Transportation Influences on Inland Fall Chinook Salmon Egg Survival

Abstract

Transportation effects on egg survival of Lake Oahe (South Dakota) inland fall chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha were evaluated in two experiments. One experiment compared three different transportation methods. When water-hardened eggs were transported in bags containing water equal in volume to egg volume, survival rates of the eggs to both the eyed and swim-up stages of development were highest at 73.9% and 69.0%, respectively. Eggs transported in moist air conditions had a mean survival of 60.3% to the eyed stage and 55.7% to swim-up. Transportation of separate gametes before fertilization and water hardening produced only a 15.7% survival to the eyed stage. A second experiment directly examined the effects of egg transportation. No differences in survival to the eyed stage of development were observed between water-hardened eggs transported in bags containing water versus water-hardened eggs not transported. Transportation of inland fall chinook salmon eggs from Lake Oahe in coolers containing water volumes equal to egg volumes is recommended.