Conditioning to predators improves survival of stocked Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) fingerlings
Michael Hutchison
A * , Adam Butcher A B and Andrew Norris A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Bribie Island Research Centre, PO Box 2066, Woorim, Qld 4507, Australia.
B Present address: The Gap, Qld, Australia.
Marine and Freshwater Research 74(12) 1039-1049 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF22242
Submitted: 11 November 2022 Accepted: 20 June 2023 Published: 14 July 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Following recent major fish kill events, there is increasing interest in stocking Murray cod fingerlings to help fish stocks recover. Strategies that can increase post-release survival of stocked fingerlings are important for conservation stocking of Murray cod and may also have application to other species.
Aims: The aim of this work was to evaluate whether pre-release predator recognition and avoidance training conferred a survival advantage on stocked Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) fingerlings. Predator-free release enclosures were also evaluated as a method to improve survival.
Methods: Fingerlings were trained by exposure to predators and skin extract. Fingerlings were marked with visual implant elastomer (VIE) tags to denote training status and release strategy (trained, untrained, soft release, standard release). Fingerlings were released at three sites in the northern Murray–Darling Basin. Marked fish were recaptured by electrofishing 24 h post-release and quarterly up to 15 months post-release.
Key results: Trained Murray cod had higher relative survival than did untrained fish. The mean recapture rate of trained fish was twice that of untrained fish. Fingerlings released directly into the waterbody had significantly higher recapture rates than did fingerlings acclimated for 90 min in predator-free enclosures.
Conclusions: Predator conditioning training provides a survival advantage to stocked Murray cod fingerlings. However, predator-free release enclosures conferred a disadvantage.
Implications: Pre-release training of Murray cod fingerlings could be beneficial to conservation and recreational-fish stocking programs. We recommend stocking trained cod fingerlings directly into the receiving environment, rather than into soft-release enclosures, so as to maximise their chance of survival.
Keywords: acclimation, hatchery-reared fish, Maccullochella, post-release survival, predation, predator conditioning, stocking, threatened species.
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