Premium
Post‐ stocking movements and recapture of hatchery‐reared trout released into flowing waters—effect of prior acclimation to flow
Author(s) -
Cresswell R. C.,
Williams R.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1983.tb02904.x
Subject(s) - stocking , acclimatization , electrofishing , hatchery , salmo , biology , fishery , trout , salmonidae , brown trout , zoology , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology
Hatchery‐reared brown trout, Salmo trutta , (f.l., 16–27 cm) were stocked into the Afon Clettwr, Afon Western Cleddau and Afon Dysynni, Wales. The effects of (a) retaining fish caged in the river for 24 h before release, and (b) a period of acclimation to flowing water (up to 0.24 m s −1 ) in tanks prior to stocking were investigated. Data on percentage recapture and post‐stocking movements were obtained from trapping, electrofishing and tag returns. In‐stream acclimation resulted in a higher percentage recapture and a more limited dispersion of the fish stocked under low river flow conditions, but had no effect on trout stocked into a river where higher water velocities were experienced. Acclimation, in tanks, to a flow of 0.1 ms −1 for 14 days led to higher percentage recaptures, whereas acclimation for only 2 days resulted in fewer returns than for unacclimated fish. No differences in fish distribution within the rivers could be attributed to these acclimation procedures.