Effects of surgically and gastrically implanted radio transmitters on swimming performance and predator avoidance of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Abstract

Radiotelemetry data are often used to make inferences about an entire study population; therefore, the transmitter attachment method should be the one that least affects the study animal. Juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) <120 mm in fork length (FL) with either gastrically or surgically implanted transmitters had significantly lower critical swimming speeds than control fish 1 and 19-23 days after tagging. For fish >120 mm FL, fish with gastric implants swam as well as controls 1 day but not 19-23 days after tagging. In contrast, fish with surgical implants swam as well as controls 19-23 days but not 1 day after tagging. During predation trials, fish with gastric or surgical implants were eaten by smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in significantly greater numbers than controls. We do not recommend implanting transmitters (representing 4.6-10.4% of the fish's body weight) in fish <120 mm FL. Furthermore, surgical implants (representing 2.2-5.6% of the fish's body weight) may be the preferred method for biotelemetry studies of juvenile chinook salmon >120 mm FL.