Study: Hatcheries Can Create Fish Easier To Catch By Anglers, Or Harder To Catch

Angling success is higher when fishing for hatchery raised trout than it is for trout grown in a more natural setting, even when that more natural environment is created in a hatchery.



A recent study in Finland found that brown trout grown in a normal hatchery environment are more vulnerable to anglers because they have a greater tendency to explore and to grab at any food supply they see.



In the study, scientists created two rearing environments: a normal hatchery environment with concrete pens and a more natural or enriched hatchery environment that provided fish with cover, a rocky bottom and real insects during their early lives. Both types were fed pellets prior to release, but natural insects were also available in the enriched environment.



The hatchery fish reared in the normal setting grew faster and larger than the hatchery fish reared in the more natural setting, but they also lost weight and soon became hungry when released into the wild, making the trout more susceptible to angling. Trout grown in the enriched environment tended to be more cautious.



The researchers/anglers tested their hypotheses by ..... http://www.cbbulletin.com/432654.aspx