Effects of temperature and salinity on the reproductive success of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.): egg composition, milt characteristics and fry survival

The effects of temperature and salinity on the reproductive success of Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), were examined by holding broodstock under the following conditions from mid‐May until the end of September: fresh water at ambient temperature (NFW; 8–16 °C); salt water (25–30‰) at ambient temperature (NSW; 4–10 °C); fresh water cooled to saltwater temperature (CFW; 4–10 °C); or salt water heated to freshwater temperature (HSW; 8–16 °C). The relative fecundity of females was similar among groups (P > 0.05; 2685 ± 706 eggs), but females reared in NSW produced significantly larger eggs than those raised in NFW. The highest spermatozoa concentrations were found in milt from males reared in SW and the highest milt glucose concentration was from males kept under coldwater conditions (CFW, NSW). Eggs from NSW and HSW females contained more proteins than eggs produced by NFW females. Eggs from NSW females also contained 40% more lipids than was observed in the other groups, and total energy content was 27% higher in eggs from NSW females than in eggs from NFW females. When FW was cooled (CFW), females produced eggs with protein contents similar to those in NSW, but the lipid contents remained 30% lower. Finally, the best survival at the eyed stage and at hatch was observed in families produced by NSW broodstock. Intermediate values were observed in families from NFW or CFW while the highest mortality occurred in families from the HSW group. All these results suggest that, under the experimental conditions used in the present study, coastal seawater conditions offered the most favourable summer rearing conditions with respect to the reproductive success of Arctic charr.