title: Effects of hatchery rearing on Florida largemouth bass Micropterus floridanus resource allocation and performance under semi-natural conditions.
abstract: This study examined the growth, activity, metabolism and post-release survival of three groups of Florida largemouth bass Micropterus floridanus: wild-caught fish, hatchery fish reared according to standard practice (hatchery standard) and hatchery fish reared under reduced and unpredictable food provisioning (hatchery manipulated). Hatchery-standard fish differed from wild-caught fish in all measured variables, including survival in semi-natural ponds. Hatchery-standard and hatchery-manipulated fish showed higher activity levels, faster growth and lower standard metabolic rates than wild-caught fish in the hatchery. Fish reared under the manipulated feeding regime showed increased metabolic rates and increased post-release growth, similar to wild-caught fish. Their activity levels and post-release survival, however, remained similar to those of hatchery-standard fish. Activity was negatively correlated with post-release survival and failure of the feed manipulation to reduce activity may have contributed to its failure to improve post-release survival. Activity and post-release survival may be influenced by characteristics of the rearing environment other than the feeding regime, such as stock density or water flow rates.
authors.affiliation: Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, P. O. Box 110410, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Garlock
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Monk
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lorenzen
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: St Mary
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D001492:Bass / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005398:Fisheries; D005431:Florida; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
keywords: behaviour; domestication; fisheries enhancement; life history; standard metabolic rate