The Importance of Live‐Well Transport in the Physiological Disturbance Experienced by Smallmouth Bass in Tournaments on Large Water Bodies

Abstract

Competitive fishing has become an important element of recreational fisheries for black bass Micropterus spp. in North America. The vast majority of competitive events involve a “live‐release” format, where fish are held in a boat's live well after being angled and are then released following the weigh‐in. We examined the frequency and importance of physical impacts between Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu and the walls of the live well when tournaments are held on large water bodies. Using an experimental live well that included a video recorder, we determined the number of collisions between Smallmouth Bass and the walls of the live well when a 5.6‐m boat was driven on Lake Ontario. During these experiments, 10 of 28 Smallmouth Bass lost equilibrium and became inverted. Live‐well transport also resulted in elevations of intracellular enzymes in blood plasma that were used as indicators of cell damage. The results of these experiments indicate that physical impacts with the walls of the live well may be an important factor contributing to the physiological disturbance experienced by Smallmouth Bass in tournaments on large water bodies. Our results also show that this disturbance can be reduced by simply padding the live well. These findings have important implications for fisheries managers, as well as the competitive angling community.

A Comparison of Different Tournament Weigh‐In Formats on the Short‐Term Postrelease Behavior of Black Bass Assessed with Biologgers

“…Other studies have focused on the implications of poorly organized (or poorly executed) weigh‐in procedures for the survival of black bass (Hartley and Moring 1995; Weathers and Newman 1997). Furthermore, rough water, which is usually a result of high winds, can prolong the duration of time spent by black bass in the live well and has an impact on the overall welfare of black bass prior to release (Kwak and Henry 1995; Brooke et al 2020). Individual angler experience and knowledge related to the welfare of fish while being held in the live well can also have an influence on the survival of released black bass (Edwards et al 2004).…”

Comparison of Angler Interventions for Smallmouth Bass Experiencing Barotrauma in Catch‐and‐Release Angling Tournaments

“…Because most full tournament days are approximately 8 h, however, it is also possible that some Smallmouth Bass could be held in a live well for much longer periods, during which time their condition could be influenced by other factors. In addition to barotrauma, potential stressors during a real competitive fishing event include the number of fish in the live well, extreme temperature changes, anoxic conditions, displacement, and physical injuries that occur within the live well (Suski et al 2003, 2005; Brooke et al 2019; Slagle et al 2020). As reviewed by Cooke et al (2002) and Siepker et al (2007), tournament mortality in black bass is most likely due to the combined effects of several factors.…”

“…A total of 10 experimental live wells were positioned on the forward deck of the research vessel. Brooke et al (2019) demonstrated that Smallmouth Bass can experience significant levels of stress while they are being transported in a live well; therefore, every effort was made to avoid subjecting the fish to additional stressors (beyond barotrauma) in the experimental live wells. While the fish were in the live wells, the research vessel refrained from operating in rough waters or at excessive speeds, which could have contributed to physical disturbances for the fish.…”

“…The underlying causes of tournament‐related mortality in bass have been the focus of numerous studies (reviewed in Cooke et al 2002; Siepker et al 2007), and our understanding in this area continues to improve. Several factors influence the final condition of bass that are released from these tournaments, including anoxic conditions (Suski et al 2003), displacement (Slagle et al 2020), physical effects within the live well (Suski et al 2005; Brooke et al 2019), and barotrauma (Gravel and Cooke 2008).…”

Are we any closer to understanding why fish can die after severe exercise?

“…In addition to an updated perspective on lactate and metabolic protons, other research groups have explored the intricacies of exhaustive exercise in fish metabolism and bolstered our understanding of the roles of aerobic scope (see Clark et al, 2013Clark et al, , 2017Farrell et al, 2008), acidosis (Perry & Gilmour, 2006;Wang et al, 1994;Wood & Wang, 1999), muscle energy dynamics (Gleeson, 1996;Weber, 2009), ion transport (Evans et al, 2005;Wood, 1988), catecholamine responses (Hanson et al, 2006;Wood, 1994), and downstream cardiorespiratory effects (Wood & Munger, 1994;Farrell et al, 2009;Prystay et al, 2017). Moreover, in an effort to reduce mortality among exhausted fish (e.g., from fisheries interactions), much effort has been devoted to evaluating potential recovery strategies that can be informative for understanding the potential mechanisms associated with mortality (Brooke et al, 2019;Gingerich et al, 2010;Gleeson, 1996;Raby et al, 2012;Suski et al, 2006;Suski, Cooke, Danylchuk, et al, 2007). When comparing such studies where fish are exercised in the lab (e.g., Wood, 1991) versus exercised in the field (e.g., immediate capture and chase, or using a fishing interaction as a form of exercise), it is important to recognize that laboratory settings create more control over nutrition, environment, F I G U R E 1 An exhausted fish that can no longer maintain equilibrium after a catch-and-release angling event.…”