The influence of environmental temperature and oxygen concentration on the recovery of largemouth bass from exercise: implications for live–release angling tournaments

Abstract

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.

Effectiveness of Livewell Additives on Largemouth Bass Survival

“…Conversely, Cooke et al (2002) found delayed physiological recovery of fish held in livewells containing chemical conditioners compared to fish held in livewells containing only lake water, suggesting conditioners were detrimental to fish recovery. Still others have shown that physiological recovery is delayed when fishes are placed in water cooler than that from which they were captured (Suski et al 2006). How sublethal physiological responses affect mortality of fish held in livewells is still unknown.…”

Use of external Indicators to Evaluate Stress of Largemouth (Micropterus salmoides) and Smallmouth (M. dolomieu) Bass at Tournaments

“…livewells, storage tanks, release boats). Other research has found that being transferred to water that has significantly elevated or significantly reduced temperatures impaired recovery of tissue lactate and tissue ATP in largemouth bass [17]. In our study, fishes were evaluated in our holding tanks after having passed through livewells and tournament holding tanks, but before entering the release boat.…”

“…Other studies report even low levels of stress resulting from increased water temperature can cause noticeable changes in behavior (e.g. loss of equilibrium, impaired swimming ability) [15,17].…”

“…Much of the current research on sub-lethal stress in fish uses blood chemistry analysis to gauge stress levels [16][17][18]. However, recent research also suggests that blood chemistry alone might not be the best indicator of fish stress (i.e.…”

Relationship Between Physico-Chemical Parameters and Reproductive Indices of Parachanna obscura (Gunther 1861) in Eleyele Reservoir, Ibadan, Nigeria

“…Also, SIII stage was more influenced by ammonia and nitrite. There exist weak connection between SIV and alkalinity [33]. The eigene value and the percentage cumulative variability are shown in Table 3.…”