The influences of pre- and post-smolt captive rearing environments on growth, maturation, body size, and reproductive success of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) released as adults

Conservation hatcheries designed to aid in recovery of imperiled fish population often implement atypical rearing and release strategies. We evaluated a conservation hatchery program for steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that hydraulically removed naturally spawned eggs and captively reared them in di...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences 2022-05, Vol.79 (5), p.749-760
Main Authors: Van Doornik, Donald M, Berejikian, Barry A, Moore, Megan E, Claiborne, Andrew M, Downen, Mark R, Waltermire, Joy Lee, Doctor, Katy K, Endicott, Rob
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Age
Age differences
Animal reproduction
Body size
Breeding
Breeding success
Captive wild animals
Chemical analysis
Conservation
Females
Fish
Fish eggs
Fish populations
Fisheries
Fresh water
Growth
Growth rate
Hatcheries
Juveniles
Maturation
Offspring
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Reproduction
Salmon
Salmoniformes
Seawater
Sexual maturity
Spawning
Spawning grounds
Steelhead (Fish)
Survival
Water analysis
Wildlife conservation
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Summary:Conservation hatcheries designed to aid in recovery of imperiled fish population often implement atypical rearing and release strategies. We evaluated a conservation hatchery program for steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that hydraulically removed naturally spawned eggs and captively reared them in different freshwater hatcheries to the smolt stage and reared smolts in both fresh water and seawater to sexual maturity, before releasing the sexually maturing adults onto the spawning grounds. The adult steelhead added to the spawning population, accounting for most of the adults observed during snorkel observations. They produced 32% of the juvenile offspring sampled, and females were 2.9 times more successful than males. Reproductive success was positively correlated with female body size, which was influenced by pre-smolt and post-smolt rearing conditions and their effects on growth rate and age-at-maturity. Juvenile offspring of the released adults showed size and age differences from offspring of naturally returning steelhead, but exhibited very similar early marine survival rates.
ISSN:0706-652X
1205-7533
DOI:10.1139/cjfas-2021-0028