Lake sturgeon management in the Menominee River, a Wisconsin-Michigan boundary water

The Menominee River, a boundary water between northeastern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan, contains a sport fishery for lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, which is jointly managed by both states. Previous studies indicated that overfishing of this sturgeon population was occurring, and this investigation examined the impact of new angling regulations. The sturgeon population is fragmented into sections by hydroelectric dams. Stocks from the three main sections of the river were compared before and after implementation of the new angling regulations. Records of the legal harvest of lake sturgeon from each river section were obtained through a registration system, which has been in effect since 1983, and estimates of exploitation were derived from these data. Overfishing of lake sturgeon stocks in two of the three sections of the Menominee River is still occurring. Management recommendations are made which would allow for a continued fishery by providing further protection to the stocks.     

Karyotype variability in successive generations after hybridization between the great sturgeon, Huso huso (L.), and the sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L.

Effects of particle size, fish size and temperature on the filtration rate of silver carp were determined. When feeding at 20°C on zooplankton and spherical particles (yeast, micronic beads and pollen), 32-g silver carp filter particles larger than 70 urn at a maximum rate of 18.251 h⁻¹. For particles smaller than 70 μm, filtration rates decrease with decreasing particle size until there is no measured filtration for particles smaller than 10 μm. Filtering rates ( FR ) for particles between 10 and 50 μm are described by the equation, FR =−20.8 + 21.7 × log particle diameter. Filtration rates rise as fish size, particle size and temperature increase. Filtration rates per unit biomass, however, fall as fish size increases: FR = 1.54 W^0.713, where FR is the maximum filtration rate in ¹ h ¹ fish ¹ and W is weight of fish in grammes. The results of these trials are consistent with the hypothesis that particle selection by silver carp is a mechanical, passive function of gill raker morphology.     

低温环境下施氏鲟的人工繁殖研究

施氏鲟天然繁殖水温为16－19℃,在8－14℃水温中进行人工繁殖,获得成功,催产率85％,在低温环境（8－14℃）中催产,效应时间内水温基本稳定或升高是催产成功的关键,而温度高低与催化成功率没有明显关系。在低温环境中,催产的效应时间大幅度延长,卵母细胞游离速度十分缓慢,应多次少量注射激素,催产才能完全成功,催产激素剂量以怀卵量计算效果较佳;卵化积温非常数。神经胚期胚胎在水温低于11时畸形死亡,孵出期胚胎在水温达13℃才能正常破膜,其它时期胚胎在8．5℃水温中能正常发育。     

葛洲坝下中华鲟繁殖生物学特性及其人工繁殖效果

以1998—2004年(除2002年外)间从葛洲坝下产卵场捕获的57尾(雌36尾,雄21尾)中华鲟人工繁殖群体为材料,研究了中华鲟人工繁殖群体的繁殖生物学特性.结果表明:1998—2004年间中华鲟雌鲟体长240～320cm,体质量140～432kg,年龄15～30龄;雄鲟体长153～284cm,体质量70～244kg,年龄12～26龄.雌鲟催产率93·1%,雄鲟催产率100%.卵子可明显分为7种颜色;绝对怀卵量为20～59万粒,平均35·8万粒;相对怀卵量820～3020粒·kg-1,平均1590粒·kg-1.精液明显分为4种颜色;绝对采精量1000～5952ml,平均2597·8ml;相对采精量1·25～31·24ml·kg-1,平均13·3ml·kg-1.多年人工催产受精率平均达到63·7%,孵化率达到48·1%,6年共孵化出苗476·2万尾,保证了人工繁殖放流的实施.资料对比显示,中华鲟繁殖群体自然繁殖力大幅下降.     

长江中华鲟繁殖群体资源现状的初步研究

根据1994—1998年获得的246尾标本,对中华鲟繁殖群体的性比、性腺发育成熟个体比例、年龄结构、体长和体重特征等进行了研究。并结合历史资料,对其种群资源现状进行评价,提出了相应的资源保护措施建议。     

中国鲟科一新记录种——小体鲟

在中国,小体鲟(Acipenser ruthenus)被认为自然分布于额尔齐斯河,但至今尚无发现该种的文献报道,在额尔齐斯河是否确有分布还存疑问。2019年9月,在中国额尔斯斯河下游(185团)采集到鲟类标本1尾,全长91.5 cm,体重5 520 g。标本背骨板11,侧骨板64,腹骨板12;口腹位,较小,口下唇中间断裂;鳃耙数17,符合小体鲟的形态特征。利用线粒体DNA Cyt b基因序列(1 141 bp),对鲟属10个物种的亲缘关系及系统发育进行分析,该种与分布于鄂毕河、多瑙河的小体鲟遗传距离最近(序列分歧为0～0.000 2),并在进化树中聚为一支,应属于种内关系。基于以上研究结果,可以确定该标本即为小体鲟,在额尔齐斯河首次被发现,为中国鲟科分布新记录种,标本保存于中国水产科学研究院黑龙江水产研究所鱼类标本馆(标本号80092871)。     

Biology, fisheries, and conservation of sturgeons and paddlefish in China

This paper reviews five of the eight species of acipenseriforms that occur in China, chiefly those of the Amur and Yangtze rivers. Kaluga Huso dauricus and Amur sturgeon Acipenser schrenckii are endemic to the Amur River. Both species still support fisheries, but stocks are declining due to overfishing. Acipenseriformes of the Yangtze River are primarily threatened by hydroelectric dams that block free passage to spawning and feeding areas. The Chinese paddlefish Psephurus gladius now is rare in the Yangtze River system, and its spawning activities were severely limited by completion of the Gezhouba Dam in 1981. Since 1988, only 3–10 adult paddlefishes per year have been found below the dam. Limited spawning still exists above the dam, but when the new Three Gorges Dam is complete, it will further threaten the paddlefish. Artificial propagation appears to be the only hope for preventing extinction of P. gladius, but it has yet to be successfully bred in captivity. Dabry's sturgeon A. dabryanus is a small, exclusively freshwater sturgeon found only in the Yangtze River system. It is concentrated today in reaches of the main stream above Gezhouba Dam. The fishery has been closed since 1983, but populations continue to decline. Acipenser dabryanus has been cultured since the 1970s, and holds promise for commercial aquaculture; availability of aquacultural methods offers hope for enhancing natural populations. The Chinese sturgeon A. sinensis occurs in the Yangtze and Pearl rivers and seas of east Asia. There is still disagreement about the taxonomy of the Pearl and Yangtze River populations. The Yangtze River population is anadromous. Adults begin spawning at about age 14 years (males) and 21 years (females), and adults spend over 15 months in the river for reproduction. Spawning sites of A. sinensis were found every year since 1982 below the Gezhouba Dam, but it seems that insufficient suitable ground is available for spawning. Since 1983, commercial fishing has been prohibited but more measures need to be taken such as establishing protected areas and characterizing critical spawning, summering and wintering habitats.     

Genome-wide analysis of the Chinese sturgeon sox gene family: identification,characterisation and expression profiles of different tissues

The sox family is assumed to be responsible for a number of developmental systems. Genome sequencing technology makes it possible to scan sox genes and conduct characteristic analyses of different species. In fish, full characterisation of sox genes at the genome-wide level has been reported for pufferfish Takifugu rubripes, medaka Oryzias latipes, tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. However, no systematic investigation of the sox family in sturgeons (Acipenseridae) has been reported to date. This study conducted genome-wide identification of the sox genes in the Chinese sturgeon Acipenser sinensis and profiled their tissue distribution between male and female individuals. In total, 19 sox genes were identified, including soxb1, b2, c, d, e, f and h, in the Chinese sturgeon. Genomic structure analysis indicated relatively conserved exon–intron structures in each sox group and phylogenetic analysis supported the previous classification of the sox family. Most of the sox genes showed a tissue-specific expression pattern, indicating the possible involvement of Chinese sturgeon sox genes at different developmental processes such as cardiac and gonadal development. This study provides a comprehensive resource of Chinese sturgeon sox genes and enables a better understanding of the evolution and function of the sox family.     

Effects of Pro-Tex® on the expression of Hsp70 gene and immune response parameters in the Persian sturgeon fingerlings,Acipenser persicus,infected with Aeromonas hydrophila

The induction of Hsps (heat shock protein) recognized as a promising approach to limiting disease and improving health in aquaculture. This investigation aimed to study the impacts of Pro-Tex®, an extract from the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica), on the expression of Hsp70 gene and induction of immune response parameters in Acipenser persicus infected with Aeromonas hydrophila ATCC^®7966^TM. Fish were pretreated with 25, 50 and 100 mg/L of Pro-Tex and then injected in the intra-peritoneal cavity with A. hydrophila. The expression level of Hsp70 gene, lysozyme activity (LYZ) and complement C3 (C3), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels were assessed in liver, gill, and intestine on the days 3 and 7 post-infection. Tex-OE® increased expression of Hsp70 in a dose-dependent way in A. persicus, but this expression significantly reduced on the 7-days post-injection. The Hsp70 expression pattern was variable in each tissue, also, LYZ activity, C3, and IgM increased, depending on the concentration, and showed a decreasing trend in a time-dependent way. In conclusion, our data indicated that Pro-Tex as an Hsp70 inducer increases the resistance of sturgeon fry against fish pathogens by induction of different immunity factors.     

Embryonic development of adriatic sturgeon,Acipenser naccarii (Bonaparte 1836), in farming conditions: a guide

The sequence and timing of the embryonic development of Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) are described at a constant temperature (17 ± 1 °C), from fertilisation to hatch in a hatchery. Fertilised eggs, obtained from one female and two males, were held in a flow‐through system. On the first day, embryos were sampled every 20 min during the first 12 h, and every 40 min in the following 12 h. Embryos were sampled hourly on the second day. On the third and fourth days, embryos were sampled every 2 h, and every 3 h on the fifth and sixth days. The first cleavage furrow appeared at 1 h 40 min postfertilisation. Blastulation concluded at 12 HPF (hours postfertilisation), when the dorsal blastopore lip formed. The completion of gastrulation was at 18 HPF, closing of the neural tube at 23 HPF and formation of the s‐shape heart at 31 HPF. The mass hatch occurred at 120 HPF. A. naccarii is a relatively common sturgeon species in aquaculture and possesses similar developmental patterns to those of other sturgeons; hence, we can use this species as a model for further studies about sturgeon species which are more difficult to breed artificially. Information about the embryonic development of the Adriatic sturgeon could assist restocking programmes.