The Rôle of Competition in the Mortality of Hatchery Trout

Abstract

The literature on the survival of hatchery-reared trout after release in streams is reviewed and the conclusion is reached that survival is poor in lakes and streams where a resident trout population already exists. In streams the deaths of planted trout occur very soon after their release and have been referred to as "delayed mortality". However, a comparison of survivals after planting in occupied and non-occupied streams shows that many of the deaths are not attributable to hatchery-background or transportation methods, but largely to some aspect of competition with resident trout. Some investigations which have sought to measure the relative survivability of wild and hatchery trout have not used resident wild trout and thus a crucial aspect of the competition has been omitted. Investigations at the Alberta Biological Station test stream, Gorge Creek, are described; in these a significant difference in blood lactic acid levels was found between hatchery trout with and without competition from resident trout. A tentative role is assigned competition as follows: introduced trout must compete for niches and for food. In the early stages of this competition they are continuously exercising; they exhaust stores of some metabolite and die either of acidosis or starvation.