Effects of Deflating the Expanded Swim Bladder on Survival of Burbot

Abstract

We found no evidence that deflating the expanded swim bladder of burbot Lota lota affected survival. In a mark-recapture study of the species in Green Bay, Lake Michigan, many burbot caught from depths greater than 10 m floated at the surface when tagged and released because of expanded swim bladders. We deflated the swim bladders by forcing a hollow needle through the body wall to puncture the expanded organ, and we conducted two experiments to assess the effect of our procedures on survival. In one experiment 103 burbot were tagged and deflated and then held in nets on the bottom; 99% were alive after 1-8 d (mean, 4 d). In another experiment 316 burbot were tagged, deflated, and released at the surface, and 337 control burbot were tagged, not deflated, but forced to the bottom and released in a weighted net with an open bottom. Most of these fish that were recaptured were at large more than 5 months, and returns did not differ between the two groups; 6.3% of the deflated fish were recaptured compared to 5.9% of the controls. Recaptures of tagged and deflated burbot that were not part of these experiments indicated that swim bladder healing began within the first week of release and was complete in 8 weeks.

The post-release behaviour and fate of tournament-caught smallmouth bass after ‘fizzing’ to alleviate distended swim bladders

“…Similar to past studies on gas bladder deflation, we found no mortality in fish with barotrauma that were subjected to fizzing (e.g., Bruesewitz et al, 1993;Shasteen and Sheehan, 1997). Other studies recorded mortality but found no significant difference between deflated fish and non-deflated fish (e.g., Lee, 1992;Gitschlag and Renaud, 1994), and some studies have shown a positive effect of artificial swim bladder deflation on yellow perch (Keniry et al, 1996), black sea bass and vermillion snapper (Collins et al, 1999).…”

“…Furthermore, we recommend hypodermic needle as its puncture would heal the fastest noted by Shasteen and Sheehan (1997) who reported swim bladders healed slower for larger incisions (0.5 cm) made in the swim bladder of largemouth bass than for needle punctures (17 h). Other observations demonstrated swim bladders healed within 4 days for red snapper and red grouper (Burns and Restrepo, 2002), and healed relatively quickly in burbot (within 8 weeks; Bruesewitz et al, 1993). These findings confirm that fizzing is not unfavourable to barotrauma fish; however, accidental punctures of other organs can have adverse effects (as reviewed by Kerr, 2001).…”

“…Several tools have been used to manually deflate expanded swim bladders such as, hypodermic needles of various gauges (e.g., Shasteen and Sheehan, 1997;Collins et al, 1999), tagging guns (e.g., Keniry et al, 1996;Bruesewitz et al, 1993), Sea Grant cannula tool (Collins et al, 1999), fish hooks (Gitschlag and Renaud, 1994), knives (Forrester, 1954), weighted hooks, and weighted cages. For our study, we used a 21-gauge, 1.5 in.…”

“…In addition, it is unknown whether the fizzed fish are behaviourally compromised and may be unable to swim effectively to avoid predators or forage for food (Shasteen and Sheehan, 1997). Most studies to date on fizzing have been completed in laboratories (e.g., Keniry et al, 1996;Shasteen and Sheehan, 1997), or using mark recapture methods (e.g., Lee, 1992;Bruesewitz et al, 1993). There are currently no telemetry studies that have evaluated the effect of fizzing in the wild where fish are potentially subject to predation and other environmental conditions.…”

A Review of Catch-and-Release Angling Mortality with Implications for No-take Reserves

“…Two studies found no effect on survivorship. Deflation had no detrimental effect on burbot Lota lota (Bruesewitz et al, 1993) and increased survival of largemouth bass (Feathers and Knable, 1983), black sea bass (Collins et al, 1999), and yellow perch (Keniry et al, 1996). Survival of vermilion snapper increased in one study (Fable, 1994), but not significantly in another (Collins et al, 1999).…”