) on fish production, we measured the growth of juvenile coho salmon confined to enclosures in flowing (pond inlets and outlets) or standing water (centre of pond) habitats in a constructed river side-channel. The effects of habitat and foraging strategy on fish growth were mediated primarily through habitat effects on prey abundance. Invertebrate drift biomass was nearly an order of magnitude higher at pond inlets relative to outlets. Drift-feeding coho in inlet enclosures grew 50% faster than drift-feeding coho at pond outlets or limnetic feeding coho in the centre of ponds, suggesting that elevated drift at inlets was sufficient to account for higher inlet growth rates. Forty per cent of prey biomass in stomachs was terrestrial in origin. These results indicate that, in addition to dependence on external terrestrial subsidies, streams with alternating slow and fast water (i.e., pool-riffle) sequences are also characterised by internal prey subsidies based on transport of drifting invertebrates from refuge habitats (high velocity riffles) to habitats more suitable for drift-feeding predators (e.g., pools), which may result in higher maximum fish growth in systems where internal subsidises are large. Restoration of small streams to maximise productive capacity for pool-rearing salmonids will require a better understanding of the length and interspersion of habitats that maximises both internal prey subsidies and available rearing habitat for juvenile salmon.     

Survival and bioenergetic responses of juvenile Atlantic salmon along a perturbation gradient in a natural stream

Abstract – We tested the effects of a pollution gradient on the survival and energetic responses of Atlantic salmon fry stocked in Onondaga Creek, a historic but highly polluted nursery stream. A relatively unperturbed reference stream provided similar physical and thermal gradients that co-varied longitudinally with the pollution gradient in Onondaga Creek, and macroinvertebrate communities provided indices of water quality degradation. Survival, cohort biomass, instantaneous growth rate and growth index of Atlantic salmon were inverse functions of water quality in the perturbed stream. Generally, survival and energetic parameters of Atlantic salmon responded differently to longitudinal gradients in the two streams, indicating that water quality, rather than habitat variation, exerted the strongest control over salmon. Effects were more pronounced during the early summer, possibly because tolerance to such perturbations increases with age or body size. Energetics-related parameters were more sensitive to water quality than were survival-related parameters, indicating that sub-lethal effects of pollution may be detected and quantified by examining energy balances of individuals.     

Diurnal stream habitat use of juvenile Atlantic salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout in winter

Abstract  The diurnal winter habitat of three species of juvenile salmonids was examined in a tributary of Skaneateles Lake, NY to compare habitat differences among species and to determine if species/age classes were selecting specific habitats. A total of 792 observations were made on the depth, velocity, substrate and cover (amount and type) used by sympatric subyearling Atlantic salmon, subyearling brown trout and subyearling and yearling rainbow trout. Subyearling Atlantic salmon occurred in shallower areas with faster velocities and less cover than the other salmonid groups. Subyearling salmon was also the only group associated with substrate of a size larger than the average size substrate in the study reach during both winters. Subyearling brown trout exhibited a preference for vegetative cover. Compared with available habitat, yearling rainbow trout were the most selective in their habitat use. All salmonid groups were associated with more substrate cover in 2002 under high flow conditions. Differences in the winter habitat use of these salmonid groups have important management implications in terms of both habitat protection and habitat enhancement.     

Changes in amino acids and essential fatty acids during early larval rearing of dentex

Samples of fertilized dentex, Dentex dentex, eggs and larvae fed enriched rotifers and Artemia according to standard hatchery procedures were analysed for free, total amino acid and fatty acid contents. Egg free amino acids (53 nmol ind-1) and total lipids (13.5 (g ind-1) levels were considerably reduced in the newly hatched larvae (6.0 nmol and 5.7 (g ind-1 respectively) while the amount of -3 PUFA (Polyunsaturated fatty acid) and 20:4-6 remained unchanged suggesting their possible role as essential fatty acids (EFA) in this species. In general, the changes in pattern of the major biochemical components during early development of dentex was similar to that outlined for other Sparidae species investigated to date. The essential amino acid profile of enriched live food did not show major imbalances when compared to that of dentex larvae. In contrast, the level of docosahexaenoic acid (22:63, DHA) and the DHA:EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, 20:5-3) ratio in larvae given rotifers and Artemia were significantly lower relative to the corresponding values in the unfed larvae.     

Timing of migration and changes in age structure of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in the River Frome, a Dorset chalk stream, over a 24-year period

During the last 24 years, the number of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., migrating up the River Frome has varied between < 1000 and > 4000 fish per annum. Most parr become smolts at age 1+ and there are three main sea ages of salmon returning to the river. Each sea age shows a bimodal pattern of migration in the river. Primary migration times for 3-sea-winter (3SW) fish are spring and autumn, with 2SW fish and grilse (1SW) peaking in summer and autumn. Some 28.4% of 3SW and 6.9% of 2SW fish are previous spawners. Multi-sea-winter fish historically passed over the counter in all months of the year, but recently, their numbers have declined, as have total numbers of fish of all ages. There has been a fundamental change in the age structure of the population, with grilse increasing in proportion over the study period. Photographs of fish, taken for validation of the counter, showed a significant decrease in mean length of grilse, but an increase in mean length for 2SW and 3SW fish. Rod catch data support these findings.     

Incidence of escaped farmed salmon, Salmo salar L., in commercial salmon catches and fresh water in Northern Ireland

External morphological characteristics were used to identify escaped farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in a coastal salmon fishery in County Antrim, Northern Ireland during four fishing seasons and at an adjacent freshwater location (R. Bush) during a 5-year period. Out of a total of 36 326 adult salmon examined in the fishery, 883 (2.4%) were identified as having escaped from sea cages. Annual average values ranged from 0.26% to 4.04% of the fish caught. Occurrence of escapees entering an adult trap in fresh water averaged 0.88%, with a range of 0.13–2.62%, depending on year. No correlation between presence in the marine fishery and in fresh water was evident, the latter year-round figures probably being more indicative of presence of escapees in spawning stocks. Entry to fresh water was significantly later on average for escaped farmed salmon, compared with wild salmon.     

Run timing and migration routes of returning Atlantic salmon in the Northern Baltic Sea: implications for fisheries management

Abstract  Return migration of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., was studied in the Gulf of Bothnia, northern Baltic Sea, by a mark-recapture experiment and catch records from commercial trap-nets. Coastal salmon fishing is regulated by delayed opening of the fishery in consecutive regions based on the assumption that the wild fish migrate before reared ones and the migration is unidirectional and continuous from south to north. Neural network modelling suggested that the migration does not progress linearly from one regulation region to another, but shows variation between origin and sea age among and within regions. Further evidence of the non-linear migration included a noticeable part of salmon on their way to two major estuaries first visiting the northern-most Bothnian Bay before turning back south. Salmon returning to the different homing sites in the north showed no differences in run timing in the southern Gulf whereas the same individual fish showed differences in catch accumulation further north. Run timing estimates indicated only a slight tendency towards earlier migration for wild salmon compared with reared fish.     

Changes in plasma somatolactin levels during spawning migration of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)

Plasma somatolactin (SL) concentrations were examined in chum salmon in relation to gonadal maturation; immature salmon in the Bering Sea at various stages of maturation, and mature salmon during upstream migration caught at the ocean, bay and river. Plasma SL concentrations as well as plasma prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) levels in the immature fish caught in the Bering Sea were maintained essentially at similar levels. Plasma SL in mature salmon increased significantly from the fish in the ocean to the fish in the river in both sexes. Although all the fish had fully developed gonads, females completed ovulation while still in the bay, whereas final spermeation in males was achieved after entry into the river. Thus, no clear correlation was seen between plasma SL levels and final gonadal maturation. On the other hand, plasma PRL concentrations in both male and female fish were higher in the fish in the river than those in the ocean and bay, and plasma GH levels were higher in both sexes in the fish in the bay and river than those in the ocean. Plasma levels of triglycerides, glucose, free fatty acids and ionized sodium and calcium were also examined. Significant-negative correlations were seen between plasma SL and plasma ionized calcium in mature male salmon, and between plasma SL and plasma triglycerides in mature female salmon. Although our findings do not rule out the possibility of the involvement of SL in final maturation, the results indicate that SL seems to be involved at least in energy and/or calcium metabolism during the spawning migration.     

Fish meal quality assessment for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) reared in sea water

Studies were conducted to investigate the quality of 16 fish meals for Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) reared in sea water, and to assess in vitro and in vivo methods for the measurement of the quality of the protein in fish meals. The commercial fish meals tested were Canadian-produced (herring, groundfish, and mixed meals) and were of West Coast and East Coast origin; they included silver hake (Russian origin), two mackerel meals (Chilean) and Norwegian fish meal (Norse-LT94®). In addition, five herring meals were produced in the laboratory to assess the influence of processing conditions and freshness of the raw material on fish meal quality. The dilute-pepsin digestibility was the preferred in vitro assay to evaluate the protein quality of herring meals for Atlantic salmon, but this assay correlated poorly with the results from in vivo assays when other types of fish meals (menhaden, mackerel, silver hake, groundfish) were included.     

The onset of downstream movement of juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in a chalk stream

The downstream movements of wild Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., from their established feeding territories in the River Itchen, Hampshire, UK, were logged continuously over an 11-month period using a passive integrated transponder (PIT) antenna system. The time of these movements was then related to a number of monitored and calculated environmental parameters. Initial downstream movement of smolts in April was correlated with the onset of darkness, at which time salmon moved from their established feeding territories alone. No relationship was found between the number of smolts migrating and river flow or maximum daily water temperature. The timing of downstream movement of parr between October and March was random with regard to sunset and time of maximum daily water temperature, suggesting the environmental cue that initiates movement may be different outside the spring smolt period.     

Osmoregulatory ability of chum salmon,Oncorhynchus keta,reared in fresh water for prolonged periods

The osmoregulatory ability of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), reared in fresh water for a prolonged period, was examined by transferring them directly to seawater and then back to fresh water. When fry and juveniles weighing 0.3–125g, reared in fresh water for 1.5–13 months, were transferred directly to seawater, they adjusted their plasma Na⁺ concentration to the seawater-adapted level within 12–24h. When they were transferred back to fresh water after having been adapted to seawater for 2 weeks, the plasma Na⁺ level gradually decreased during the first 12–24h, and then increased to reattain the initial freshwater level after 5–7 days. No mortality was observed during the experiment except among the smallest fry weighing about 0.3g after transfer to seawater (2.1%). The maintenance of good osmoregulatory ability of the chum salmon for a prolonged period in fresh water seems to be unique among Pacific salmon, with the possible exception of the pink salmon.Changes in plasma levels of hormones during the transfer experiments were recorded in juveniles reared in fresh water for 13 months. Prolactin levels increased maximally 3 days after transfer from seawater to fresh water, as would be expected from its well-established role in freshwater adaptation in several euryhaline teleosts. In addition, an increase in plasma growth hormone was observed during the first 12h after seawater transfer, along with a tendency towards a decrease during freshwater transfer, suggesting an important role for this hormone in seawater adaptation. There were no consistent changes in plasma levels of thyroxine and cortisol during freshwater to seawater or seawater to freshwater transfer.     

Diel distribution,behaviour and consumption of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in a Wilderness stream

Abstract – Understanding population regulation in juvenile salmonids requires distinguishing the effects of intrinsic (size, behaviour) and extrinsic (food, competition) factors. To examine the relative influence of these variables on juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Salmon River drainage (ID, USA), we examined diel differences in foraging microhabitats, behaviour and consumption in two areas with consistent differences in parr‐to‐smolt survival. In lower Big Creek (LBC, high‐survival area) and upper Big Creek (UBC, low‐survival area), we observed fish by snorkelling, recording length, behaviour (foraging rate and aggression) and physical (depth, velocity, cover, temperature) and biotic (density, size and species of neighbouring fish) microhabitat features. Stomach contents were extracted to estimate consumption. Depth and temperature were greater in LBC, where Chinook salmon were significantly larger and present at lower densities. Fish in LBC exhibited higher foraging activity during the day than night, but there were no size differences between day and night foragers. In UBC, a higher density area, foraging behaviour did not change between day and night, although the smallest size classes did not forage nocturnally. Regression models that integrated physical and biotic variables suggested that physical factors influenced foraging in both areas, but competition also affected foraging in UBC. Our results demonstrate that fish from low‐ and high‐survival populations in Big Creek are exposed to different physical and biological influences during their first growth season, which are reflected in different diel foraging behaviours.     

海水鱼类亲体必需脂肪酸营养的研究进展

脂肪酸营养特别是其中的必需脂肪酸在海水鱼类生殖调控方面具有重要的生理作用。饲料中二十碳五烯酸(EPA)、二十二碳六烯酸(DHA)以及花生四烯酸(ARA)含量在调控海水鱼类性腺发育、排卵、孵化率及仔鱼质量等方面作用显著。本文主要从必需脂肪酸需求量、对繁殖性能影响、对机体脂肪酸存储影响及对内分泌调控作用4个方面归纳总结了海水鱼类亲体脂肪酸营养的研究概况,并重点分析探讨了在内分泌调控方面的研究进展,同时对后续的研究重点提出了一些建议。     

Amino acids composition and protein quality evaluation of marine species and meals for feed formulations in cephalopods

The amino acid composition and protein levels of three species of cephalopods (Octopus vulgaris, Loligo gahi and Todarodes sagittatus), the natural diets of common octopus (O. vulgaris) and different kinds of meals were determined in order to optimise the content of these nutrients in artificial feeds. Arginine, leucine and lysine were the most abundant essential amino acids in cephalopods, while glutamate and aspartate represented the main non-essential amino acids. Arginine and leucine were the limiting amino acid in most samples, with maximum Chemical Score values for mussel (79–98 %), squid (84 %) and crustaceans (65–91 %); medium for fish (41–70 %); and minimum for meals (29–64 %). Mussel, squid, crustaceans and fish showed a high essential amino acid index according to Oser (OI: 88–99 %) suggesting a suitable amino acid balance. The protein from animal meals (fish and krill) covered all the essential amino acids except arginine and lysine in fish meal. The vegetable meal presented the worst amino acid balance (OI: 74–89 %) with several deficiencies in essential amino acids, including arginine, threonine, lysine and methionine. Supplementation with arginine or leucine and protein complementation of crustaceans and bivalves with fish or animal meal are proposed as alternatives for improving the performance of protein in feed for cephalopods.     

The development of salmon, Salmo salar L., ranching in Iceland, with a special reference to homing and recapture techniques

Abstract. The paper describes the development and current status of salmon, Salmo salar L., ranching in Iceland, with a special emphasis on recapture techniques and homing to the release sites. Many ranching operations are located at release sites with little or no rearing activity except for a short acclimatization period before release. This technique was a breakthrough in Icelandic ranching development, as most suitable ranching sites do not have suitable conditions for smolt rearing. Ranching is mostly practised on the west coast of Iceland, where ranched salmon made up over 80% of the total catch in 1991. The largest ranching stations are Kollafjördur and Vogavík in south-western Iceland and two stations, Lárós and Silfurlax, located on the outer part of Snæfellsnes. Combined releases in 1991 were about 6 million smolts and 130 thousand salmon were harvested from ranching. Ranched salmon are mostly harvested from June to August with a peak run in July. The methods of recapture vary considerably. At Kollafjördur Fish Farm, which has river water for attraction, the salmon are mostly caught in riverine traps of conventional design, but during periods of draught an estuarine seining process has been practised to secure bright salmon. At Vogavík, which only has pumped well water for attraction, catches have been based on efficient estuarine traps. Similar methods have been used at the Silfurlax operation in Hraunsfjördur. Homing to ranching sites has been shown to be fairly precise, especially if smolts are released in fresh water and suitable ranching stocks are used. There are indications that the Kollafjördur ranching strain, which has been developed over a period of 25 years, has better homing than wild stocks. Considerable straying has been observed, primarily between ranching stations and into the outflows of large land-based salmon farms. Straying into salmon streams seems to vary from year to year and is greatest in the vicinity of large ranching stations. It seems to occur in late summer, possibly as a result of inadequate recapture techniques at the ranching sites.     

EMG telemetry studies on upstream migration of chum salmon in the Toyohira river,Hokkaido, Japan

The movements of 28 adult chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta (Walbaum) tagged with electromyogram (EMG) transmitters were tracked along the Toyohira river, Hokkaido, Japan, in October of 2007 and 2008 to investigate and evaluate the upstream migratory behavior through the protection bed and fishway of ground sills. The approach time of fish that ascended successfully through the protection bed and fishway was shorter than that of unsuccessful fish. The unsuccessful fish were observed to swim in currents with high water velocity and shallow water depth at swimming speeds that exceeded their critical swimming speed (U _crit) during the approach to these structures. In consequence, unsuccessful fish frequently alternated between burst and maximum sustained speeds without ever ascending the fishway, and eventually became exhausted. It is important that fishway are constructed to enable chum salmon to find a passage way easily, so that they can migrate upstream rapidly without wasting excessive energy.