TITLE:
Vertically-Suspended Environmental Enrichment Improves Growth of Landlocked Fall Chinook Salmon during Initial Hatchery Rearing
AUTHORS:
Nathan Huysman, Jill M. Voorhees, Eric Krebs, Michael E. Barnes
KEYWORDS:
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, Environmental Enrichment, Structure, Initial Feeding
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.10 No.11,
November
24,
2020
ABSTRACT: Environmental enrichment has been shown to improve
juvenile salmonid growth during hatchery rearing. This study examined the
effects of vertically-suspended environmental enrichment starting seven days
after feed training and continuing for the next 32 days of landlocked fall
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) rearing. At the end of this
experiment, final tank weights, gain, percent gain, and feed conversion ratio
were all significantly improved in the tanks of salmon with environmental
enrichment compared to barren tanks, with a nearly 25% improvement in feed
conversion ratio. Individual salmon in tanks with environmental enrichment were
significantly longer and weighed significantly more than salmon from tanks
without enrichment. Specific growth rate was also significantly improved with
the use of enrichment. The use of vertically-suspended environmental enrichment
to improve growth and rearing efficiency is recommended during the initial
rearing of landlocked fall Chinook salmon.