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Physiological Changes in Largemouth Bass Caused by Live‐Release Angling Tournaments in Southeastern Ontario
Author(s) -
Suski Cory D.,
Killen Shaun S.,
Morrissey Michael B.,
Lund Susan G.,
Tufts Bruce L.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/m02-042
Subject(s) - micropterus , bass (fish) , creatine kinase , phosphocreatine , fishery , biology , zoology , chemistry , biochemistry , endocrinology , energy metabolism
Several largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides tournaments in Ontario were visited in the summers of 1999 and 2000 to examine the physiological changes that occur in largemouth bass as a result of tournament procedures. Physiological variables were compared among tournament‐caught largemouth bass, resting laboratory controls, and angled controls. The plasma cortisol and glucose concentrations and plasma osmolarity in tournament‐caught largemouth bass sampled within 5 min following the weigh‐in were significantly greater than those in both control groups. Tournament‐caught fish also exhibited ionic disturbances that involved increases in plasma sodium and potassium concentrations, but there were no significant changes in the levels of plasma chloride. Large changes in the metabolic status of largemouth bass sampled following the weigh‐in included major reductions in the muscle energy stores phosphocreatine, adenosine triphosphate, and glycogen and large increases in muscle and plasma lactate concentrations. In contrast, no significant changes occurred in the mRNA levels of heat‐shock protein 70 in several tissues or in plasma creatine phosphokinase activity. Taken together, these results indicate that live‐release angling tournaments cause a significant physiological disturbance in largemouth bass, but there is no evidence that these events normally result in serious cell damage.