Document Type

Article

Publication Title

North American Journal of Aquaculture

Publication Date

10-1-2008

First Page

415

Last Page

424

Issue Number

4

Volume Number

70

Abstract/ Summary

This study evaluated the use of electroshock as in alternative to traditional techniques for immobilizing and euthanizing hatchery fish. We used a commercially available electroanesthesia unit at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Carson National Fish Hatchery (Carson, Washington) to euthanize adult spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and to son and collect gametes of fish at maturation. During euthanization by electroshock, the response of each fish was observed, Muscular and vertebral hemorrhaging wits quantified, and electrical settings were optimized accordingly. During gamete collection, fish were either electroshocked or exposed to tricaine methanesulfortate (MS-222); hemorrhaging, egg viability. egg size and quantity, and resultant fry quality were examined for each treatment group. Electroshocked fish had a higher likelihood Of injury during gamete collection than did fish exposed to MS-222. On average, each electroshocked fish had less than two hemorrhages oil both fillets examined. The size of each hemorrhage was less than 0.10% of the fillet surface. Fecundity and egg and fry quality were not affected by either immobilization method. Electroshock was a viable and efficient means of euthanizing adult spring Chinook salmon or sorting the fish and collecting their gametes. However, equipment settings must be optimized based on site-specific (e.g., water conductivity) and species-specific (e.g., fish size and seasonal state of maturation) factors.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Zydlewski GB, Gale W, Holmes J, Johnson J, Brigham T, Thorson W. Use of Electroshock for Euthanizing and Immobilizing Adult Spring Chinook Salmon in a Hatchery. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 2008;70(4): 415-424.

DOI

10.1577/A07-048.1

Version

publisher's version of the published document

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