Dispersal and survival of stocked juvenile hatchery-reared Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus)

Kapusta, Andrzej; Morzuch, Jacek; Duda, Arkadiusz; Bogacka-Kapusta, Elżbieta; Kolman, R.

doi:10.1515/aopf-2016-0021

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(2 reference statements)

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“…A record low water discharge and as a result a slower flow velocity in 2015 compared with the preceding year in the Šventoji River most likely determined a significantly lower migration speed as only these two factors differed significantly between years. The same pattern was observed in other Baltic basin rivers of similar size (Kapusta et al, ). However, downstream migrations in the same migration sections in autumn 2015 were significantly faster than in summer 2012 and summer 2013.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Radio telemetry data revealed that 9–10‐month‐old sturgeon migration speed in rivers varied significantly over years and within different migration sections. The observed migration speed in the current study and in other rivers in the Baltic region was extremely variable between individuals (Fredrich, Kapusta, Ebert, Duda, & Gessner, ; Kapusta, Morzuch, Duda, Bogacka‐Kapusta, & Kolman, ; Kapusta, Morzuch, & Kolman, ). Altogether, these findings support a divergent migration behavior hypothesis among sturgeons (Kessel et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 47%

“…MS among 9–10‐month‐old radio‐tagged sturgeon was relatively high (90% for every tracking season) and almost the same as observed in Poland (Kapusta et. al, ). The actual MS in the rivers could be even higher because of limited tag battery life or tag malfunctioning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Migration patterns and survival of stocked Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchusMitchill, 1815) in Nemunas Basin, Baltic Sea

Stakėnas

Pilinkovskij

2019

J Appl Ichthyol

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Summary The restoration of the Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus in Lithuania started in 2011. Two rivers (Neris and Šventoji) were chosen for reintroduction in the Nemunas river basin based on historical data and ecological conditions. Since 2011, more than 116 thousand of sturgeon juveniles have been stocked in Lithuania. In order to achieve successful population restoration, it is vital to evaluate the efficiency of performed artificial stocking. Analysis of post‐stocking survival, migration patterns, predation pressure, fisheries‐related mortality and possible aggregation zones are all important to understand the main threats and prepare possible mitigation measures necessary for population establishment during the initial phase of restoration. Therefore, conventional and radio tagging studies were performed during the initial restoration phase in Lithuania. Atlantic sturgeon downstream migration was divergent in summer and appeared to have no significant associations with fish size, river quality or hydrophysical parameters, but in autumn migration speed and even survival in small rivers seemed to depend on flow velocity and water discharge. The distribution of recaptured tagged juveniles coincided with dominant currents in the Curonian Lagoon and Baltic Sea. Some tagged specimens migrated long distances, with two sturgeons from Lithuania being caught in Estonian and Finnish territorial waters at up to 800 km from their release site. Tag recapture analysis and mortality rate of tagged fish clearly indicate that annual fisheries‐related mortality exceeds the required threshold of 5% for population establishment. High survival in rivers indicates that the main threat for a successful sturgeon reintroduction program is commercial fishing in the Curonian Lagoon and Baltic Sea coastal zone.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 47%

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Migration patterns and survival of stocked Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchusMitchill, 1815) in Nemunas Basin, Baltic Sea

Stakėnas

Pilinkovskij

2019

J Appl Ichthyol

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“…Upon release, juveniles tend to disperse after some time only. Following release, they reveal high densities near the site of release (Kapusta, Morzuch, Duda, -Kapusta, & Kolman, 2016), which often attracts temporary aggregations of predators (Johnson & Ringler, 1998). The very high rates of post-release mortality experienced in most restocking programs undermine these activities and raise major economic and welfare concerns.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can juvenile Baltic sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus ) smell the enemy?

et al. 2019

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Summary Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus), also known as Baltic sturgeon, is considered extinct in German waters. Fish‐rearing for conservation purposes largely relies on classical hatchery technology focusing on traits like survival and growth in captivity but rarely focusing on subsequent life in the wild, lacking skills such as foraging or anti‐predation behavior. Predation is hence a major factor for mortality in newly stocked individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate if naïve Baltic sturgeon juveniles were able to recognize a common predator—zander (Sander lucioperca)—by olfactory cues and adapt accordingly. Over a period of 30 days, Baltic sturgeons were supplied with effluent water from a rearing tank with zander (zander unit) and, as a control, carp (carp unit), three tanks each. Distribution within the tank, morphology of the dorsal scutes, stress (glucose, lactate and cortisol) and gene expression of brain plasticity and cognition were studied in comparison to the control group (carp unit). No significant differences between the zander and the carp unit were observed in any of the parameters measured. Thus, we conclude that naïve Baltic sturgeon is not able to innately recognize potential predators by olfaction alone. Therefore, future studies should focus on applying predator odor together with chemical alarm substances.

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“…Atlantic sturgeon do not exhibit shoaling behaviors, and after they are released in the natural environment they migrate downstream individually (Fredrich, Kapusta, Ebert, Duda, & Gessner, ). However, it takes them some time to disperse after release, and during this time they remain in relatively close proximity to one another near the release site for several hours (Kapusta, Morzuch, Duda, Bogacka‐Kapusta, & Kolman, ), which can increase their exposure to predation, especially since temporary aggregations of predators are observed at release sites (Johnson & Ringler, ). Studies conducted to date (Crossman, Scribner, Forsythe, & Baker, ; French et al, ; French, Graeb, Chipps, & Klumb, ; Gadomski & Parsley, 2005b) demonstrate that juvenile sturgeons are generally less susceptible to predation than most alternative preys, but they can be affected by the direct or indirect impact of benthic predators.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory study of the susceptibility of hatchery reared Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchusMitchill, 1815) larvae to predation

Duda

Kapusta

2018

J Appl Ichthyol

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Summary The aim of the study was to determine the susceptibility to predation of Atlantic sturgeon larvae (Acipenser oxyrinchus) reared under traditional hatchery conditions. Experiments were conducted to determine whether predators would prey on Atlantic sturgeon if alternative prey was available and if the presence of substrate on the tank bottom impacted the number of Atlantic sturgeon consumed. European perch (Perca fluviatilis) was used as the predator, and the alternative prey were three‐spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) or gudgeon (Gobio gobio). The predators and alternative prey were obtained from the wild. The mortality of sturgeon (n = 10) and alternative prey (n = 10) caused by four predators was recorded during 15 min trials. Trials with three‐spined stickleback and gudgeon as alternative prey were performed separately. Each experimental trial was repeated five times. The predators consumed significantly more Atlantic sturgeon than alternative prey in both the experimental setups when the bottom of the tank was covered with gravel and stone substrate and when there was no substrate. In trials with three‐spined stickleback the mortality of Atlantic sturgeon in both experimental setups was 94 ± 8.94%, while that of three‐spined stickleback in the setup with substrate was 20 ± 19.23%, and without substrate it was 22 ± 10.00%. European perch also consumed more Atlantic sturgeon than they did gudgeon, and the mean Atlantic sturgeon mortality in the experimental setup with substrate was 94 ± 5.48%, while for gudgeon it was 48 ± 8.37%. In the experimental setup without substrate the predators also consumed substantially more Atlantic sturgeon than gudgeon, with a mean Atlantic sturgeon mortality of 94 ± 8.94%, while for gudgeon it was 76 ± 5.48%. The study indicated that hatchery reared Atlantic sturgeon larvae are susceptible to predation by European perch. Predation could impact the survival of juvenile Atlantic sturgeon in the natural environment, and it could be one of the factors that is impeding the restoration of this species in the Baltic Sea basin.

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Dispersal and survival of stocked juvenile hatchery-reared Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus)

Cited by 4 publications

References 10 publications

Migration patterns and survival of stocked Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchusMitchill, 1815) in Nemunas Basin, Baltic Sea

Migration patterns and survival of stocked Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchusMitchill, 1815) in Nemunas Basin, Baltic Sea

Can juvenile Baltic sturgeon ( Acipenser oxyrinchus ) smell the enemy?

Laboratory study of the susceptibility of hatchery reared Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchusMitchill, 1815) larvae to predation

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