Developments in fish telemetry

Freshwater and marine ecosystems continue to be the focus of significant environmental change associated with an expanding human population and a rapidly changing climate. Many organisms within these environments, and fish in particular, are susceptible to increasing pressures, ranging from exploitation to modifications and loss of habitat. In order to manage and conserve these populations and protect biodiversity, these resources must be managed in a sympathetic and responsible manner. One biological tool that is progressively at the cutting edge of aquatic conservation is telemetry, which is increasingly being used by scientists to investigate fundamental aspects of animal biology in order to conserve and manage natural resources. The Sixth Conference on Fish Telemetry held in Europe was organised by the University of Evora and the Institute of Oceanography of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon in June 2005. The Conference attracted 162 delegates from 25 countries stimulating a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving and further promoting technological development and innovation in the field of wildlife telemetry. The Conference provided an excellent forum for scientists and engineers to exchange views and to disseminate information on recent developments in order to support and provide the scientific basis for the sustainable management of aquatic resources. At the conference 74 oral and 56 poster contributions presented, and after review by members of the editorial board, 26 manuscripts were selected for inclusion within these proceedings. The selected papers are organised into four sections: (1) Human Impacts and Fisheries; (2) Migration and Behaviour; (3) Species Conservation and Habitat Rehabilitation; (4) Methodology and New Technology. We would like to thank the support of two institutions for the organization of the Conference, the University of Évora and the Institute of Oceanography (Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon), as well as the sponsorship of Administração do Porto de Sines, Ambassade de France au Portugal, Bacalhôa wines of Portugal, British Council (Portugal), Câmara Municipal de Sesimbra, Direccão-Geral das Pescas e Aquicultura, Fundação Luso-Americana, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Instituto da Água, Instituto de Turismo de Portugal, Instituto Italiano di Cultura Lisboa, Oceaná rio de Lisboa, and Região de Turismo da Costa Azul. We would also like to thank the members of the Conference Secretariat, Scientific and Organizing Committees, and all the attendees for contributing directly or indirectly to the success of this event. Special thanks go to 68 independent referees for helping to peer-review and select the manuscripts for the proceedings

European lampreys: new insights on postglacial colonization, gene flow and speciation.

Ice ages are known to be the most dominant palaeoclimatic feature occurring on Earth, producing severe climatic oscillations and consequently shaping the distribution and the population structure of several species. Lampreys constitute excellent models to study the colonization of freshwater systems, as they commonly appear in pairs of closely related species of anadromous versus freshwater resident adults, thus having the ability to colonize new habitats, through the anadromous species, and establish freshwater resident derivates. We used 10 microsatellite loci to investigate the spatial structure, patterns of gene flow and migration routes of Lampetra populations in Europe. We sampled 11 populations including the migratory L. fluviatilis and four resident species, L. planeri, L. alavariensis, L. auremensis and L. lusitanica, the last three endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. In this southern glacial refugium almost all sampled populations represent a distinct genetic cluster, showing high levels of allopatric differentiation, reflecting long periods of isolation. As result of their more recent common ancestor, populations from northern Europe are less divergent among them, they are represented by fewer genetic clusters, and there is evidence of strong recent gene flow among populations. These previously glaciated areas from northern Europe may have been colonized from lampreys expanding out of the Iberian refugia. The pair L. fluviatilis/L. planeri is apparently at different stages of speciation in different locations, showing evidences of high reproductive isolation in the southern refugium, and low differentiation in the north

Can a restocking event with European (glass) eels cause early changes in local biological communities and its ecological status?

In an attempt to assist the recovery of the panmictic population of the European eel, declining since the late 1980s, the restocking of areas with low or no natural recruitment has been one of the measures adopted to reverse this trend. However, the main focus in several monitoring programmes for these actions, has been in the best interest of its viability and cost/benefit relationships and, for that, the condition of the released stocks has been the main concern. Yet, so far, no studies have assessed the potential ecological impacts that restocking might have on other biological communities. This pioneer pilot study aimed to evaluate the early ecological impact of a restocking event on other biological communities, considering inter-specific competition (other fish species) and feeding impact (macroinvertebrates).The reference condition of the biological communities of an inland tributary of the Mondego river, the River Ceira, was determined in three sites inaccessible to the natural recruitment of eels, followed by a post-stocking assessment. The results showed no significant changes in the fish assemblages in restocked areas, contrary to the macroinvertebrate community. However, the ecological status for the macroinvertebrate community showed no deleterious effects, with the results suggesting exactly the opposite. This may be related to the low density of the restocked eels and factors influencing the local trophic web. This study confirms the suitability of the habitat for restocking with glass eels, during its early stages, without disrupting the local ecological status, using densities close to those of natural recruitment

Can heart tissue fatty acid profile be used as a tool to discriminate sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus, L.) populations in several Portuguese river basins?

This study proposes to evaluate the use of heart tissue fatty acid signature and multivariate analysis of fatty acid profile as a possible discriminating tool for sea lamprey P. marinus populations sampled in Portuguese river basins. Local fisherman collected adult sea lampreys in eight Portuguese river basins (Minho, Lima, Cávado, Douro, Vouga, Mondego, Tagus and Guadiana) at the beginning of their spawning migration. Heart total lipid extraction was obtained by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and FAMEs were prepared by transesterification with methanol-boron trifluoride and analysed by GC. FAMEs were identified by comparison of their retention times with known standards chromatographed in identical gas chromatography conditions. The fatty acid profile of the heart tissue varied among the individuals of the different river basins. In order to identify which fatty acid contributed most to the differences between river basins heart tissue, MDA was employed. The MDA proved to be statistically significant and the overall corrected classification rate estimated from cross-validation procedure was 86.2%. Although in the case of the individuals of Tagus and Guadiana 100% and 94.7 % of subjects were correctly classified, respectively, there are always a few individuals of the other 5 watersheds that have characteristics identical to those observed in these two river basins.The results are discussed in terms of fatty acid origin and hypothesis concerning the migratory behavior that could lead to these results. The fatty acid profile of heart is considered more stable than other organs, but it still exhibits some variability. This study seems to point out the potential for fatty acid compositions to discriminate sea lampreys from Portuguese river basins, which are probably related with environmental variables that they may have been exposed during early stages of their life cycle

The relationship between fatty acids and fish: lesser-known aspects and the need for increasingly efficient analytical techniques

When we associate the word fatty acids with fish, most people identify fish as sources of fatty acids from the omega families. This relationship is always present in the valuation of nutritional quality of fish. However, fatty acids have many other crucial functions in fish. The oldest studies related to fatty acids focused essentially on their role as sources metabolic energy in the form of ATP through β-oxidation. Many studies referred the fatty acid role for migrations, energy production during growth and egg formation, among others. Soon fatty acids quickly began to be studied from the point of view of source of essential nutrients for several physiological processes and integral components of biological membranes. The high content of highly polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish is related to the fact that they are poikilothermic. In the presence of various temperature scenarios, fish can effectively exploit a wide chemical diversity of membrane fatty acid profiles, to defend their physical properties, such as fluidity. In the last decades, fatty acids have been used as either biomarkers because they are limited to certain taxa and they can be transferred conservatively from primary producers to higher trophic level or stock identifiers because the fatty acid composition of phospholipids in some body tissues have a stable genetics basis. In the last decades multiple techniques have been used for fatty acid analysis. As a rule, before the instrumental analysis, the sample requires 2 previous steps. These comprise extraction of lipids from the matrix and derivatization. The combination of these two stages generates multiple methodologies that are not always standardized. Soon, the analysis of fatty acids tends to reduce and standardize these previous analyses while the instrumental analysis should solve problems related to similar mass spectra of the isomers and coelution between fatty acidsFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for a PhD scholarship UI/BD/153381/2022.This work was funding by National Funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project PTDC/BIA-BMA/030517/2017 and the Portuguese Science Foundation through the strategy plan for MED (Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development), via project UIDB/05183/2020, for MARE (Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre), via project UIDB/04292/2020, UID/50006/2020, and under the project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET; and for LAQV-REQUIMTE, via project UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/202

Peixes

Os peixes sao organismos aquaticos que associamosde imediato aos rios, mas sobre os quais existe aindamuito desconhecimento. Neste capitulo damos a conhecer asespecies que existem em Portugal, como estao distribuidasno nosso territorio, que fatores ambientais determinam a suaocorrencia, que comportamentos exibem, que ameacas pairamsobre as suas populacoes, ou como podem ser utilizadoscomo sentinelas para monitorizar o estado ecologico dos rios.Sao ainda descritas as principais caracteristicas dos habitatsdulciaquicolas portugueses e das associacoes piscicolas que neles ocorrem, e discutidos quais os principais fatores ambientaisque terao contribuido para a distribuicao das especiesno nosso territorio. Face as pressoes de natureza antropica aque estao sujeitos, e dado destaque aos principais fatores deameaca a conservacao dos peixes dulciaquicolas e migradores,e as medidas de mitigacao mais adequadas a sua proteção

Fine-scale behaviour of the Lusitanian toadfish assessed in situ with the AccelTag

Three-axis acceleration sensor acoustic transmitters (AccelTag) programmed to identify specific acceleration patterns associated with particular behaviours (e.g., burrowing, attack) were used to study some aspects of the ecology of the Lusitanian toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus (Bloch & Schneider 1801). The AccelTag combines the features of archival tags (records acceleration in all three directions measuring also roll-independent pitch/tilt angle and roll around the fish’s axis) and acoustic transmitters. Therefore, this tag can autonomously identify and record specific signatures (i.e., behaviour patterns) of different movements transmitting autonomously and periodically the data to an acoustic biotelemetry receiver. Lusitanian toadfish is a subtropical marine teleost confined to estuaries in its northern limit of distribution due to thermal constraints. During 2010 (August and October), 24 toadfish were captured, tagged with the AccelTag and released in the Mira estuary, SW coast of Portugal, where an array of underwater automatic acoustic biotelemetry receivers was deployed

Movements of hatchery-reared dusky groupers released in a Northeast Atlantic Coastal Marine Protected Area.

No-take areas are key instruments to promote the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), particularly concerning the protection of endangered species such as the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus). However, despite the establishment of no-take areas and the prohibition of catching this species in a southwestern Portuguese MPA (SACVMP—‘Sudoeste Alentejano’ and ‘Costa Vicentina’ Marine Park) since 2011, there is still no evidence of population recovery. By using acoustic biotelemetry, this work aimed to evaluate the feasibility of restocking hatchery-reared adult dusky groupers in two no-take areas within the SACVMP. In 2019 and 2021, thirty groupers were tagged with acoustic transmitters and the site attachment and movements of the groupers were assessed in the releasing sites (no-take areas). None of the tagged fish settled down in either of the areas, leaving the no-take areas mainly at dusk and night. Some individuals displayed extended movements of more than a hundred kilometers along the Portuguese coast which was rarely reported for this species. At least in some coastal stretches, those movements were performed close to the shore, which may evidence the importance of coastal MPAs to protect and promote the connectivity of species more associated with rocky reef habitats. Following studies should focus on the conditions that promote site attachment and fidelity by hatchery-reared dusky groupers so that future large-scale restocking programs can be successful in MPAs with appropriate habitats

Swimming behaviour of upriver migrating sea lamprey assessed by electromyogram telemetry.

The main subject of this study was the swimming behaviour of upriver migrating sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, with particular focus on identification of their swim strategies to overcome areas of difficult passage. A biotelemetry technique (electromyogram telemetry) was used to register muscle activity of the tagged animals. In the 2005 spawning season, five adult sea lampreys were surgically tagged and released in the field. Before release, electromyogram (EMG) records were calibrated with the P. marinus swimming speed in a swim tunnel. Differences between ground speed and swimming speed in the wild suggest that the calibrated CEMG (coded electromyogram) transmitter output corresponds to an activity index, and cannot be properly related to actual swimming speed. This study notes the need to confirm the laboratory calibration curves, to ascertain their use in determining swimming speed of tagged fish in the wild. In 2006, in order to confirm the field results seven adult sea lampreys were tagged, calibrated in the laboratory and released in a 30-m long experimental outdoor canal. The results were similar: observed swimming speed was generally higher when compared with the swimming speed obtained with the EMG signal. In the river, when swimming through slow-flow stretches, sea lampreys maintained a constant pattern of activity, attaining an average ground speed of 0.76 BL s)1 (2.5 km h)1). When sea lampreys encountered rapid flow reaches they alternated between short movements (c. 67 s) and periods of rest (c. 99 s). In each swim bout they progressed approximately 14 m; to overcome more difficult obstacles sea lampreys increased their number of burst movements instead of longer or more violent swimming events. About 43% of the time negotiating difficult passage areas was spent in resting by attaching motionless to the substrate with their oral disk

Critical swimming speed of the southern straight-mouth nase Pseudochondrostoma willkommii (Steindachner, 1866), a potamodromous cyprinid from southern Europe.

Critical swimming speed (Ucrit) of the potamodromous southern straight-mouth nase was assessed in a modified Blazka-type swim tunnel. Forty-one P. willkommii were tested and exhibited a mean± SD Ucrit of 0.54 ± 0.07 m/s. The sex of experimental fish had no effect on Ucrit but a significant positive relationship was found between swimming performance and the body condition of tested fish. Results from this study can be used to improve the current design of fish passes targeting this, or similar, potamodromous fish species