Flatfish Conditioning for Stock Enhancement
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production First, crab predators were more abundant This may indicate that intensive researcher and they ripped holes in the soft nylon recollection efforts at or near release sites cage mesh with their claws. Since crabs disproportionately sample weak fish that gather on the bottom, two types of float- are not feeding or moving. Flatfish Conditioning For Stock ing cages – at the surface and 0.5 m Efforts and money for recapture may below the surface – were deployed. be better spent on involving more local Survival in these cages was highly vari- fishermen, especially since cooperative Enhancement able, and fish did not gain the benefit of efforts generate more interest and publicity experiencing sediments before release. So in the stocking. Involving more fishermen a new U.S. cage bottom design was con- also may promote the reporting of recap- Michelle L. Walsh structed of more-durable polypropylene tured hatchery-reared catch by those not University of New Hampshire mesh. This material was too rigid to close directly involved in the project, and thus Department of Biological Sciences with zippers, so cable ties were used. amplify the level of monitoring conducted. 38 Academic Way The second problem was that due to Monitoring Durham, New Hampshire 03824 USA the 1- to 5-m tidal range in New Hamp- [email protected] Even without implementing a condi- From 2009 to 2011, the University shire, the fish swam to the surface of the tioning strategy, one of the greatest diffi- Elizabeth A. Fairchild of New Hampshire deployed floating cages and wedged themselves between culties of a stocking exercise is the level of University of New Hampshire cages of juvenile winter flounder at and the cable ties to escape when the tide post-release monitoring. In many cases, Department of Biological Sciences just below the surface. rose. The newest design has a self-adjust- 1% recapture rates are the norm. Choosing ing height that rises with the tide so the a location that can be monitored ade- Operant behavioral training may be cage opening is never submerged. First quately may be just as important as choos- begin camouflaging pigment change and especially useful in sea ranching. Work used in September 2012, this design has ing a location where stocking is predicted develop burying skills. In addition, this conducted in Japan revealed Japanese floun- been successful, with high fish survival to succeed, which is essential for stocking decreases the frequency of off-bottom der gathered when a sound cue was pro- and retention. efforts to successfully influence future swimming behavior, as seen with juvenile vided, even when food was not available. funding and resources support. Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, in Stocking agencies have an obligation tanks with sand compared to bare tanks. Implications For Stock Acclimation Conditioning Enhancement to conduct post-release monitoring to In the United States, the survival of Acclimation cage conditioning allows assess stocking effectiveness, especially if Ensuring that released fish are mor- summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, hatchery fish to experience substrates and the stocking effort is funded by general Acclimation cages in Japan “zipper” closed so fish can be stocked and released easily. phologically, ecologically, genetically and was significantly higher for fish reared sediments, live food sources and a preda- taxes or fees from fishermen. In addition, behaviorally similar to wild fish is neces- with an isolated blue crab, Callinectes tor-free existence before actual release. there is a biological and ecological sapidus, present in the tank than for fish sary for an effective release program. For aquaculture, the ideal end product Researchers in Denmark began cage con- responsibility to evaluate what, if any, reared without the predator conditioning. Nonetheless, conditioning strategies that Summary: is a large-sized individual that was grown ditioning turbot, Psetta maxima, in bot- effect the stocking has on local fish popu- However, the increased survival of the are easy to implement, economically fea- For stock enhancement, the most economically, both financially and tomless cages to expose fish directly to lations and their habitats. conditioned fish was not as high as that sible and effective are still being devel- ideal end product is an individual temporally, and preferably has a pleasant sediments. The fish were conditioned for for wild fish. In Japan, observational oped and tested. The number of studies that can survive in the wild until flavor. For stock enhancement, the ideal three to six days in areas with a small learning improved predator avoidance for tidal range of about 30 m. However, that monitor and track the fate of maturity. Conditioning fish for end product is an individual that can sur- hatchery-reared Japanese flounder that when this technology was transferred to released conditioned fish is few. stock enhancement can increase vive in the wild until maturity. Condi- witnessed predation of their own species. Japan, there were problems with preda- A study in Japan found that non-con- survival and recapture rates. The tioning fish for stock enhancement can At the University of New Hampshire tors entering the cages through the open ditioned fish, mostly non-feeding individ- degree to which they need condi- increase survival and recapture rates of in the U.S., live diets for flatfish stock bottoms. To address this, cages were uals, were caught more often than condi- tioning before release depends on released fish. enhancement have been explored. Sub- modified. Japanese cages now contain tioned fish by boat beam trawl when the type of fish and its ecological adult brine shrimp, Artemia salina; white mesh bottoms, and sand is put inside. researcher-initiated recapture efforts were niche. Acclimation cages, the Conditioning Strategies worms, Enchytraeus albidus; and common They also “zipper” closed so that fish can applied. Similarly, a Danish study found most implemented conditioning The degree to which fish reared for burrower amphipods, Leptocheirus plumu- be stocked and released easily. that the catchability of non-conditioned strategy for flatfish, are inexpen- stock enhancement need conditioning losus; have been cultured as feeds. The When this technology was transferred turbot caught by beam trawl was 10% sive and effective, but require before release depends on the type of fish most promising feed is white worms, to the U.S., there were two problems. higher than that of cage-conditioned fish. site-specific adjustment. Live or reared and its particular ecological niche which have been reared in the former lifelike diets show great potential and associated behaviors. Soviet Union since the 1940s for hatch- Article in rearing stocked flatfish. Conditioning can be implemented in ery-reared sturgeon. the hatchery or in the wild. In the hatch- In the field, hatchery-reared winter ery, fish can be exposed to rearing tanks Submissions The most prominent countries condi- flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, with sediment, predator exposure and live tioning flatfish for stock enhancement are grown on white worms exhibited survival, Contact Japan, Denmark and the United States. or lifelike diets. In the wild, fish can diet profiles and RNA/DNA composi- Editor Darryl Jory Wherever it is practiced, a successful undergo operant behavioral training, tions similar to those for wild fish. In stocking program requires high survival of whereby fish learn to gather at a sound or Japan, juvenile marbled flounder, Pseudo- for author guidelines. released fish. Hatchery-reared fish must be light for feeding. Fish also can be released pleuronectes yokohamae, at Hyogo Prefec- E-mail: able to adjust to their new environment, into acclimation cages before true release tural Center for Stock Enhancement are feed successfully and avoid predation when to the wild. The cages serve as a “halfway fed a mixture of minced frozen mysids [email protected] released. However, all reared fish are not house” as the fish adjust to their new with additional formulated feed to boost White worms (left) are a promising live feed for conditioning juvenile winter flounder. Telephone: +1-407-376-1478 equal. The end products of fish reared for environment. nutritional content. However, formulated In Japan, juvenile marbled flounder at Hyogo Prefectural Center for Stock Enhance- aquaculture and those reared for stock In the hatchery, providing rearing feed is stopped two weeks before release to ment are fed frozen shrimplike mysids (right). Fax: +1-419-844-1638 enhancement vary greatly. tanks with sediment allows flatfish to redirect fish to more natural feed. 48 November/December 2013 global aquaculture advocate global aquaculture advocate November/December 2013 49.