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The impact of variation in water temperature and dissolved oxygen on recovery of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides from exercise was examined. For this, largemouth bass were first exercised and recovered for either 1, 2 or 4 h at ambient water temperatures (25 C) in fully oxygenated water. Results showed that exercise forced fish to utilize anaerobic metabolism to meet energy demands, and resulted in reductions in anaerobic energy stores adenosine triphosphate (ATP), Phosphocreatine (PCr) and glycogen. Exercise also resulted in a seven-fold increase in lactate within white muscle. After 2 h of recovery in oxygenated water at acclimation temperature, physiological recovery from exercise was under way, and by 4 h most variables examined had returned to control levels. Next, largemouth bass were exercised at ambient temperatures and recovered for 2 h in environments with either elevated temperature (32 C), reduced temperature (14 and 20 C), hypoxia or hyperoxia. Both elevated and reduced temperature impaired recovery of tissue lactate and tissue ATP relative to fish recovered in water at acclimation temperature, while hyperoxic water impaired recovery of tissue ATP. Moderately hypoxic waters impaired the recovery of plasma glucose, plasma lactate and tissue PCr relative to fish recovered in fully oxygenated water. Results from this study are discussed in the context of critical oxygen and temperature guidelines for largemouth bass. In addition, several recommendations are made concerning remedial treatments used in livewells (tanks) during angling tournaments when fish are recovering from exercise associated with angling.

Abstract.-In the current study, we simulated different components of a live-release angling tournament (angling, live-well confinement, and weigh-in) to determine the relative physiological significance of these tournament components for largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. Our results indicated that depletions of white muscle energy stores and accumulations of muscle lactate (i.e., a large metabolic disturbance) are the most important consequences of live-release angling tournaments for largemouth bass. This study also showed that there are two distinct components of a live-release tournament that cause a metabolic disturbance in largemouth bass: angling and the weigh-in. While the physiological consequences of angling are already well understood, this is the first study to show that the weigh-in portion of a live-release tournament also causes a large anaerobic disturbance in largemouth bass. In our simulation, the weigh-in resulted in a 75% decrease in white muscle phosphocreatine, a 46% decrease in ATP, and a 62% decrease in glycogen relative to control largemouth bass. The weigh-in simulation also caused the lactate concentration in white muscle to increase by about sevenfold relative to control fish and resulted in significant changes to cardiac function. Based on these results, subsequent experiments were performed to determine the main factor(s) responsible for the metabolic disturbance that results from the weighin. These experiments demonstrated that the period of air exposure during the weigh-in was a major cause of this disturbance. We recommend that tournament organizers minimize the air exposure that largemouth bass receive during the weigh-in to improve the physiological condition of released tournament-caught fish.

In vivo experiments were conducted to examine the haematology of juveniles from two relic bony fishes, Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrhinchus and shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum. Oxygen transport characteristics (haematocrit, haemoglobin and mean erythrocytic haemoglobin concentration), ionic composition (Na þ , Cl À , K þ and osmolality), metabolite concentration (lactate, cortisol and glucose) and protein content in blood were measured or calculated at rest and during recovery from forced activity. Under resting conditions, plasma osmolality and concentrations of Na þ , Cl À , lactate, cortisol and total protein were significantly different between Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon. All other resting variables were not different between species. Following forced activity, plasma lactate levels were significantly higher in both species than at rest. Plasma cortisol levels in both species were only significantly higher 1 h following forced activity compared to resting values. Plasma lactate levels were significantly higher in Atlantic sturgeon than in shortnose sturgeon, but these levels returned to resting levels by 1 h in both species. Cortisol increases were greater in shortnose sturgeon than in Atlantic sturgeon. In general, oxygen transport characteristics, blood glucose, plasma protein and plasma osmolality were not altered by forced activity in either sturgeon species. Overall, both species had reduced responses (i.e. the magnitude of changes in measured variables) to forced activity compared with teleosts. # 2005 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

The effects of catch and release angling on muscle physiology, survival and gamete viability were examined in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), just prior to spawning. Lactate in the white muscle increased to 37.4 μmol∙g−1 after angling and recovered within 4 h. Muscle pH decreased from 7.46 at rest to 6.80 following angling, but returned to resting levels within 2 h. White muscle concentrations of PCr, ATP, and glycogen were depleted by 74, 46, and 73%, respectively, following angling. ATP and PCr returned to resting levels within 2 h, but glycogen did not recover until 12 h. The absence of significant changes in blood glucose indicated that the stress response was minimal in salmon angled under these conditions (6 °C). There were also no mortalities among 20 salmon that were angled and transported to the hatchery. Multi-sea-winter (MSW) salmon (> 63 cm) required a longer period to angle to exhaustion than grilse (< 63 cm), but the physiological disturbance was less in MSW salmon. The survival of eggs from angled and nonangled salmon was 98 and 97%, respectively. Together, these results support the strategy of a late-season catch and release fishery for Atlantic salmon.

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Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, returning to freshwater to spawn, were angled and then terminally sampled to test the hypothesis that angling during warmer summer months (water temperatures of 20 ± 2°C) increases the magnitude of physiological disturbances in the white muscle. Angling immediately reduced white muscle ATP and phosphocreatine stores, but these high-energy phosphates were replenished within 2-4 h. Intramuscular glycogen stores were nearly depleted after angling, but unlike the response by salmon angled in the fall at 6°C, there was no glycogen resynthesis during the 4-h recovery period. Marked increases in white muscle lactate and the postexercise metabolic proton load (AH^) accompanied glycogen depletion. The time course of lactate elimination and AH^ correction, however, was much slower than previously observed in fall-angled salmon. Finally, considerable delayed postangling mortality (40%) was observed in a subgroup of Atlantic salmon that were angled at 22°C. We conclude that angling in warm summer water impairs restorative processes and increases the susceptibility of Atlantic salmon to delayed postangling mortality. We suggest that anglers can mitigate the magnitude of angling-induced physiological disturbances in Atlantic salmon during midsummer by minimizing playing time and postangling air exposure.

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