Abstract
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are increasingly being released after capture by anglers. Yet, there are still unknown effects on the fish being subjected to the process of catch and release. Capture too close to spawning could have adverse effects on fish, and such data are important for setting appropriate closed seasons. This study examines how stressors related to catch and release experienced shortly before spawning affects adult mortality, vulnerability to Saprolegnia spp., and reproductive traits. Adult salmon were collected from the river Blackwater, Scotland, towards the end of their migration and were exposed to one of four protocols comprising exercise and air exposure of different durations. The experimental stressors increased the growth rate of the fungus Saprolegnia spp. over the body of the fish. Moreover, male salmon from the most disturbed group exhibited an increase in the maximum duration of their sperm motility. Lastly, females that experienced exercise and (or) air exposure spawned at the usual time but with fewer eggs. These suggest that there may be benefits from preventing angling close to the time of spawning.
Highlights
Recreational fisheries have been implicated in the heavy exploitation of fish within marine and freshwater ecosystems (Cooke and Schramm, 2007; Arlinghaus et al, 2013)
While mortality was not affected by the catch-and-release simulations, individuals that had a higher percentage of the body covered by the fungus Saprolegnia spp. on the date of trapping had a higher probability of mortality (Table S2)
The results demonstrate that the set of stressors used as a representative disturbance of a typical catch and release practice, for salmon angling, do not necessarily lead to immediate lethal effects, at least under the conditions examined
Summary
Recreational fisheries have been implicated in the heavy exploitation of fish within marine and freshwater ecosystems (Cooke and Schramm, 2007; Arlinghaus et al, 2013). Of all rod-caught fish are being returned after capture to the water (Cooke and Cowx, 2004; Ferter et al, 2013; Cowx et al, 2017; Simms et al, 2017; Van Leeuwen et al, 2021), amounting to billions of fish being released on a yearly basis (Casselman, 2005; Arlinghaus et al, 2007; Arlinghaus et al, 2013) The success of this management practice is dependent on both the fraction of the population that is caught and the capacity of the fish to recover from angling, with minimal impact on their survival and reproductive success (Dempson et al, 2002; Richard et al, 2013; Richard et al, 2014; Lennox et al., 2016). Regardless of the fishing gear and technique, C&R may act as a significant acute stressor, with possible adverse effects over different timescales and biological levels (from cellular to ecosystem), and so its impact on conservation is unclear (Arlinghaus et al, 2013; Raby et al, 2015)
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