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Anthropic exploitation of soil, forests, and water bodies contributes to the modification of river flow regimes and sediment transport dynamics, thus affecting fish habitats and water quality. In the last decades, the increasing awareness of the consequences of such modifications on natural contexts has stimulated researchers and practitioners to provide more innovative solutions aiming at enhancing river biodiversity. Recently developed eco-friendly approaches for river restoration evidenced the necessity of more careful planning and management of natural resources, including the maintenance and enhancement of fish species' habitats. The present study aims at assessing the interaction of different types of wood- and rock-made instream structures with river flow regimes and habitat requirements of many freshwater fish species, accounting for the influence of downstream scour potholes to facilitate fish species migration and spawning. Experimental tests showed that instream structures cause deep scour holes characterized by low flow velocity zones, thus decreasing the required fish swimming power and potentially providing suitable conditions for the migration of freshwater fish species. Using dimensional analysis, empirical relationships were derived to optimize the longitudinal distance between subsequent instream structures, accounting for the effects of various structure geometries and fish biological characteristics. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to validate the proposed relationships at prototype scale. This study ultimately contributes at providing tools to design river instream structures favorable to fish migration. • The effects of different types of instream structures on fish swimming hydrodynamics have been investigated. • The analysis was conducted at model scale under identical fish Froude numbers F f. • Results showed that instream structures facilitate the migration of freshwater fish species. • Fish white muscles weight increases with the fish weight resulting in an increase of the available fish power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation and management of heavily exploited fish stocks require reliable data on various aspects of reproduction. In particular, information about spawning migration and spawning period of both sexes is essential for protecting important spawning habitats. However, studies that focus on male spawning ecology are very limited. We elucidated the male spawning migration, core duration of reproduction, and seasonal changes in the maturity of the barfin flounder Verasper moseri , an important target flatfish for stock enhancement programs in Japan. We conducted histological observations of the testes and utilized the sperm duct volume index to facilitate accurate determination of the male spawning period. Fish before spermiation were mainly observed off Hokkaido and partially off northern Tohoku (40.2–43.4°N) during August–December. However, fish undergoing spermiation and sperm release were not found near these areas and were observed only off southernmost Tohoku (35.8–37.5°N approximately 300 m deep) from late January to April. Very few spent fish were caught off southern Tohoku, but were frequently observed off Hokkaido during May–June. These results demonstrate that male V. moseri repeat widespread spawning migrations over 700 km between feeding grounds off Hokkaido and spawning grounds off southern Tohoku. Moreover, a combined analysis related to seasonal variations in the sperm duct volume and the proportion of spawning adults identified that the core duration of male reproduction was during March. Until now, reproduction of the next generation in the wild has not been confirmed, despite the continual release of seedlings and local fishery restrictions around Hokkaido. Our results underscore the necessity of a more widespread fishery management plan for V. moseri that encompasses the waters off Hokkaido and Tohoku to more effectively enhance reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, animal-borne telemetry with temperature sensors was coupled with extensive habitat temperature monitoring in a dimictic reservoir, to test the following hypotheses: behavioural thermoregulation occurs throughout the year and temperature selection varies on a diel and seasonal basis, in a winter-specialist diel-migrating fish. Burbot Lota lota demonstrated nightly behavioural thermoregulation throughout the year, with a large seasonal shift between selection for very cold temperatures (<2° C) optimal for reproduction during the spawning period and selection for warmer temperatures (12-14° C) optimal for hunting and feeding during non-reproductive periods. During daylight hours, while L. lota avoided habitats warmer than optimal for reproduction and feeding during the spawning and non-reproductive periods, respectively, active selection was limited to selection for 4-6° C habitat during the prespawning period. Although behavioural thermoregulation explained the night-time migration, behavioural thermoregulation only partially explained daytime behaviour, indicating that diel migration is best explained by a combination of factors. Thus, thermal-habitat selection was a good predictor of night-time habitat occupancy in a diel-migrating species. Together, these results show that thermal-habitat selection by fishes may be important throughout the year and a more seasonally plastic behaviour than previously recognized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many relevant aspects of the breeding ecology of South American migratory fishes remain obscure. We conducted kinship analyses and parental reconstruction based on microsatellite genotypes of 41 Salminus brasiliensis larvae sampled from a single natural spawning event. Polygynandry involving 25 (12:13) potential parents was suggested, supporting ecological observations of aggregation during spawning. Some parents contributed up to five half-sibling larvae genotypes, implying a skewed contribution of genes to the progeny. This study contributed to preliminary insights into the S. brasiliensis genetic mating system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the location and duration of habitat use by young fish is important for management and restoration efforts, but is largely unknown in anadromous species. We used otolith microchemistry and ambient water concentrations of Ca, Ba, Mn, and Sr to identify habitat use in the first year of growth for 131 returning adult blueback herring ( Alosa aestivalis) collected in seven spawning runs along the coast of Maine, USA. Ambient Sr:Ca ratios were correlated with salinity and were used as primary indicators of habitat use. Results revealed variable individual migration histories with several discrete migratory patterns; some fish migrated into seawater well before the end of the first year, while the majority exhibited longer residency in freshwater or low salinity habitat. Total area of available habitats ranged from approximately 213 to 6053 ha fresh water and 204 to 3395 ha estuary. Residency in freshwater or low salinity habitats was positively correlated with extent of freshwater habitat ( r = 0.37, P < 0.001). Results emphasize the importance of conserving a variety of habitat types to maintain variation in life histories and ensure plasticity in migratory behavior of diadromous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potamodromy, migration for reproduction within freshwater systems, is widely practiced among fishes, but has rarely been reported for Micropterus spp. Recent evidence has shown that shoal bass ( M. cataractae; Williams & Burgess, 1999) in the upper Flint River, USA, undergo migrations during the spawning season to large shoal complexes; however, the magnitude and prevalence of these migrations are unknown. To test the hypothesis that these fish exhibit potadromy, 376 shoal bass were tagged with anchor tags over a four-year period. Each spring, shoal bass migrated up to 200 km to reach spawning areas in the piedmont, and these migrations appeared to be more common in fish living in the coastal plain area of the river. Fish from the piedmont area moved less, likely due to proximity of spawning habitat. Results of this study have suggested that shoal bass are highly migratory in connected systems, traveling long distances to spawn in specific areas. Thus, the scope of shoal bass management and conservation has broadened considerably. Other Micropterus species dwelling in lotic habitats may exhibit similar migratory patterns in their native and/or introduced ranges, and this possibility could be examined using mark-recapture techniques similar to those used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial landings of a rare pleuronectid flatfish, barfin flounder Verasper moseri, recovered drastically after large-scale stock enhancement in Hokkaido conducted since 2006. This study investigated commercial landings, fishing grounds, size distributions, and sex and age compositions of barfin flounder during 2007-2011 in southern Tohoku, their major spawning ground, which is over 700 km south of Hokkaido. Landings, mostly comprising stocked fish, increased drastically in southern Tohoku: from 2.0 tons in 2007 to 20.8 tons in 2010. Over 98 % of them were landed during January-April, with the peak period during February-March. Fishing logbook data of offshore bottom-trawl vessels during 2007-2010 revealed the upper continental slope off southernmost Tohoku as the main fishing ground (35°40′-36°50′N, annual weighted mean depth 267-299 m). Two size modes in the landings consisted of males (ca. 40 cm) and females (ca. 60 cm). The main age at fishery recruitment in southern Tohoku was younger for males (age 2+) than for females (ages 3+ and 4+), the result of which was that the female percentage was lowest at 1.5 % in 2009 and highest at 7.9 % in 2011. Our results showed clearly how the effectiveness of large-scale stock enhancement in Hokkaido extended to southern Tohoku in association with spawning migration of stocked barfin flounder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises materials from various sources and the author’s research on the biology of the Siberian sturgeon in the Ob basin. The paper evaluates the significance of various parts of this river system for habitation and formation of sturgeon stock. It has been possible to distinguish semi-diadromous sturgeon and four local (indigenous) schools, according to the difference in morphological characteristics and peculiarities of the Ob basin ecology. Semi-diadromous sturgeon spends most of their life in the lower reach of the Ob and in the Gulf of Ob and migrates to spawn to the upper Ob. These spawning migrations cover a distance of 2500 km or more. Spawners from local schools do not make such long spawning migrations. It is noted that at least two isolated schools have been formed higher up the dams of the hydroelectric power stations on the Ob and the Irtysh. Today, the stock of semi-diadromous sturgeon is extremely low, but this school used to be the most abundant. The population of young fish in the middle-Ob school is of high density. But it has an extremely high mortality rate. The Chulym school of Ob sturgeon is in the best condition. Its population increases from the waters of two sturgeon and nelma reserves.+ [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) is a threatened fish species that inhabits rivers and impoundments in south-eastern Australia. Previous studies have shown that Macquarie perch in impoundments exhibit synchronised upstream spawning migrations to shallow, fast-flowing habitats in the lower reaches of inflowing streams. There has been little study of movement behaviours of entirely riverine populations of Macquarie perch despite this being the species' natural habitat. Here, radio-telemetry is used to test the hypothesis that riverine populations exhibit synchronised migrations during the spawning season. Thirty Macquarie perch in the Yarra River, Victoria, a translocated population outside of the species' natural range, were radio-tagged before the late spring-early summer spawning season and their movements followed over a 10-month period (May 2011 to February 2012). Tagged fish typically occupied restricted reaches of stream (<450 m). Sixteen of the fish undertook occasional upstream or downstream movements (~250-1000 m) away from their usual locations, particularly associated with large flow variations during the spawning season. There was no evidence of synchronised migratory behaviour or movement of multiple fish to specific locations or habitats during the spawning season. Whilst further research over more years is needed to comprehensively document the spawning-related behaviours of riverine Macquarie perch, our study demonstrates that management of riverine populations of this threatened species cannot necessarily be based on the model of spawning behaviour developed for lacustrine populations. Movements of the nationally threatened Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) were investigated in the Yarra River, Victoria, using radio telemetry. Macquarie perch exhibited complex, non-synchronous movements. Tagged fish occupied restricted home ranges and undertook occasional local upstream and downstream moves coinciding with flow variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) often survive spawning and migrate back to the sea to feed, either shortly after spawning in autumn or the following spring. We conducted a 4-year observational field study using telemetry to evaluate the determinants of migration timing in Atlantic salmon postspawners (kelts). We found that individuals with low energy reserves migrated early to the risky but productive marine habitat, whereas individuals with greater energy reserves stayed in the safe but less productive river habitat until staying became energetically more costly than migrating. For males, the likelihood of overwintering in the river instead of migrating in autumn increased 27-fold with each increase in body condition index, whereas almost all females overwintered in the river. Among spring migrants, body condition was the strongest determinant of migration timing, and females left the river about 5 days later than males. Our study suggests that migration timing in Atlantic salmon kelts is the outcome of adaptive state-dependent habitat use, related to individual and sexual differences in energy allocation during spawning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pop-up satellite archival tags identified differences in oceanic migration of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) kelts from three distinct Canadian populations. Kelts from two endangered populations were restricted to coastal areas near home rivers, whereas kelts from a persisting nearby population migrated to the Labrador Sea and towards the Flemish Cap. Kelts spent most time near the surface (0-5 m), but coastal migrants undertook repeated daytime dives (10-40 m), associated with feeding, upon marine entry and progress was slow (8-23 km·day−1). Distant migrants moved rapidly along the continental shelf (10-50 km·day−1) against prevailing ocean currents, remaining near the surface, except for deep dives (100-1000 m) when crossing ocean channels and at the shelf edge. Home range water temperatures (0-15 °C) indicated that kelts avoided warmer adjacent areas in summer. Kelts did not avoid cold coastal habitat (0-5 °C) in winter, but avoided the surface layers. Kelt migration mimicked that of postsmolts of similar origins, with water temperature acting as a directive or controlling factor. Containment of kelts from endangered populations in coastal habitat was probably responsible for the disappearance of repeat spawners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

- Redband trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) migrations were tracked between March 2007 and June 2009 in the Donner und Blitzen River, Oregon, USA, using radio telemetry and PIT tags. We investigated the upstream extent and timing of spawning migrations for two groups of trout, considered the factors that influenced the rate of trout migration and explored the seasonal patterns of redband trout migration related to temperature and flow conditions. We found that trout made long-distance migrations (up to 91 km) to spawn. Spawning trout from the lower river and middle river migrated to the same reaches, but lower river trout reached spawning habitats later than individuals from the middle river. Migration rate had a positive relationship with fork length and mean river discharge. We also found that redband trout made upstream spring migrations as sub-adults and as adults. Whereas adult trout migrated to spawn, immature individuals migrated to river segments with more favourable thermal conditions. In both cases, migrations occurred where seasonally appropriate or life-stage-specific habitat patches for growth, survival, or reproduction were spatially segregated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue marlin, widely distributed throughout the Pacific Ocean, are sexually dimorphic, have certain preferred habitats, and migrate seasonally. These characteristics have been ignored in previous stock assessment models. A population dynamics model that includes spatial structure, and sex and age structure was therefore constructed and fitted to fisheries data for blue marlin, along with information on the relative density of the population over space derived from a habitat preference model that uses the oceanographic and biological variables sea-surface temperature, mixed layer depth, sea-surface height anomaly, and chlorophyll- a concentration. Monte Carlo simulation was then used to examine the estimation performance of the stock assessment method. Estimates of management-related quantities including current spawning stock biomass are substantially biased when the assessment method ignores seasonal movement and sexual dimorphism. We also found that (i) uncertainty about the relationship between catch rate and abundance influences estimation performance to a larger extent than uncertainty in catches, (ii) the outcomes of the assessment are sensitive to the values assumed for natural mortality and stock-recruitment steepness, and (iii) the ratio of current spawning stock biomass to that at pre-exploitation equilibrium appears to be the most robust among the quantities considered. We conclude that assessment methods for blue marlin in the Pacific Ocean need to take account of seasonal migration and sex structure to improve stock assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown trout ( Salmo trutta) are extensively harvested and its habitat highly influenced by human encroachments. Using a 40-year time series of mark–recapture data we estimate vital rates for a piscivorous trout population. This population spawns upstream of a waterfall, which historically acted as a migration barrier for smaller trout. In 1966, the waterfall was dammed and a fish ladder constructed. All fish ascending the fish ladder were individually tagged and measured for a variety of traits. The fish ladder overall favoured access to upstream spawning areas for middle-sized trout, resulting in stabilizing selection acting on size at spawning. Over time, natural and fishing mortality have varied, with fishing mortality generally decreasing and natural mortality increasing. The average and, particularly, variance in size-at-first-spawning, and growth rates during the first years of lake residence have all decreased over the 1966–2003 period. These changes are all consistent with a shift from directional to stabilizing selection on age and size at spawning. Estimated rates of phenotypic change are relatively high, in particular for size at first spawning, adding further support for the growing notion that human interference may lead to rapid life-history trait evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mark-recapture study was conducted in 1997–2005 to investigate movements of stocked pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, in the Paraná River Basin of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Fish raised in cages within the Itaipu Reservoir and in ponds were tagged externally (n = 2976) and released in the Itaipu Reservoir (53.2%) and bays of its major tributaries (46.8%). In total, 367 fish (12.3%) were recaptured. In all, 91% of the pacu moved away from the release site; upstream movements were more extensive than downstream movements. Pacu traveled upstream a maximum of 422 km (average of 41.3 km) at a maximum rate of 26.4 km day−1 (av. 0.8). Downstream movements were limited in terms of number of individuals and distance moved. Fish released during the wet season moved farther than those released during the dry season, and feeding rather than spawning might have been the compelling reason for movement. Although fish passed downstream through dams, none of the marked fish were detected to have moved upstream through the passage facilities. Pacu showed movement patterns not radically different from those of other neotropical migratory species, but their migratory movements may not be as extensive as those of other large migratory species in the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]