Socially induced stress and behavioural inhibition in response to angling exposure in rainbow trout

Lovén Wallerius, M., Gräns, A., Koeck, B. , Berger, D., Sandblom, E., Ekström, A., Arlinghaus, R. and Johnsson, J. I. (2019) Socially induced stress and behavioural inhibition in response to angling exposure in rainbow trout. Fisheries Management and Ecology, 26(6), pp. 611-620. (doi: 10.1111/fme.12373)

Abstract

It is well known that fish can learn to avoid angling gear after experiencing a catch‐and‐release event, that is, after a private hooking experience. However, the possible importance of social information cues and their influence on an individual's vulnerability to angling remains largely unexplored, that is, social experience of a conspecific capture. The effects of private and social experience of hooking on the stress response of fish and subsequent catch rates were examined. Hatchery‐reared rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), were implanted with heart rate loggers and experimentally subjected to private or social experience of hooking. Private and social experience of angling induced an increased heart rate in fish compared with naïve control fish. While private experience of hooking explained most of the reduced vulnerability to capture, no clear evidence was found that social experience of hooking affected angling vulnerability in fish that had never been hooked before. While both private and social experiences of angling constitute significant physiological stressors for rainbow trout, only the private experience reduces an individual's vulnerability to angling and in turn affecting population‐level catchability.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Koeck, Dr Barbara
• Authors: Lovén Wallerius, M., Gräns, A., Koeck, B., Berger, D., Sandblom, E., Ekström, A., Arlinghaus, R., and Johnsson, J. I.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Fisheries Management and Ecology
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0969-997X
• ISSN (Online): 1365-2400
• Published Online: 09 July 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons
• First Published: First published in Fisheries Management and Ecology 26(6):611-620
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher