Palm, Daniel
- Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
Most research comparing wild and hatchery-produced fish focuses on recently stocked individuals. As a result, these studiesonly investigate the behavior of naive hatchery fish, leaving a knowledge gap regarding long-term survivors. We compared themovement, space use, and survival of wild and hatchery-reared brown trout (Salmo trutta) that had survived for multiple yearsin a large Swedish lake (345 km 2). Acoustic tracking of 38 wild and 56 naturalized, hatchery- origin trout over 4 years revealedsimilar weekly travel distances, sub-basin transitions, and survival rates between the groups. However, wild trout exhibitedgreater seasonal variability in their movement and sub-basin usage than their hatchery-reared conspecifics. These differencesmay reflect a reduced ability of hatchery trout to respond to environmental cues (e.g., prey availability). Our findings highlightthat while hatchery-reared trout can persist in the wild, behavioral differences may influence their local ecological interactionsand long-term fitness.
acoustic telemetry; Adfluvial; Salmo trutta; salmonid; Siljan; stocking
Fisheries Management and Ecology
2025
Fisk- och akvakulturforskning
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/142884