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Fatty acid alterations during migration and early sea water growth of chum salmon ( Oncorhynchus keta )
Author(s) -
Saddler J. B.,
Koski K. V.,
Cardwell R. D.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02532593
Subject(s) - oncorhynchus , fatty acid , biology , fishery , polyunsaturated fatty acid , smoltification , seawater , fish measurement , fish migration , zoology , freshwater fish , fish <actinopterygii> , salmonidae , ecology , salmo , biochemistry
Lipid and fatty acid characteristics were examined in chum salmon fry ( Oncorhynchus keta ) in freshwater, at various stages in their early growth in sea water, and 7 days after their artificial introduction from freshwater into sea water. The average lipid content of salmon fry in freshwater decreased from 2.5% in newly emerged fry (30–40 mm fork length) to 1.7% in older fry (40–50 mm). Lipid content did not appear to change during migration, but steadily declined during the first 4–6 weeks of sea water growth to 1.7%. Within 7 days after artificial introduction into sea water, lipid content of the salmon had declined to 1.4%. Extended residence in freshwater, e.g., 2–3 weeks, resulted in a fatty acid pattern more characteristic of freshwater fish, whereas residence in sea water resulted in patterns more characteristic of marine fish. Salmon artificially introduced into sea water incurred substantial diminutions in polyunsaturated fatty acids. This response did not occur in wild fry in the marine environment and may therefore be due to the stresses of capture, handling, anesthesia, partial starvation and confinement to which the artificially reared fish were exposed.